Classic Books and Ambleside 34

Classic Books: Apparently the BBC reckons most people will have only read 6 of the 100 books here.

I just had to know what of these books we'll hit in AO!!! AmblesideOnline! I've marked them with the year we'll read them. Cool!! 34!!!

Instructions:1) Look at the list and put an 'x' after those you have read.2) Add a '+' to the ones you LOVE.3) Star (*) those you plan on reading.4) Tally your total at the bottom.5) Put in a note with your total in the subject

1 Pride and Prejudice - Jane Austen AO9
2 The Lord of the Rings - JRR Tolkien
3 Jane Eyre - Charlotte Bronte AO10
4 Harry Potter series - JK Rowling
5 To Kill a Mockingbird - Harper Lee AO11
6 The Bible Everyday AO
7 Wuthering Heights - Emily Bronte AO10
8 Nineteen Eighty Four - George Orwell AO6
9 His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman
10 Great Expectations - Charles Dickens
11 Little Women - Louisa M Alcott AO5
12 Tess of the D’Urbervilles - Thomas Hardy
13 Catch 22 - Joseph Heller
14 Complete Works of Shakespeare All AO years
15 Rebecca - Daphne Du Maurier
16 The Hobbit - JRR Tolkien AO6
17 Birdsong - Sebastian Faulk
18 Catcher in the Rye - JD Salinger
19 The Time Traveller’s Wife - Audrey Niffenegger
20 Middlemarch - George Eliot
21 Gone With The Wind - Margaret Mitchell
22 The Great Gatsby - F Scott Fitzgerald AO11
23 Bleak House - Charles Dickens
24 War and Peace - Leo Tolstoy AO10
25 The Hitch Hiker’s Guide to the Galaxy - Douglas Adams
26 Brideshead Revisited - Evelyn Waugh AO11
27 Crime and Punishment - Fyodor Dostoyevsky
28 Grapes of Wrath - John Steinbeck
29 Alice in Wonderland - Lewis Carroll AO3
30 The Wind in the Willows - Kenneth Grahame AO2
31 Anna Karenina - Leo Tolstoy
32 David Copperfield - Charles Dickens AO7
33 Chronicles of Narnia - CS Lewis AO4
34 Emma - Jane Austen
35 Persuasion - Jane Austen AO10
36 The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – C.S. Lewis AO4
37 The Kite Runner - Khaled Hosseini
38 Captain Corelli’s Mandolin - Louis De Bernieres
39 Memoirs of a Geisha - Arthur Golden
40 Winnie the Pooh - AA Milne
41 Animal Farm - George Orwell AO6
42 The Da Vinci Code - Dan Brown
43 One Hundred Years of Solitude - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
44 A Prayer for Owen Meaney - John Irving
45 The Woman in White - Wilkie Collins AO10
46 Anne of Green Gables - LM Montgomery AO5
47 Far From The Madding Crowd - Thomas Hardy AO10
48 The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood
49 Lord of the Flies - William Golding
50 Atonement - Ian McEwan
51 Life of Pi - Yann Martel
52 Dune - Frank Herbert
53 Cold Comfort Farm - Stella Gibbons AO11
54 Sense and Sensibility - Jane Austen
55 A Suitable Boy - Vikram Seth
56 The Shadow of the Wind - Carlos Ruiz Zafon
57 A Tale Of Two Cities - Charles Dickens AO9
58 Brave New World - Aldous Huxley
59 The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time - Mark Haddon
60 Love In The Time Of Cholera - Gabriel Garcia Marquez
61 Of Mice and Men - John Steinbeck
62 Lolita - Vladimir Nabokov
63 The Secret History - Donna Tartt
64 The Lovely Bones - Alice Sebold
65 Count of Monte Cristo - Alexandre Dumas AO9
66 On The Road - Jack Kerouac
67 Jude the Obscure - Thomas Hardy
68 Bridget Jones’s Diary - Helen Fielding
69 Midnight’s Children - Salman Rushdie
70 Moby Dick - Herman Melville AO10
71 Oliver Twist - Charles Dickens AO5
72 Dracula - Bram Stoker
73 The Secret Garden - Frances Hodgson Burnett AO4
74 Notes From A Small Island - Bill Bryson
75 Ulysses - James Joyce
76 The Bell Jar - Sylvia Plath
77 Swallows and Amazons - Arthur Ransome AO3
78 Germinal - Emile Zola
79 Vanity Fair - William Makepeace Thackeray
80 Possession - AS Byatt
81 A Christmas Carol - Charles Dickens AO5
82 Cloud Atlas - David Mitchell
83 The Color Purple - Alice Walker
84 The Remains of the Day - Kazuo Ishiguro
85 Madame Bovary - Gustave Flaubert
86 A Fine Balance - Rohinton Mistry
87 Charlotte’s Web - EB White AO1
88 The Five People You Meet In Heaven - Mitch Albom
89 Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Sir Arthur Conan Doyle
90 The Faraway Tree Collection - Enid Blyton
91 Heart of Darkness - Joseph Conrad
92 The Little Prince - Antoine De Saint (in French)
93 The Wasp Factory - Iain Banks
94 Watership Down - Richard Adams AO7
95 A Confederacy of Dunces - John Kennedy Toole
96 A Town Like Alice - Nevil Shute
97 The Three Musketeers - Alexandre Dumas
98 Hamlet - William Shakespeare AO
99 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - Roald Dahl
100 Les Miserables - Victor Hugo AO10

Spanish: Cristo me Ama and more

We are 3 lessons into our Spanish. Here's what were working on...

• A simple vocabulary list that helps with letter sounds
• The alphabet and numbers
• Spanish songs
• Playing Uno all in Spanish

I've also found some great resources....

The Podcast Learn Spanish Survival Guide has some great lessons right where we are. His web site is My Spanish Connection.
Counting 1 to 100, Learn the Alphabet, At the Restaurant, and Learn Body parts with Simon Says... are a few we are working...

Here's a YouTube video that I've added to my Ipod with the help of Zamzar.com
Cristo ama a los niños/Cristo me Ama has the lyrics & translation.





