Outside My Window… it’s a beautifully cold and blustery day out there today, with the sun’s warmly shining rays seeming to shoo away the day’s soggy-gray beginnings. The wind’s now blowing through the mostly bared branches of our Maple tree, tugging on her last few brown and withered leaves, beckoning their surrender, parading them through the air and scattering them carelessly along the littered, wet ground. A Northeasterly wind has brought this year’s first wintery flurries of crystalline flakes our way this morning, quietly covering the fading colors of Fall strewn about our yard with a translucently thin veil of lacey white.
I am thinking… where to start… *sighs* lots… feeling a bit melancholy today I think.
I am thankful for… being able to be home, and therefore available to comfort my cranky-crying-oh-so-miserably-because-she’s-teething-baby by holding her close and snugging most of our day away in the rocker, comfort nursing and distracting her […]
Original post by Beth
I haven’t participated in this meme before, Blogger Friend School, which provides a weekly “blogging homework” theme. As I was browsing through some of the amazing blogs listed over at the HSB Awards, I clicked onto this week’s theme for the BFS, and was totally inspired to join in, since it goes hand in hand with thoughts and observations I’ve been having here in the last couple weeks anyways. Technically, I believe that the “assignment” is supposed to be posted on Tuesday?, but in my natural way, I’m posting mine a day two days late!
The passion to sing, the passion to draw, the passion to build, the passion to ride, the passion for reading, the passion for nature… the list is endless. Some children exhibit their passion from day one, others need an experience to spark that passion.
Assignment: Share a field trip/lifestyle learning experience where you really felt you were […]
Original post by Beth
I was inspired by today’s meme over at Heart of the Matter Online to show you around here a bit and so I’m doing a post here about our “schoolroom”.
I know that there are those that have amazing and elaborate school rooms dedicated to housing anything and everything related to homeschooling. There are also those who have mad skills when it comes to organizing and integrating the school into the home rather than having an ‘area’. We then have homeschoolers that pride themselves on the world being their school house and the couch being their desk.
Where do you school? If you are one of the super-organized mothers what tips can you share? If you are more laid back, what encouragement and insight can you offer?
Well, as many of you probably already know, we are definitely not in the first group there, but rather somewhere in that second and mostly even […]
Original post by Beth
Outside My Window… it’s dark, curtains pulled. We had crisp Autumn weather outside today, and we were loving it… windows closed to the cold now. It’s a beautiful sun-shiny Autumn day… T is out there “building a fort”.
I am thinking… how nice it is when the house is quiet in the evenings like this, and the kids all tucked in their beds… makes it hard to make myself go to bed. I’d rather sit up and read, write and ruminate. Someday I’ll feel less scatter-brained and will find time to blog more regularly, surly! Okay, I’m trying to finish this and post it for the third or fourth time this week! Pitiful! Yes, I’d started it on Sunday night, and then Monday morning was starting again, and then thought forget it yesterday… I know it’s Wed. already and I’d hoped to have these up every Monday, and I almost didn’t […]
Original post by Beth
Life with a little one is busy… ALL. the time. I’d forgotten just how busy one baby can keep a Momma, and then, throw in a seventh grader and a fourth grader, with so many of their activities and a large part of their education hinging on my daily accessibility… not to even mention everyday stuff like housework, cooking healthful meals, running errands, etcetera… and then wifedom too! …and there you have ‘em… my reasons -in a nut shell- for neglecting this here blog of mine lately. I mean, the baby girl turned ONE year old back in August, and I have yet to get a picture of her sweetness in cake up here on my blog! Pitiful… *smiles*
There’s also the general brain-writer’s-block and tendency towards passivity and wanting to just veg-out, read or play when I do sit down at mr.mac here, or baby S’s thinking that this computer/desk […]
Original post by Beth
A few of you were interested in hearing a follow-up as to whatever became of the offending book I’d run across at our local public library. So here I am, finally writing you an update… maybe it’ll be a post sufficient enough to break my almost month of blogging silence around here and jump-start some writing vibes for me! I do have so much to write about, just lacking time and sufficient brainpower I think! Heh.
Anyways, after speaking with the librarians the first time, and being told that the matter would be looked into, following up a second time (as I mentioned in the comments section of aforelinked post), and then upon inquiring about the matter a third time, I was informed by our librarian that the book had indeed been permanently removed from circulation! Whhoooo-Hooo!
