Minivan Moments

So, here i am, finally getting around to putting some words down on this blog after a several-month absence. And now, i find myself in a stage of change. Again. {smile} Not all changes are bad, and of course, some changes aren't good, but most changes represent challenges and a bit of uncertainty. The challenges vary substantially and the uncertainty can be daunting. However, we usually see enough benefit after working through the change to make said change worthwhile. That brings me to my point: we are adopting a mostly vegetarian/vegan way of life as a family. It is something that has lingered on the horizon of my life for a few years now, but i have not had the drive to fully embrace it. Until now. The last bit of research i read about dairy, and animal protein in general, shook my doubts off like water from a just-bathed dog. I can no longer deny that this is the way to keep health in my family's future. Our generation is increasingly sick, and we are looking down the...

Living the High Life, whatever that is. An expression that implies good fortune, plenty, success. That begs the question: is less than plenty, success, and good fortune, living the Low Life? A "Low Life" is another expression, this one meaning someone who is less-than-desirable, and to some, less than human somehow. So if i'm not living the High Life, am i a Low Lifer? A Low Life? Loving God the way i do, i meander a lot on a journey that seems paved with good intentions but poor judgment, best of plans but disastrous execution, and great expectations but depressing results. And the more i compare my life to others, the more dissatisfied i get. Okay, that makes sense. So, stop comparing, right? Simple enough! Yet... not easy. Through the 'high' times in life, we can back-burner prayer, even God. But in the 'low' times, we cling to Him like plastic wrap clings to its roll. We just cannot get through the hard things without Him. So why do we try to g...

Today, the kids and i tackled our out-of-character, chilly, drizzly September day with a bit of nonsense. We decided, after i spent 20 minutes on YouTube , that cupcakes were in order! After all, we should practice before the birthdays come, right? We took photos of the whole process, too, because the kids think it would be neat to make videos for YouTube that pay money! Hahaha. Ah, well, it was fun at least! Here's a taste of what we did. (After i get the slide show uploaded to YouTube , maybe i'll post the link here....) From " Ho-hum "...  ...to " Oh, Yum! " Chrysanthemum Cupcakes! They were tasty, too!!

Today, on a random run-through at my local Target store, i found some fantastic fixes for some trouble areas in our home. I could not believe the teacher supplies they had in the Dollar Spot! I bought an organizer for schedules, some little crayon scheduling cards, some flashcards about various subjects, and some cute reward stickers for when the kiddos apply themselves and deserve a little pat on the back. Here's our schedule (the kids will turn their crayon around as they complete a task):   Then i wandered past the planners and such, and i found some fabulous organizational tools called "Organize Her." I got a magnetic mail sorter, a magnetic calendar/schedule for a week, a magnetic file sorter, a magnetic flip chart that holds 3 different papers in a flip-up style, and an important numbers magnetic sheet. All of these magnetic items match, by the way, so i look organized just at a glance! Of course, a clear-off of the front of the frig was in order, but after get...

" Walk with Joseph as he goes from a prince in Canaan to slavery in Egypt and then to the courts of Pharaoh. Your students will enjoy this engaging Bible study! Follow Joseph as he travels from the tents of Jacob to the house of Potiphar and eventually becomes second in command to Pharaoh. Watch to see how Joseph reacts to slavery and false accusations. See how God uses difficult circumstances in Joseph ’s life to prepare him to save thousands of people, including those who mistreated him. Joseph ’s story is one of betrayal, forgiveness, and restoration. Take a look at this fascinating Bible story today! Multi-Level Book: Designed for ages 7 and up "  ~ Grapevine Studies   I recently received a copy of the Joseph Multi-Level Bible Study by Grapevine Studies to use and review in anticipation of its launch on August 1st. As always, I just love using their units! With the recent knowledge of my oldest two children's learning barriers, the units from Grapevine Stu...

By about this time of the summer, the kids are a bit heat-weary, and everyone is less enthused about the outside stuff than they were in May. Coincidentally, this is also the time of the summer that Target begins to mark their summer fun stuff down. You know what that means: time for a trip to Target! We recently stocked up on bubbles, sidewalk chalk, water blasters, and soaker balls in an attempt to drag out the summer fun for at least another week or so. With 100-degree days fading into one another with little respite, we've learned to make the most of the water fun we can engage in in our front yard. (Three kids and sunblock do not a happy mommy make, so we stay close to home.) Slamming each other with splashy balls of water, running amok around the yard in an all out Water War, and sticking our butts over the sprinkler are all ways we enjoy a good cooling off in the afternoon.When evening arrives, the sidewalk chalk, balls, and bicycles come out... and an occasional Popsicl...