I've found the best time to jump into our Spanish is in the car. My Ipod is loaded and ready to help us learn!! I'll use just the audio of videos to sing along. I've also made videos of our lessons to review and practice.

Cristo me ama.
Christ loves me.

Cristo me ama
Christ loves me.

Cristo me ama
Christ loves me.

La Biblia dice así
The Bible says so.

Grace!! ss

Hard Headed Boys.... Stitches....

We have the proof.... boys are hard headed!! Harder than my girls... Stitches!! Yikes

Last night the 789s babysat for the church. This was a long awaited date night!! I was in total shock when Hubbie made us reservations for dinner!!! Reservations!!! Wow!!! I'm impressed!! I'm still impressed!!!

We had a lovely quiet candle lit dinner and did a bit of shopping when the church called... Oh, no are my girls giving them problems??? Hubbie talked with them...

He got off the phone and said we ought to go get them.... we meandered out... as I'm realizing my daughter has a head injury... with blood.... we walk faster....

At the church Lovebug was watching a movie... when she saw us she clung to us and was so shaken. Her white Tee was blood stained... her jeans were too... her chin quivered. I held her in my arms. We started to head out and decided we needed to evaluate before leaving... Just peeking under a bandage between her eyes revealed a dark gash... consulting with those who'd bandaged her... we thought we needed help...

We sent Ladybug home with friends. We ran thru the house to pack a hospital bad. We were bound for the ER.

What happened?? Running on the playground... Lovebug had a head on collisions with Kenny... She fell to the ground crying and in the night those around her realized she was bleeding. She was scooped up and carried in... cleaned up and bandaged... and we were called... and told we needed to come....

At the ER we prayed no stitches.... as they evaluated the 2" long gash... stitches were necessary. The cut was long and deep. They had some doubt on our story... was this really a head to head collision??!!! Kenny has a goose egg on his head!!! Boys are so much harder headed... in this run in!!!

Hubbie and I both stayed by her side. She was scared and fighting their touch. Oh Lord, help. As they evaluated the site to ensure it was deadened... she yet squirmed... when given a shot to deaden it, she felt betrayed. "You said you were going to poke me!!!" I really thought we'd need to wrap her up to keep her still. By God's grace Hubbie laid down beside her... a tech helped still her... I held her hand and played music on the pod and sang to her.

She has 8 stitches... asking after each one if they were done. She got 9 stitches as one had to be redone. Finally... Done... Deep sigh.

We celebrated being done with chocolate zingers!!! We'd not gotten dessert after our dinner!



Today Lovebug sat on the sidelines unable to play in her basketball game. She sat with a big smile with her team. She told about all that happened with a bandage over the stitches.

Wednesday the stitches will come out. We're praying quick recovery and minimal scaring.

I'm have peace knowing Ps 139... we are fearfully & wonderfully made, knit together. These stitches are what God's using to knit her together. He holds us in the palm of His mighty hands!

Stitched by grace! ss

Prayer ACTS

If you've ridden in the car with us, you've been invited to pray with us. I love the habit that each time we get in the car, we pray together.

We've started to learn ACTS:

• A doration: Praising God for who He is all on his own, in his word
• C onfession: Confess our faults
• T hanksgiving: Thanking God for his many blessings
• S upplication: Present your requests

This has given us a platform to focus our prayer beyond the "bless mommy, daddy, sister...". I think we've thought more and truly prayed more.

We've had lots to pray this week. With a call on the Freedom of Choice Act that the girls heard, I sat with my girls and told tell them about abortion. Have you ever explained this??

Lately, we've passed the Cemetery of the Innocents representing the lives lost to abortion. This year the girls thought of our Kyle as we passed.... I explained that Kyle was wanted and those babies were not.

I told the girls that there are moms who don't want a baby. These babies are killed because they are not wanted. Oh, how horrible. My girls would love another little on in our house... how could anyone not want a baby?!??

Our right response was to pray!! We pray for President O. For him to be surrounded by wise men. That God would frustrate decisions that do not honor life & Jesus. We pray for him to hear the voices of the children. We prayed for God to work in the Congress to frustrate the FC Act. God hears our prayers!!

Learning to pray!! So much to pray for!! ss

A Big Bible Lesson

We start our school day after breakfast together on the couch.

Bibles in hand we are working thru readings in the Old Testament. I like that we simply follow a schedule to read thru the Bible. We started in Genesis a year ago in January of '08. I'd not realized it's been a whole year.

We've just read of Samuel & King Saul, then David & Goliath. Finally, David became King. That took us to "2 Samuel 11:1-17, 26-27 Bathsheba". I knw this was new ground...

We read the passage and then reviewed the 10 commandments (remember the hand motions? hold each finger up for these!):

• 1- One God
• 2- Scissors to cut out the idols
• 3- Trace a W, do not take God's name in vain
• 4- Dad, Mom, the girls go to church, remembe the Sabbath
• 5- Salute, honor mom & dad, *first command w/ a promise
• 6- Make a gun toward other 5, do not kill
• 7- This married couple does not mix with the world, no adultery
• 8- With 2 fingers cut off for stealing as some countries, do not steal
• 9- Nine standing up, one lying down, do not lie
• 10- Hand of "gimme gimme", do not covet, toys, barbies, forts, ect...

The girls clearly knew and stated King David broke #6 Do not Kill & #7 No Adultery.

We talked about the commandments God gave. Oh, that our boundaries would fall in pleasant places. God called his actions "evil." Now all David's days would be shaded by this sin. The sword will not depart from his family... all because of this. Trouble is coming...

I told the girls that these days are the years to learn obedience... so all their lives are not impacted by their sin. Today we have bad DAYS because of disobedience and attitudes. Now it is just a day... Oh that we'd learn these lessons now... so the impact is not every day, their whole lives!!

Today we read as Nathan confronted David 2 Samuel 12. I love David's response... v13 Then David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD."

I'm praying for my girls to recognize their sin. So often they see me as the reason for their discipline. They see straight past their part... the whole reason for their trouble. I'm praying for their eyes to be opened....

There was such grief today with David's son dying. I know their thoughts go to Kyle, the baby we lost. I tried to turn their focus to see the impact of David's sin.