The librarian then explained to me that she knowingly just pulled it for the reason […]
Original post by Beth
The most important motive in the school and in life is the pleasure in the work.
~Albert Einstein
This picture was sneakily taken last Spring, with my handy-dandy zoom lens feature. I had a hard time choosing between it, or this one for this theme. One things I’ve loved about homeschooling over the years is all of the extra great quality time the kids have gotten to spend learning with their Dad, afforded to us by our being able to work around all of his wacky work-schedules.
Thursday Challenge: for fun and learning
Photo Theme for Today: “SCHOOL” (Students, Campus, School Building, Backpacks, School Supplies, Desks, Books,…)
Next Week: PLANTS (Garden, Vegetables, Fruit, Flowers, Trees,…)
Original post by Beth
Outside My Window… A sunny morning has turned into a breezy, somewhat cloudy afternoon. Clothes drying on the line, and a new swing set that our neighbor gave us over the weekend. Their grand kids have outgrown it, and we thought that it would be wonderful to have here for baby S, who LOVES the slides and swings at the park. It’s turned out that N and T are having as much fun on it as baby S is… well, almost as much.
I am thinking… Has it already been a whole week since I did my first daybook post? Wow! Yikes… and I’d really like to finish reorganizing my books closet today.
I am thankful for…
*The joy that resides in my 9yo daughter’s heart, evidenced by how she often hums to herself as she writes, or draws, as she’s doing now, while working on her “Horse Study Notebook” at the table […]
Original post by Beth
Hosted by Peggy @ The Simple Woman
Outside My Window… it’s dark and quiet now, late Monday evening.. Stars are out, and a bright half moon. We saw lightning bugs twinkling and bats flitting over the fields at dusk.
I am thinking… I am glad to have found this “Simple Woman” meme over at Heather’s and Jacque’s blogs today (two blogs I’ve also recently discovered this week…) I look forward to doing it on Mondays (maybe even regular-like)!
I am thankful for… a husband that’s worked hard all day in the hot sun, only to come home and work some more to finish a pen for two thankless goats, and is now tucking our 9 and 12 year olds in with story-time, Bible devotions, prayers and whispery snuggles*A 12 yo boy who runs to get his baby sister out of bed as soon as he hears her waking cries, and gleefully hugs her […]
Original post by Beth
Last Thursday Chris got off work early and so he came home and went to work around here (as he usually does). He’s been building a new shed, which is quite impressive. I’ve been taking pictures, but as you regulars know, alas, cannot load them here for awhile. Just know that it’s nice, concrete foundation, solid wood frame, all aluminum sides and roof, two windows… he went all out. We’re using our tax refund money for this so that he can get his stuff out of our garage turned workshop, so that he can finish out the garage into two rooms and an extra bathroom… eventually.
Anyways, he was out there working, did something, slipped and his forearm came down on a corner piece of metal. He then had a nice-sized hole/puncture wound in his arm, which was just gushing pouring blood (thank You Lord that he didn’t hit an artery!). […]
Original post by Beth
until last night.
Last week I taught baby S to throw her own diapers away. She was on board, thought it was great fun! I bragged to Chris, “See her doing her first ‘chore’! She’s such a big girl!” as she marched from our bedroom, down the hallway and into the kitchen with her diaper in hand, excited to “throw away the diaper”… Then, last night, N caught her red-handed. She had lifted the lid on the trash can (hey, I didn’t teach her that part… not on purpose anyways, but apparently she was watching) and was about to throw the tv remote control away! LOL Yeah, so, not so cute anymore… Do you think she’s trying to tell us something (besides check the trash before we take it out?)?
Original post by Beth
Obviously, not blogging, heh. We’ve had some serious computer issues in the last few weeks. Our Mac has been out of commission for a couple of weeks now, and after downloading all of our files and pictures onto cd-roms while having it in safe mode (the only way it would even work- I am SO thankful to have been able to save my photos!!), and then a few nights of fruitless frustration as Chris tried to diagnose and fix it on his own via Mac-help forums- mr.mac is now in the shop. We’ve yet to hear back what’s wrong with it though, and hoping it’s not too much $$ to fix.