Not a single person on earth is faultless. Not one is without error, sin, faults; whatever you want to call 'em, we've all got 'em! So, here i sit in my comfortable life, messing up with the best of 'em, and my Heavenly Father remains faithful. I screw up. Sometimes terribly. Yet He forgives. I make mistakes. Sometimes huge ones. Yet He forgives. And even better than that forgiveness, at least to someone like me, is His teachings. He never lets me escape the opportunity for a lesson. I yearn for and appreciate those lessons sometimes!! Other times... not so much. But, He is faithful to provide just exactly what i need, even when i don't know what that is. How anyone can live a life without knowing Him is beyond me. He is the very Air i breathe, the One to whom i can turn when i am struggling, the Nourishment to my soul, the Rest in times of trouble. There is nothing this world can put me through that i cannot endure with the help of the One who created me. H...

I'm really struggling with something lately: How do i put a price tag on my child's health and well-being? Let's say, for just a moment, that i found out my child had cancer (God forbid!). Let's then assume, for the sake of this conversation, that my insurance doesn't cover the treatment. Further, the treatment is just over $5,000 and will take weekly therapy for 8-12 months. What would i do? Quite obviously, i would treat my child to get rid of the cancer! Now, imagine the health concern is merely that her eyes don't function properly. I don't mean she needs glasses; i mean, she has eyes that do not operate physically the way they are supposed to and it interferes with her brain's ability to understand what she is seeing. Basically, she sees everything as if her eyes operate independently of one another, and her brain thinks she is seeing double (and that is really only one of the problems). That may not seem life-threatening, and certainly, she...

I've generally been a follower. I don't care to lead, and i don't want the responsibility of being in charge, so i have been mostly content to be a sheep most of my life. Baa! Then i became a mama. Most women have a hidden 'switch' (for lack of a better word) that is activated at the birth of our first child. We blossom into selfless, nurturing, dedicated leaders. The little bundle depends on us, and we generally rise to the occasion beautifully. Oh, sure, we have our fair share of speed bumps, but, being women, we fuss and carry on, learning to do better next time. Which brings me back to my point: we become leaders. If the doctor won't take us seriously, we'll do our own darn research. If the teacher won't understand our child, we'll find our own blasted answers. If the child needs guidance that is far from accepted by mainstream America, we'll become Pioneers in our own right. We lead because we are wise enough to know when we have to. ...

So, a year ago, i saw some red flags in my son, obsessively pursued the nauseatingly abundant resources on the subjects of childhood disorders, disabilities, and syndromes, and have exhausted myself and others with my relentless determination to NAME the THING that is WRONG with MY CHILD. Are you hearing me?? I wanted that darned thing CALLED OUT. Out in the open. Titled. Exposed . After all, i reasoned, i can't fight something if i don't know what i'm up against. Right? Well, finally, after months of researching, labeling, contemplating, re-labeling, and trying things from various angles, i got that coveted appointment with the pediatric neurologist. I marched in there, armed with all the things that were amiss in my child, determined that i be taken seriously. And i was. He was inquisitive, patient, and painstakingly thorough. My son walked, ran, trotted, bent, twisted, and counted for the good doctor. He closed his eyes and operated his arms and hands. He tolerated the...

Remember Joan Rivers saying, "Can we talk?" in that smoker's, accented voice? I think about that sometimes when i wonder if my kids know they can talk to me about anything. As a kid, i remember knowing when i screwed up, but never really getting positive feedback. Sadly, i seem to have adopted that parenting style myself. I struggle with a critical nature, and that must make it tough for my kids to share their innermost struggles or feelings. I have been focusing on it more, and trying to retrain myself. My 11-year-old and i are fighting our way through this right now: i'm trying to learn patience, watch my tone, and encourage her as much as i criticize; and she's trying to find her way (as well as tolerate me). :) Recently, my son and i have been dialoging quite a bit about his behavioral concerns. I have tried bringing up my concerns and asking him questions whenever we have time alone. Tonight, i found how much progress we have made when the other kids were s...