Over and over I've thought and said... sin will keep you from the Bible... or the Bible will keep you from sin. This reminder I pray keeps my feet from sin!! That MY boundaries fall in pleasant places... may God give peace to my family... and my we choose to stay in His blessings.

Oh that God would remind us over & over & over!! Never forget!!! Learning! ss

Walking

We are officially walking!!

Maple needs to walk daily! Ruff! We've been reminded by Cesar Milan to walk!!! Also, I need to walk daily! The girls get to walk daily!!! Off we go...

Yesterday we braved the cold at 27°!!! We bundled! The girls used their scarves over their faces. I turned up my turtle neck to cover my face!!! Maple inspired the girls to walk. I was on a mission to swing by my neighbors!!! We made a short block and headed home for some hot cider!!

Today we walked after school! It is lovely 50° afternoon filled with golden sunshine! I wanted to walk 2 rounds but Ladybugs legs gave out! Hmf! It is just perfect out to walk!!

With a good week of walking... I hope to make it a habit! Next, farther and faster!!! Or next, just glad to walk!!! Grace!! ss

11 more months...

Howdy all ya'll,
Well it has been an exciting month since last I wrote.

I have shipped my first ever silos that I completed from beginning to end. Both silos shipped in two pieces. The last two pieces were to get to Homer City, Pennsylvania last Thursday. On Thursday evening around 4:20pm I got the call that started with "Hey Kerry I needed to let you know a little bit of bad news!" I figured how bad can it be? It runs more than $15,000 to ship each section because of the size and the weight so I am sure they have good insurance right. The largest section is 14 feet in diameter and was 71 feet long so it is big, the lower section is not as long but has all the high dollar equipment inside it. Evidently they were 5 miles from their final destination when a dump truck drove past the 70' section and side swiped it denting my brand new silo. Each shipment I have done on this project that needed to be someplace actually had a delay or a hiccup in it. I had to go to the shooting range to unload a couple of hundred rounds that day, not because I was angry I had already planned to do that.

The girls have had their first basketball games and those have been interesting. They like to play and it is cool to watch them as they gain a better understanding of the game. Take a look at the attached photos of the girls in their basketball outfits and there is one in there of Megan taking a shot after stealing the ball from her opponent.

The girls decided that since they did not get the opportunity to meet their baby brother before he went to heaven they needed to adopt a brother. Our church was advertising to adopt a college student so the girls decided that they would do that. We went to the luncheon and our oldest selected the gent that she thought would make a good brother. He was quite receptive of being adopted so we adopted him and have corresponded via facebook already so we can hook up. As we were leaving the luncheon the girls asked when he would be moving into our home and changing his name. Our oldest said that if he gets married would they get to be a part of the wedding? I guess we did not explain enough that to adopt a student is not the same as an adoption.

Remember to pray for those who are leading our country as they are in a hard spot. Pray that they would exhibit integrity.

I am not really that much of a football fan but they decided to move the SuperBowl to my birthday this year so if you want to send me an extra gift that would be fine too... I could really use a restocking of 9mm and 380 rounds to replace the couple of hundred rounds I used to help my mood the other day. :) First time reloads are fine too.

Only 11 more months till Christmas...

Remember the reason for the season.

Kerry S.

I want to adopt a brother

All week the girls have pondered adopting a brother....

Sunday was the adopt a college student luncheon. Lovebug surveyed the crowd and found a guy who "looked like a good big brother!" I pulled her pointing hand down.

Soon Hubbie made his way across to meet him. Stephan is a senior at LT. He laughed at the girls. We made plans for an up an coming lunch and a FB contact.

Heading home the girls wondered when he's moving in?? He'll have a new last name!?! ...and so much more to explain!! They are thrilled to have a brother!!!

Grace! ss

Spanish Week Uno

Spanish Week 1 Assignments:

Sonidos Iniciales - movie - Letter sounds & words
Alphabet - movie - I'm unsure about including Ladybug here because she an emergent reader
Palabras de uso Frecuente - a - Word list
Spanish Ditty - Question words & a little ditty
Numbers - Learn 15 numbers and you can count to 100!!!
Uno - movie - Let's play a game!!

Here's a start to our first week of formal Spanish. I've got a clear starting point and concrete direction. Yea!!! I've placed movies on my pod for easy access. I made the movies during our first Spanish lesson. Tonight I made vocabulary cards to add 2 words a day.

For our vocabulary... I'm adding Spanish songs from De Colores and Other Latin American Folksongs for Children. We have the book and CD. The girls enjoy the songs and we need to learn what they say!!! Thus the cards I made!!! Also, we'll start kitchen words from Play and Learn Spanish. This is an excellent starting book for us with lots of home/about activities. We'll learn the vocabulary for breakfast and work our way to the breakfast conversation.

Uno... I want to plan Uno all in Spanish. I've gotten a start in our lesson's movie. Now to practice!!!

That's the plan!!! We have a week and half before our next lesson with Mrs. Edna. She is just wonderful. Her goal is to teach me, so I can teach the girls!!! I have mucho to learn!!!

Grace!! ss

Devo Detour

Each night before bed we all gather together to read the Bible. I'm glad the habit is in place!! Each of us holds our Bibles. Daddy's is so worn he need a new one... Lovebug enjoys a great Illustrated Bible. Ladybug often reads a line. We are walking our way through Acts.

This week we were on the heals of Paul proclaiming his story in Acts 26.... We'd stopped the night before to relish this reading the following night....

That's when we hit a speed bump. Fussing. Grumping. Tired girls. They each were too out of sorts to even listen to this passage of blinding light...

So we detoured... Hubbie & I picked up various verses we've traveled over.

Then we read in Proverbs 6 ...

16 There are six things the LORD hates,
seven that are detestable to him:
17 haughty eyes,
a lying tongue,
hands that shed innocent blood,
18 a heart that devises wicked schemes,
feet that are quick to rush into evil,
19 a false witness who pours out lies
and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.

Oh! God's word is so clear. We know all about haughty eyes. We are so known by those frown faces and anger eyes.... we are yet talking of this passage... tonight it was about dissension among brothers.... the mark was hit yet again...