Meanwhile we’ve been dependent upon Chris’s ancient lap-top with it’s finicky wireless internet connection (which all last week wouldn’t even connect- at all!?) for any online access. It’s s-l-o-w too and thus, until now, I’ve not even attempted to get online for quite awhile. We’ve been so busy around here […]
Original post by Beth
This is my first blog entry with ScribeFire… let’s see how this works here. Okay, I’ve been tweaking around with the various buttons on my composing window here for ScribeFire… very, very cool. And my understanding is that I’ll be able to blog without actually signing into my blog page at all, by just clicking on the little ScribeFire widget at the bottom of my screen. This test will confirm.
Update: It worked! Wow, and there’s more features I’m finding to make blogging even easier (read: FASTER! …like automated hotlinks, various function buttons, etc.) and more streamlined. Yipppeee! And to think that I’ve been letting this handy-dandy feature just sit here without investigating it earlier?! I may get more blogging done yet.
Original post by Beth
Last week baby S, at 9 months and 3 days of age, took her first THREE unassisted steps, with only a little prompting from Dad to “come here”, as he kneeled down in front of her. It was so exciting, and I surprised myself with a squeal! Oh, our baby can’t be walking already?! Yes, we’ve certainly suspected that she’d definitely be our earliest walker, with the way she walks all around the house behind her push-along walker toy, and has been pulling herself up to standing alone before she even started crawling (gleefully clapping her hands for herself, knowing exactly what she’s doing), and walking all around the coffee table and dining room chairs holding on.
And all last week she practiced… Now she’s taking 10+ steps from here to there regularly, and lots of crawling on her feet, with her rump up in the air. It’s too funny. She’s […]
Original post by Beth
Little Mikey, T’s cockatiel, died today… and we have no idea why. He seemed fine this morning, but then when she went to get him later this afternoon, she found him laying on his side, looking beautiful and healthy as ever, besides being… um, dead. T, of course, is heartbroken and bawled her heart out. We’re waiting until Chris gets home to have the burial. She doesn’t know it, but Chris is bringing home a helium balloon for her to let go, and send up to Mikey… *sighs*
We’re all wondering what caused his death, very puzzling, spoiled as he is was, and healthy as he seemed? He was only about a year and a half old, we’ve had him since he was a featherless little fledgling and T’s spent hours reading cockatiel books and training him. I hate to see my little girl’s heart so broken… guess that’s the downside […]
Original post by Beth
Little Mikey, T’s cockatiel, died today… and we have no idea why. He seemed fine this morning, but then when she went to get him later this afternoon, she found him laying on his side, looking beautiful and healthy as ever, besides being… um, dead. T, of course, is heartbroken and bawled her heart out. We’re waiting until Chris gets home to have the burial. She doesn’t know it, but Chris is bringing home a helium balloon for her to let go, and send up to Mikey… *sighs*
We’re all wondering what caused his death, very puzzling, spoiled as he is was, and healthy as he seemed? He was only about a year and a half old, we’ve had him since he was a featherless little fledgling and T’s spent hours reading cockatiel books and training him. I hate to see my little girl’s heart so broken… guess that’s the downside […]
Original post by Beth
Our journey down picture book lane with old and new friends. Here’s baby S reading to Bub, Bub reading to baby S, one of her favorites… see how she’s grabbing at it? I kid you not when I tell you that she likes to turn the pages and study the pictures intently already! What fun we shall have introducing our baby girl to so many wonderful books. She loves to chew on good literature already, literally!
Original post by Beth
It finally snowed yesterday! Actually it snowed a few weeks ago too, but just a few small flurries that never even stuck. This time it actually snowed, and looked like a white wonderland here - for a day. It was mostly melted by the late afternoon though. In the meantime, they had some friends over and had a wet, muddy blast.
It took Samson a few minutes to get used to it. He was walking very strangely at first, but romping around and tackling the kids in no time.
Original post by Beth
This morning, as I was frying up some turkey bacon to go with our banana bread for a mid-morning snack, I realized that I was hearing the shower running. That’s strange, thought I, since Chris isn’t home and I didn’t tell anyone to take a shower… T was sitting at the table drawing, and I realized that N had decided to take a shower on his own!! Whoa!! So, what does this mean? Usually he dreads taking a shower, puts it off as long as possible, for days if we let him, until Chris and I are telling him, “Take a shower, NOW!”