It would be so easy to set up a 'school' at home and follow a schedule so that all educational pursuits would be completed before we play... except it isn't. It would be so simple to have a room in which everything 'home school' lived and all our home schooling took place in that room and it would be organized and schooling-friendly... except it didn't work. It would be totally marvelous to have all my children reading everyday and learning so much from books that they develop into lifelong learners and passionate readers... except they don't learn best that way. Like most things in life, when i peer over the fence into someone else's life, i find myself longing for pieces that work for them to work so wonderfully for me. But it isn't that simple. When i keep a perfect school schedule, my house is a wreck, the laundry piles up, and dinner is a combination of convenience and junk. When i keep a tidy house, the schooling gets behind and the k...

Yesterday after church, my son (who is not what you'd call 'enthusiastic' about church) informed me that he needed to bring in some shoes to donate to the kids in Japan. He said he wanted to bring the most shoes so he could win the movie tickets the church is raffling off for the kids who participate in the shoe drive.  I immediately thought of my favorite Super Shoe Savings tip: Rack Room Shoes' CLEARANCE aisle!! They typically have shoes back there for $3-$5 a pair, and i knew i could "RACK" up (pun intended). PLUS, i had a coupon for 20% OFF a $60 purchase, so i decided i needed to get $60 worth of shoes before we even went.  Tonight, i ran through there with the eldest after meeting Daddy for dinner, and we set out to "RACK" up! OH!! THE FUN!! We had the cashier AND the manager caught up in our enthusiasm by the time we got to $60! (by the way, the Clearance Aisle items are good for the BOGO 50% Sale, peeps!!) Altogether, we purchased 20 pairs...

It's easy for some to know what their God-given gifts are. My husband has a computer for a brain, so he is fantastic with computers. {grin} For me, i have struggled. Over the years i have been told my gifts are in working with children. Ehh... not so much lately. I have also been told i should open a restaurant. Umm... i'm too lazy/picky/chicken/pick one. Then, there's the writing. I've been told i should write children's books. Yeah, well, they're only as good as the illustrator, and that's not my thing, so.... I used to write the newsletter for my small church and they loved it, but it has since closed its doors, so that's that. Well, so i have this blog. I love to write. (You didn't know that, did you?) I have a lot of opinions. (Kept that a secret, didn't i?) And, i'm starved for an intellectual outlet as a stay-at-home mother of three. If you put all that together, you MIGHT get one of my God-given gifts: writing... about/for/to be...

I have days when i wonder what i'm doing homeschooling.  Okay, i can't lie, i have weeks like this.  They are scattered about hither and yon, they scurry into hiding places when i try to meet them head-on, they jump out and take me by surprise when i'm not paying attention, but mostly, they make me feel like a failure. Who do i think i am, teaching these kids? What makes me think i can accomplish such a lofty goal when i have dozens of unfinished projects laying about? Why would i add to my already-heaping plate such a tremendous task (times 3!)? Well, today i got the reminder, the answer to all those questions and more. My eldest had 'a morning' (she's 11 - use your imagination). My son required constant reminders (he's 8, so he still loves to play). My youngest was in 'a mood' (she's 4 and a bit emotional, so...). We had an extra child today, and she was apparently feeding on our moods (yay: sharing!). After a lengthy (and exhaus...

Generally, yes. Until recently, that is. You see, all my adult life, i have suffered from sensitive skin, so not only was shaving cream necessary to a good shave (yes, THAT kind of cream), but specifically the kind for sensitive skin to ease my pain. Apparently, i have a skin condition that causes aggravation of the hair follicles, and shaving makes this worse.  So, i have vacillated between intermittent shaving and complete boycott of the practice.  Generally, the boycott takes place in the winter, so no need to be alarmed. Well, on our recent vacation, i forgot to pack my razor.  It was still winter, so no biggie.  Oh, except for the fact that i was traveling to FLORIDA.  Yeah, um, gonna need that razor after all!  Off to the store i went... where there was a ridiculously pitiful selection (i discovered after i returned that Publix doesn't stock razors in the health and beauty aisle, but keep in mind that i didn't know this during that visit) which ...