God truly speaks to us from His living word. Grace! ss

Starting with Ambleside Online

I'm thrilled to find a neighbor who both homeschools with kidos close ages to my girls and bonus... she is starting out on Ambleside!! AO!!! http://www.amblesideonline.org/

This is a blog to help new AOers.... it has good info & links....
http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cheps/ao-start.html

This is an AWESOME look at the AObooks.... it lists places to find each book new, used, public domain & audio.. with some prices... it is awesome!!!! Just looking at this site reminds me how much I like it... it can be a slow load... lots of pics....
http://www.accesstotheclassics.com/lists/Ambleside_ALL.html


Here's the AO Booklist by author... all like 11 years :)
http://www.amblesideonline.org/BooklistAuthor.shtml

I've mention lots of links on buying books... here's a start at it...

Here's a great place to trade books you don't need for credits for books you want.... PBS...
http://www.paperbackswap.com/ Tell them I sent ya... with my email.... you can also make a want list with them....

Books & Coffee in town is another way to trade out books... I've brought a stack to them before to see what store credit they'd give me... ones they don't take I can set up w/ PBS. I like this option because you can clear bookshelf space!!!

Used books... I use lots of sites... I try to buy most of my books used... there some I've not found... I try to buy books at least 2 years out and I focus on the scheduled books we'll be in for a term.... other books I can borrow from the library or inner library loan... or a good friend like Kathy!!

Here's a smattering of sites... I've bookmarked all these and use them in the hunt & pricing... finding used & new..

http://www.fetchbook.info/
http://www.betterworld.com/
http://www.alibris.com/
http://www.addall.com/
http://www.half.ebay.com/
http://www.abebooks.com/

Ebay... I do buy book there too.... I set up searches to be notified when books are posted....
I use a snip company so I can set my price and not worry about the auction... It will bid on the item to my top price... and if I get it great... and if not... it was more that I wanted to spend....

http://www.ezsniper.com/ it is another one if you use... please reference my email...

Here is an Amazon listing of AO books...
Judy Elliott has 60 Listmania lists at Amazon. You can find the beginning of the list here: http://tinyurl.com/5pmazx
Once you view the first page, just look for the 'next' button at the top or bottom of the page.

There are oodles and oodles of pages of AO lists with Judy....

These groups collect the public domain texts and break them up by term & week...

Year 1 Notebook Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AO_Year01_Notebook/

Year 2 Notebook Group

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AO_Year02_Notebook/

That's a start anyway!!! :) Grace! ss

The LORD is my shepherd
Psalm 23:1

Broken Needle Hats

When I broke my pretty new wooden needles... my socks sat idle with only a yucky green showing...

Alas, I had to knit something.... and I started by NOT reading the pattern for a possum hat... I picked up some fun yarn and started in the middle of the pattern... I knitted just he crown of the hat!! Rip out!

Actually, I ripped out that first hat like... six times!! (Ok, ok, I am a perfectionist....) The yarn was twisted, so rip it out... it's too big, rip out.... hmmmm... guage it.... and finally I knitted a hat I'm happy with! Then I remade my first hat!!!

The girls like the hats so that makes me happy!

Also my lovely mum sent me new needles and the yarn I liked and could not decide on!!! I guess she could not decide either because where I got none... she got both!!!

I'm back to socks.. and wondering about a scarf to match those hats!!! Alas, the remaining yarn is not enough...

Knitting!!! God knits too!!!

Grace & Mercy! ss

Hungry!

Am I really hungry? How long does it take to get hungry?

That's what I'm pondering!! I'm realizing I need far less food than I'm eating!! So... I'm trying to wait for hunger... real hunger... stomach growls and wait 20 minutes and real hunger comes back!! Grrrr... then eat just a little... and wait to get hungry again.

Over the weekend was not the ideal time to wait for hunger!! My first wait takes days. Hubbie was not thrilled with my not making meals.. but I'm truly not hungry. It also help to stay out of the kitchen away from nibbles....

I've learned it is very easy to throw my hunger off.... a cup of tea with a bit of sugar covered all hunger for hours.

So! I'm eating a little breakfast.... 1/2 banana & 1/2 avocado with oj today... I'm waiting to be really hungry!! Gum helps the wait :)

Grace! ss

Howdy New Year!!!

Hey I just thought I would let you know that I was thinking about all ya'll as the clock flips over.

Happy New Year!!

KjS

What more can I say...

Well what more can I say? I have only 15 minutes of Christmas Day left to say it so, "Unto us a Child has been born, He is my King!!"

Take a look at the blessings I have this Christmas... Two little girls who want me to make them a treehouse... a hot wife... a little girl who got her horse for Christmas and one little girl who got one front tooth...

We are wondering if the tooth fairy saw Santa and if she will increase the dibs since Lovebug was a pretty good kid this year.

Merry Christmas all ya'll!!!

I'll try to do New Year's update since I am off until January 5th...

Later Gators,
KjS

Christmas Memories

The days are flying bye. Hubbie has had a wonderful break from work.

Christmas with mom & dad was wonderful. We had a sweet early Christmas with Hubbie's mom & dad.

We laughed at mom's Wii and enjoyed making all the Miis. Golfing off the cliffs was my favorite. I enjoyed the scenery! The girls had a ball with bowling. Ladybug has a very entertaining swing hop. Baseball would be a next favorite with seeing all the Miis up for bat! We're encouraging Grandaddy to bat, but he's not biting.

We then had to go bowling.. real bowling. Santa hats for this occasion was a bonus. Playing two rounds was fun. I was ready to retire. Hubbie came in a solid first and Ladybug had a clear second.

A highlight was visiting with Aunt Patty & Uncle Donnie. We laughed at beauty treatments for a turkey neck!! Then we toured Facebook and found my cousin Julie! I think mom was nearly convinced to join... but time did not allow.

Uncle Eric & Hubbie both got and gave cool shirts... Read the Manual & My Lifeguard walk on water. The girls also enjoyed a good visit with their cousin. They played inside & outside & her Nintendo ds was a hit.

Grandaddy had a couple days off. He said his favorite gift was a scale!! His work at Wal-mart keeps him busy. He's driving mom's car since we took his to the shop. By God's grace in a collision a week ago he was not hurt when his driver door was hit and the glass flew.