So… Why now? I mean it’s great, I felt excited even, but wondered… what does this mean? What caused this sudden notice of personal hygiene? Is it the dawn of a new day?
Then, a few minutes after he came out, all fresh and dressed for the day, hair […]
Original post by Beth
On the day before yesterday, as we were driving to the local salvage store, N started talking to me about a book he recently finished reading and we had been discussing, Eragon. He commented that to him it was similar to the “The Pirates of the Caribbean” movies (which he hasn’t yet seen, but knows about and has seen commercials for and heard all about from some friends) in that it is a story in which, because of all the sorcery involved on both “sides”, “it’s not good versus evil, it’s really just bad fighting worse”.
I had to smile at his astute insight (based upon the Biblical principle that sorcery cannot be good in God’s sight, regardless of who’s wielding it), glad for his having come to that conclusion on his own, especially since I wasn’t too keen on his reading the book to begin with, but wanted to give […]
Original post by Beth
Today Yesterday Tuesday (that’s how long it’s taken me to get this ONE post written- granted it is long, but that’s what happens when things keep piling up that I want to write about) was N and T’s last riding lesson of the season, and I am so ready for the break. It’s one less place that I’ll be taking them each week, until they start their lessons back up in the Spring. Their riding instructor takes the colder months off from teaching, but I’m sure that the kids will still get to go over to her house a few times to ride and visit with her and the ponies and horses that they love so much- just for fun, so long as its not too miserably cold outside. T sure won’t be missing the hours of barn chores that they do each week to pay for their lessons, […]
Original post by Beth
If you have ever felt sick and tired of churchianity…and felt Father drawing you to something else…something more real…more intimate…more simple, then please pray and consider joining us in this study.
I would like to extend an invitation to all of my friends and readers here to join me and some other ladies (gents?) in a study we started yesterday. We’ll be reading through and discussing a study put together by Mike and Sue Dowgiewicz of Restoration Ministries Int. that can be found here, entitled Discussing How to Restore the Early Church. Our study is being hosted by Julie of Seeking the Old Paths and so far she’s posted the first two parts, here and here, which I have printed out for easier reading.
It’s a lot to read each day, especially since I’m looking up all of the Scriptures as I go, so I may not keep up with Julie’s […]
Original post by Beth
This is what T has been doing for the last few days, ever since her knitting teacher told her that she could bring her yarn and knitting needles (which they made themselves in class, from cherry dowel rods and hand-painted knobs they glued on the ends) home… She’s making a scarf, and says that “this is really addictive”! I must say that I’d have to agree! She’s even been bringing her knitting with her when we go places.
T has now taught me how to cast-on, and now I’ve started a scarf myself (for N). She commented on how fun it was to teach me, and on how hard it was to teach Chris because he wanted to do it his own way. heh! What fun we’re having. Last week I joined her in her coop knitting class, and I think that I’m going to start going in there every week […]
Original post by Beth
Hello!! Yes, I’m still around, and no I haven’t forgotten all of my friends that keep up with us here, though I have been a bit pre-occupied these days with everything else besides being on the computer! I suppose that’s as it should be here lately though, and to be expected with all that’s going on. However, I’m feeling bloggish this evening, and so have decided to ignore all that’s left yet undone for today, since I’d much rather sit here to play write and read a bit while baby S is asleep.
If this blog is going to survive this new season of my life, I’m thinking that I need to get better about writing little sporadic posts here and there, huh? Okay, I’ll try…
Baby Love~ the latest…
Baby S is growing beautifully.
I find myself calling her “milk-lips”, “my little love” or “sweetness”> Chris calls her “Peepers”, and her song […]
Original post by Beth
I sure haven’t blogged in awhile, have I? We’re doing well over here. I’ve been either really busy, or tired or just plain lazy. It’s hard for me to sit here at the ‘puter chair for long now, since I get a kink in my back and all stiff if I’m in any position for too long now. So, I’ve not been on the MAC much at all in the last few weeks, which has been nice. I’m just so thankful that I haven’t had any pains like this until here recently! Can you believe that we only have ONE week to go now, until that magic date anyways (DD is 8/21), for what it’s worth. heh! (Oh, please don’t wait any longer than that Savannah dear…) Yeah, I’ve found myself talking to her a lot lately, we all are.
And so, I’ve been doing my best to […]
Original post by Beth
« Previous Entries