Some of my blogging friends are doing a series called "Tasty Tuesday" in which we share recipes with our readers.  Since i LOVE to cook, it seemed like something i should take time to do... but which recipe?? Hmmm. Okay, here's a simple one for those of you who have dairy troubles like we do, and it involves YOUR family favorites! Chicken Pot Pie Ingredients : Canned or cooked chunked chicken Chicken broth of choice Cornstarch Canned and drained or frozen and thawed mixed veggies Biscuit dough or recipe of choice (quantities are left out because this is so easy to adjust to your family's size) So, taking all your favorites (mine are canned chicken from Costco, Organic Better Than Bouillon Chicken Flavor, canned veggies, and homemade biscuits from America's Test Kitchen Cookbook), you assemble this simple meal in a cast-iron skillet (or deep 12-inch skillet with lid) and dinner is served in under an hour (half an hour if you're really efficient in the kitch...

In teaching my children about World War II, i have discovered a newfound passion for the topic.  I recall sitting in fifth grade civics class, watching videos of the atrocities of the Holocaust: the concentration camps, the gas chambers, the starvation and wasting away, the devastating separation of families.  Now, as a suburban mother in a middle-income American home, i am deeply moved by all that i did not even understand back then (and i understood more than some of my peers did). This week, i have been watching the documentary, Forgiving Dr. Mengele , which is about a surviving twin of horrific scientific experimentation at Auschwitz.  In the documentary, there is quite a rage about her decision to forgive the Germans, the Nazis, and the doctor who was the perpetrator of the heinous crimes committed against her and her sister.  The outcry reminds me that a great many people, religious and non-religious alike, seem to have a misconception (or at least no full co...

Yesterday, the kids got the hair-brained idea to dig up the old (read "ignored"), overgrown garden and plant flowers in it. The last week of sunshine and nice temps has really motivated them to start up the gardening again, and i had a tough time saying "no" - so, i didn't. :^)  So, 2 hours later, we had tired backs, weak muscles, a giant trash bag full of weeds, and a beautiful little garden where once a nightmare had been.  This morning, i had to go out back and look at it just to appreciate all our hard work again.  Now, maybe we'll be able to control ourselves until we can plant the veggies! $6 for organic garden soil (we only needed a little on top) + $7 in fresh pansies of many colors + elbow grease and determination = perfect! (you may not know what it looked like before this shot, but i do... and what an improvement!)

So, the kids and i have discovered this fabulous game called The Scrambled States of America . We LOVE playing (okay, The Littlest Princess is left out, but we try to include her some) and the kids are actually learning a bit about the U.S. States in the process! Just the other day, my son's workbook wanted him to use a map of the United States (included in the workbook) to write down each State's capital city. Okay, fine... except he couldn't find Hawaii where he thought it should be and Alaska was nowhere near where he had begun learning it should be. Then, in trying to locate a Southwestern State, he says, "oh, New Mexico is by the Pacific Ocean!" Huh? I walk over and look at his book, explaining, "no, son, New Mexico is right above Mexico..." only to notice that THERE WAS NO MEXICO ON HIS MAP. (or Canada, for that matter) Well, no wonder other countries think the United States is so self-absorbed: we teach our children that we are on our own ...

Last summer, we began a tedious journey through a difficult season in our lives: family trials coupled with unprecedented numbers of illnesses in our home have just about driven me batty.  So, after a frayed rotator cuff in my right arm (why i don't blog as often anymore), the discovery of a couple of possible learning disabilities in my kiddos (not covered by our insurance, naturally, so we're on our own), two stomach viruses (TWO!!), possible RSV that led to pneumonia (myself and the Littlest Princess), bronchitis (hubby), and an ear infection (the Man-Child)... i was deeply touched to be sent the " Stylish Blogger Award " by a friend from my reviewing days on The Old Schoolhouse Magazine's Homeschool Crew !  Wow! I needed that reminder that there is life out there and i used to be a part of it!! Thank you, Heather!! :^) Check out her awesome site at http://faithfamilyandfun.com/ I don't know how she does it, but there is always something new and inspirin...

Well, it's a new year, it's a new day, it's a new YOU! Or is it?? I take issue with New Year's Resolutions in general because i feel that if it's worth resolving to do it, it's worth starting NOW, not on some arbitrary square on the calendar .  However, i understand... mostly. After the holiday festivities involving too many meals with too many calories and too little exercising because of too little sun, it can sure seem like that magical day on the calendar brings with it a new resolve: to do something differently. For me, i am trying to get a grasp of my children's hang-ups so i can find the sweet spot that will lead to less conflict.  I am also trying to get healthier, both by increasing my daily activity levels and by watching my junk food consumption (neither of which comes easily, i might add).  I also want to declutter the house enough to make it less of a chore to keep clean - no, not tidy; we're not that family. But clean would be nice. ...