Mom and I had a lovely visit. We had a shopping day that took us from the mall to the knitting store then the grocery. We could have enjoyed a long summer day because the short winter day came to a close way too quick. We both got a new J.A. Henckels knife that cuts really well!

Hubbie was my hero. As dinner approached after our late return, he was a huge help. He jumped right in to frying oysters and shrimp for a yummy meal with Aunt Karen & Nicole. He got plans to build a tree house and an axe too. He's also outfitted with many clothes.

I was thrilled hubbie gave me a wonderful classic Ipod. It is all I wanted!!! It is fully loaded with all our music. It has movies on it of Colorado and most of 2008. Before leaving for home the Ipod was dressed in a very cute pink skin. The girls watched movies on it as we traveled.

That's the high spots. Memories made!! Will we remember... girls bouncing on pogo sticks, the surprising Coconut & Cheesecake kisses, lots of Queen Anne chocolate covered cherries, emergency peppermint Oreos for Santa??? puzzling and then is the gooey lava,...

We had an early Christmas w/ G'ma & G'pa from Ohio. It was so special for them to come for Lovebug's baptism and celebrating Christmas was a bonus. We enjoyed a shopping day.... camping out around the fire... The guys projected reworking the dog house. We used the cold evenings to look for Christmas lights. We had a great stop at Santa's workshop in Marshall. Santa Land was huge with lights especially the tunnel!

I know I'll look back to a wonderful celebration... a feast with family... all to remember Jesus' birthday. Every good and perfect gift is from above! Thank you Jesus!

Grace! ss

Our Christmas Piano Recital

"It was awesome when I got to play two things on the piano and play the part of a shepherd. Eeee. Yippeee. That was fun. Love you G'ma Carol and G'pa Ben."

Saturday was full of practices and Lovebug's first piano recital. She worked on Jolly O'le St. Nick & Away in a Manger. She played each piece and did a great job. She sweetly sang along as she played and snapped the count.

Ladybug: "I liked it because I was Mary and I loved that I was in it." She had a very special spot as Mary in the living nativity. She made a lovely Mary as she rode in on a stick horse. She sat sweetly for the entire recital. Afterwards G'ma Carol told her she was lovely with her blue eyes and flushed cheeks... she said "She knew."!!!!

Lovebug does well on her piano practice. Generally, just a mention from me and shes off to practice. Often she needs a cup of encouragement... and I so love the Christmas music she plays! She pushes herself and struggles when she hit wrong notes. She learning and that's wonderful!

A cup of encouragement with a splash of joy and a bit of cinnamon!! Grace! ss

139 Degrees!

The hot water is on a low setting... the installer said with children he woud not set it higher!!

The water is 139 degrees!!! That's above the 130 dust mite killer temp! That's hot enought to me.

My lessons on Hot Water Heaters:

Before removing the old water heater, check the dip stick.
Lots of "calcium" in the faucets... it is not calcium, check the dip stick.

The dip stick should be as long as the heater is deep in our gas unit. Ours was merely 3" long.

With the heater half out we decide to run the dip check... maybe we could have lived with the old water heater and a new dip... alas, we are already half removed so we went with the new hot water heater.

In hot water!
ss

A Sign of Faith

Believe on the Lord Jesus and you shall be saved!! Acts 16:31

Lovebug turned to Jesus on May 24, 2004. She prayed to Jesus as she cleaned her room. She told me. Again she proclaimed to Daddy and I that evening. She followed up with phone calls to family and declared she knew Jesus. She asked Him to forgive her sin and invited Him into her heart.

I know then the angels were singing, Luke 15:7. Her name was written in the Lamb's book of Life. Revelation 21:27

This summer she began to ask about baptism. Generally, she asked a week before a baptism with timing impossible to even invite far away family. Even our friends were out of town. She did not give up.

Courage! October we crossed paths with our Pastor. Quietly she asked me if she could ask Pastor Jim. With courage, she asked to be baptized. Then and there the plans were made for a December baptism.

With great joy all our family decided to come. Hubbie's parents from Ohio... a big drive. Memem brought a family friend as Grandaddy had to work. We got a new hot water heater for the occasion. We thought they would appreciate hot showers!! It was so fun to have a house full for something other than a hurricane!



Sunday, December 7, 2008, Lovebug was baptized to proclaim she believes in Jesus. This was not to get her to heaven, but merely a sign of her faith to tell all she's going to heaven! Her daddy had the joy to baptize her as the custom of our church. Our family was in the cloud of witnesses.

Here's more on the Sinner's Prayer... and more on baptism.

I'm thrilled to see her grow in her faith & obedience. Praying she'll honor Jesus all her days!!!

Grace!! ss

Happy 9th Birthday Love

NINE!! Nine. Nine years.

The day was packed! Museum. Lunch. Skate. Basketball. She picked to do it all and we did.

Happy Birthday Lovebug.


Nine. I worked before this child came. From this day, that was another life, so long ago. I love being mom! She is growing in so many way.

Her name means "strong one."

She is strong! That's true. I pray her strength is in the Lord. It is easy for her strength to be against me... Life is much more fun when our strength is paired and we fight the same things. She's learning so much and has so many verses of the Bible to guide her path.

She is a leader to her sister. We work on the strengths as a sister and that she's not to mother. The girls play together... swing out side... chase & play with Maple. They often clean rooms together... that's required when they don't work independent. They play webkins together learning to share. They often have together time to work thru their struggles.

For her ninth she wants a laptop. Yet she is enjoying her own email. The light up shirt she's worn for countless days. She said she's been in the stripe footie socks for 3 days. I'm thrilled she likes them. She also got a pair of boots and a pair of unmentionables. She too is thrilled. She's been so thankful for her birthday.

We ended the full day with a birthday dinner at Hop Hop... translation Ihop. Fun was had by all.

We are truly blessed!! Grace! ss

AO Exams

AO3 & AO1: Term I is behind us now.


We are into exams...


It is time to spin a web, tell a tale, weave a yarn... We've climbed a mountain and it's time to look back on all where we've been... what we've learned...


And so started our exams... We've gone low key this time... more casual... Lovebug begged for her exam papers of the past.... not this round... This is our time to remember and see what sticks.


We've really enjoyed poetry this round. We all have had favorites. Here's a look at our poetry...


Grace! ss

Stop Wanting It

"If you want something and cannot afford it, stop wanting it."


As we drove along I turned on the radio to eliminate the rising level of the girls. Little did I realize the truth that Ladybug would hear...

They issued a challenge... and I just kept driving... not a second thought....

Yet that challenge hit Ladybug square on... you see, she wants a horse. A real big horse that she's just learned she need an acre for. She really wants a horse. She asked Santa for one... and fyi Lovebug asked for a computer!!

Ladybug realized she could not have a horse... and the truth to stop wanting what you cannot have... is huge. So she learned right there, while I drove. We've talked this over and over for months now.... she could not keep a horse in her room... there's not room in the backyard... over and over...

God worked in her heart to stop wanting a horse.

Oh, Lord open my ears to hear your truths!! I'm thanking HIM for sharing the girls truths with me!! There's so much to stop wanting!!!

Grace! ss

What a Ride!

We had a golden opportunity visiting Memom over Thanksgiving!!

Ms. Vickie asked us to come ride her horses!! Now let me tell you Ladybug has dearly wanted her own horse. She's asked over and over to have one in our back yard or in her room. This was a dream come true... to really ride a horse. Wow! To be invited to come ride....

With huge smiles the girls rode tall! Ms. Vickie & her husband guided the horses so gently for the girls.

Wanting to go faster... Lovebug held on for all she's worth when her horse was speeding up to a trot.. and she was trotted off.... she held strong on to the saddle horn.. and then calmly slid off to her feet!!

She climbed right back up and decided a walk was plenty fast! Both girls did great!

Then Ms. Vickie asked if I wanted to ride... so both Hubbie and I got to ride. How cool! That was so a surprise. I knew Hubbie wanted to ride but it seem too much to ask. Then to be offered was so over the top!!

"Lovebug she hung upside down on the fence. I liked riding the horses. I want a horse..." says Ladybug.

"I dearly loved riding the horse. It was so fun when I got to trot. I'm very glad I only slid to my feet."

Ms. Vickie- a HUGE Thank you for sharing world and letting us come ride!!! It was such fun. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!!!!!! We hope to see you over Christmas!!! Have a wonderful Christmas filled with the joy of the first Christmas of Jesus' birth!!

Grace! ss

Let's see if we can do this with only one month to go till Christmas...

Ok... we are down to the wire you have one more month to get all the Christmas shopping done that you need to get completed (don't forget me). I am in Beaumont right now getting ready for the Thanksgiving holiday. I have completed all my shopping for everyone who is getting this email. No seriously... I have, and I will prove it check out the photos of our day at the galleria today. We started everything off by going ice skating and then we watched a painter painting, next we took a break and listened to a piano dude playing something that sounded like elevator music but better because he was right there playing it for us and it couldn't be elevator music because his grand piano would not fit in an elevator. Then you see the finished result of all the shopping. Ok so most of the shopping was done by the wifey and her mother and I just got to carry the goods... well I guess I paid for some of it too, although S's mom is most generous to cover meals and such.

So don't forget to remember that there are a lot of folks who will be doing without this year. Biggest thing I have learned in the past year is that there are often things that happen which we have no control over and we have to remember that God (the one who sent Jesus to be born on Christmas day) still has in His hands the events and happenings of this world.

Hey did I also mention that we got a new puppy? I will include a photo of Maple with this e-mail as well. So far this new puppy has proven to be everything that the previous one was not. Polite, kind, wipes her paws on the mat prior to entering her dog house, doesn't spit, doesn't chew, doesn't go with guys that do... that kind of thing. Pray she survives puppyhood... my girls are learning that you can't shove food in her mouth to make her eat. You know that thing about you can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink it? Well it doesn't apply to my girls, if that dog doesn't drink you put her nose in the water until she does. Problem is I think that is called waterboarding and even the CIA might have some issues with that, don't worry we got them to understand that even when you mean good if it would hurt you it might not be good for the puppy either. She is a loving little pup and we are praying that we can all make it work for our family.

Hey just recently I got a facebook account... if you are on facebook and you know what I am talking about look me up and if you are in good standing with me I will approve you as a friend. :)

I also just got to see the movie "Fireproof" if you haven't seen it yet take your wife and go see it. We had some young hooligans in our theater with us and so I had to adjust their attitudes slightly in order to actually be able to concentrate on it and enjoy the last part of the movie. They kept popping their gum and so I yelled at them to stop popping their gum... I should have yelled that they should pop their gum more and expect reverse psychology to work on them but as it was they began popping their gum more and talking loudly. I finally had enough of it and Stephanie had just told me to just pray for them when I jumped up ran to the back of the theater, found the three of them got in the face of the one sitting in the middle and told them that "If you do not shut up I am going to see to it that you are thrown out of the theater, DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME?" Their only response was "Yes Sir!". Have you ever had someone (especially kids nowdays) who are so rude you want to help their parents get them back in line with a little discipline? Five minutes later they left the theater on their own and we had a peaceful finale to our movie. I did not want to go out with my wife, and pay to see a movie only to be interrupted by hooligans. I do not get to go out very often so I guess I took it into my own hands to modify their behavior with some not so reverse psychology.

So when I say "Have a Happy Thanksgiving" don't think I am trying to pull some form of reverse psychology on you by not meaning exactly what I said... Have a GREAT THANKSGIVING!

Save the wishbone for me...

KjS

Burnt

Burnt to a crisp.... I'm actually glad the rice did not catch on fire!!

I simply put rice on to cook.... and waited while the water kettle boiled.... meanwhile the rice burnt badly. I was distracted by facebook... hmmm... a lesson here....

The bottom of my favorite glass top pan had a horrible layer of burnt rice.

My WONDERFUL husband came home and simply picked up the pan and started the arduous task of cleaning it.

I must say... He did not walk in and ask if that smell was dinner! He did not fuss at me. He did not complain. He did not scold me when I said that pan should be thrown away. He saw my mess and worked on it!!! Oh, I am loved!!!!!!!!

After scrubbing made no impact... even after the near oven cleaner stuff... he finally made progress with SAND PAPER!!! Oh, gracious!!! Even that took much time and effort.

Hours later I have candles lit to eliminate the stench!!

Now, my charred pot is clean.... I'm thankful for a loving husband!!

That was Agape love!! Grace! ss

White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

We've enjoyed every last one of these!! They are definitely repeaters!! I'll make them again this week.


White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies

• 4c Flour (1/2 Coconut Flour)
• 1c White Sugar
• 1c Brown Sugar
• 2t Cinnamon
• 1t Pumpkin Pie Spice
• 1t Salt
• 2t Baking Soda
• 1can Pumpkin 16oz
• 3/4c Oil (Coconut Oil)
• 2 eggs
• 2T Milk
• 2t Vanilla
• 2c White Chocolate Chips
• 1c Nuts (Macadamia sound yummy)

Bake @ 375 for 9 minutes.

Mix flour, sugar & spices. Add pumpkin, oil, eggs, & vanilla. Beat on medium speed til well mixed. Stir in chocolate & nuts. Drop onto baking sheet & flatten a bit. Bake.

I've frozen these balled. They've been easy to pull out thaw & bake.

They required 2 grocery trips for me!! First I just had to have white chocolate chips. Then as I pulled ingredients, I was out of eggs! Humf!! Hubbie was so quick, in an instant he was off for to the store. He asked me to make them :) I like making them for him!!!!

Two friends have asked for the recipe... That makes them a winner to me :) I've skipped the nuts for Hubbie's sake & used the coconut things because I've had them!! I hope you enjoy them too!!!

Grace!! ss

Oh! That's "Bullie"... Ladybug's new Longhorn enjoying the cookies :)

Tent Poles Snap

Snap!! That's just what happened with two of our tent poles!! Both of our bay window poles busted or frayed this round!! The tent yet operated fine this round... sans the bays!

I've found the solution to busted tent poles... Hubbie we should have found this sooner... remember the screen tent poles!?! yet those were trashed... now I have the info to replace them!!!

Tent Pole Techno is who my tent maker refered me to. They knew the specs on our tent from way back in 2005!!! Soon I'll have my tent poles and some quick clips to boot!

Anywho!!

Hubbie & the girls camped. Mama just visited since I'm recovering from the sinus/ear stuff. I visited them and heard all that wouldn't have happened if I was there....

Overall I've heard it was cold! The lows were low 40s. That is officially cold here. The only caught 2 fish with the last of their white bread.

Ladybug - I liked when I went to fish and we did catch 2 fish. That is all. I enjoyed when I went up in the trees. That is all.

On the poles... Now we could live without bay windows... but I do enjoy finding the solution!! I really appreciate Hubbie finding all the numbers on our '05 tent so I could rabbit track it!!

Grace! ss

Sick

The day following the election... I'm sick.

It is not the election results or the President Elect... although they do give me pause to pray!

I'm sick in 24 hrs with a sinus infection! Alas, and now an acute middle ear infection. Yikes!! Am I 2 years old to have that battle!?! My dr. did say I must go on the antibiotic, yuck, and that the ear drops for pain would help!

Alas, I'm thankful my ENT Dr. got me right in. I'm thankful insurance helps w/ all that... yet the Rx itself did run me $40. (Avelox 400 mg for 10 days.)

Humf!

I know my immunity is low. Now what? I'm reading a book with whole host of challenging concepts.... we are surrounded by toxins... and it is just a matter of time til your body is compromised... so the questions is... How to detox? I have Detoxify or Die on ILL and may need to get a copy for me....

I'm not happy with the Rx... it just is a band aid... Jesus knows how we are made!! Seeking Him for direction & answers!

Grace! ss

Maple

The girls are proud as punch!

Maple is cute as can be! She's a 6 week old sheltie.

Daddy says she has an arrow on her face :) See it!?

She snuggles with the girls. This is huge. We so wanted Ladybug to be able to hold our puppy. Once at a pet store she was amazed when a dog there did not bite. That was in our Cocoa season.

She had a great ride home and did not get car sick. Yea! Big bonus!

She was one of the cutest puppies there at Canton. We had to decide between her and her sister. She had the cute face & a full white collar. Our Maple.

She's little and we know 2 neighbor dogs to die with parvo. We are praying her protection and trying be wise. We'll hit the vet this week.

We are mindful that all life is in God's hands. We are so enjoying her.

Did she whine? At 2:50 this morning Lovebug awoke us because Maple was whining. Hubbie watcher her... we knew she'd be lonely.... she went to sleep in the dog house and he'd given her a hot water bottle!... and after a bit of lonely whines she went back to sleep beside our back door.

We are all a bit tired today. We are also spending alot of time outside!!!

Grace! ss

Pumpkin Fudge & Whining

Yummm! Today I found my pumpkin fudge!! Yumm!!

We headed out to Trade Days at Canton. It was crowded. We walked a bit looking and did not buy a thing!!! Well, we did buy a Fudge Brownie Sunday...

Then we headed to "maybe" look for a puppy!?!!! Oh, the girls loved every puppy we saw. One guy even tried to get us to take his 5 month old puppy... I think Hubbie and the girls would have walked away with her, but I could not. Finally we found.... oh, this has to be it's own post.... with pics...

Anyway, we wandered back thru the pavilions and I found my pumpkin fudge!!!

Yumm!! And praying for no whining tonight!! :)
Grace! ss

Titanium dioxide

Maybe it is an age thing. Maybe I should have heard this many years ago!!! Maybe in the 20's it would have be preventative..... Now in the 30's I'm just learning... You can glean from me!!

My dermatologist has sent me to the world of Titanium dioxide. The route has been a bit around the block. My yearly dr. trip rose skin questions and that sent me to my dr. derma.

The issue is spots!! These are not the spots of Dr. Seuss... I've noticed them & my mom's mentioned them & my hubbie doesn't notice them. I've thought them to be sun spots. Not and they are not even. They are something of hormone spots. Alas, I think I'm stuck with spots. I don't think Clorox will help!

Actually I know of a bleach... but at $179 that insurance does not cover... I'm not sold yet... Maybe this is just how God's created me!?!

So now I'm looking for sunscreens with Titanium dioxide.

Today a visit to the Clinque counter introduced me to City Block w/ SPF40 face sunscreen with Td of 6.6% & a Almost Makeup with Td7.6% SPF15.

My makeup by BareEssentials has Td... foundation SPF15 Td16%. This is a powder and that's not "good coverage".

For now I'm researching! Reading labels. Learning.

Grace! ss

Piano Um Snap

Yea!! We started lessons today!!! G'Ma Carol had a opening in her schedule and we filled it!!!

Rhythm: Quarter, Quarter, Half-note... and more :)

As Lovebug worked on her rhythm... halfnote-hmmm... and half-snap... filled that space!!!

Here our mix on learning the keys!!!

• Black Keys: 2 are Mickey & Minnie Mouse, then the 3 are the 3 Little Pigs
• "C" Mickie & Minnie? They live in the "D" house.
• Next Door is an Elf!! "E" & "F"
• Then is the 3 Little Pigs, They are Great! "G" "A"
• Don't get caught behind the Pigs "B"
• That's ABCDEFG!! And she knows middle C!

Maybe you'll think of our piano keyboard and follow our diddy!!

Her first homework was working fingers 2&3 on the keys!! in rhythm. She must remember to curl her fingers & not smash the bubble.

So!? How do you practice?? Or rather how do your children practice the piano??? Is it your agenda or theirs? How long? What have you learned that I'd can glean???

We are trying to practice for 15 minutes 2x a day. Right now it is on my schedule... and I know I want to rotate it to hers!!!

Enjoying the music!! Grace! ss

Gecko-ed

He walked into our world!!! I opend the sunroom door and he scampered in!!! I had no clue what it was!! Hubbie captured him!

With flash light in hand I showed the girls... who said "Look him up mom!!!"

Lovebug: I liked that the gecko ran and jumped. He was small, probably an inch, probably as small as a my little finger. He had dots all over him. His tail had stripes like a zebra.

Ladybug: I liked him. He was cute and colorful. He had stripes. He had a tail that was cute with stripes.

Here he is in Ladybug's hands!! She'll catch & hold anything!!! He was comfortable crawling with the girls and had to be coaxed into the bushes.

He is a Mediterranean Gecko (Hemidactylus turcicus)!! How cool is that!!!! He actually looked pinkish!!! That's true to character!!! "Translucent pinkish to white, with some darker blotching."

His eyes are really cool... and "The belly is white and somewhat translucent." We could so see inside him!! Here he is on GeckoWeb. It has a better shot of his eyes!!!

Enjoying God's marvelous creation!! Grace! ss

2 More to go...

To all only two more months until Christmas. This is not my typical monthly report. I had completed my report and hit spell check on my laptop and it did an autosave and before I knew it everything was wiped out. It was a really good letter too... I did the spell check at 11:53 so I would have made it if I had not missed it. I will try to recreate it and send it later but I will have to beg another day from you'se... You will understand that little comment once you get the next portion of my report.

I hate computers.... Good night...

Anyone know a good laptop computer repairman?

KjS

Alamo x3

Girls, "tell me about the Alamo.."

Ladybug said, "What happened at the Alamo is that Davy Crockett died. The whole army of the Texans died."

Lovebug told "Col. Travis and all of his soldiers were killed, even Davy Crockett. James Bowie fell sick with pneumonia and he was killed in his bed. Andrea nursed him until he was killed. She was hit by a bullet at her chin and arm. Susanna of the Alamo was a brave woman. She lived when all the men died. Even her husband died."

My challenge was finding the Alamo!!! When we were lost... I followed street signs to the Alamo.... to no avail.

Alamo 1x

Finally, I found Riverwalk mall & the IMAX... and they had a show on the Alamo!!! We watched it with Hubbie our first evening!! You cannot understand the Alamo without the finality that every man died in the battle. We watched that battle... and hid faces with the deaths of the heros. This paved the way for our time at the A. (Returning home we received a caution for the movie & young children... for us it was ok.)

Alamo 2x

Day 2, we walked thru the Hyatt and found the A!!! Yea!!! We entered the Shrine, what I'd call the chapel, and found the scavenger hunt!! Great idea, Aimee!!! We looked in every room for the ring of Col. Travis. We studied every item as we hunted. While there we caught a history retelling. Tired we walked back to the Riverwalk for a girls lunch at Landrys.

Alamo 3x

For our final day we debate just what to do... catch the Louis & Clark IMAX? or return to the A??? Both girls wanted to return to the Alamo for the audio tour!! They were primed and ready to listen!!! Lovebug said "it was pretty cool." We listened to the battle and a retelling of the struggle. The audio directed us the the cenotaph of the Alamo. We'd missed this memorial on our own tour. We also found where a canon hit as the audio directed us where to look.

I know the girls learned the total loss of every man at the Alamo. We've talked about the Battle of San Jacinto... The cry "Remember the Alamo!" Even so, they've not yet been able to see the Alamo in the puzzle of events for Texas' Independence.

Yet, the Alamo will be a lasting memory as in time we build this puzzle of history!!

After a great third day we celebrated good attitudes!! I was thrilled they listened to the full tour!! (I'd wondered if they'd make it to the end!!) I wanted to celebrate with pumpkin fudge... but alas they had none & at 9 for 1/2 pound of anything... it was too steep for me. The girls agreed to share the 4 buck icee...

Today Ladybug called the Riverwalk her favorite vacation!!! (Or maybe that's what in her vivid memory!!)

Thanks Hubbie!! We had a wonderful time!!! We'll go with you anywhere!!!!

Grace! ss

SanA Riverwalk

What joy! We stayed right on the Riverwalk!!! If you've taken the boat tour... we were right at Marriage Island!!! We even got to see a bride's photo session!!!

Oh, how I got LOST!!! I made what could have been a fatal mistake... the girls & I headed above the walk to find our way!!! Oh, no. Now I was really lost... and was so a fish out of water passing many crowded bus stops....

Map in hand... I really thought it made me so obviously lost as many watched us pass by. I called Hubbie to see what he was doing & he said he could meet us for lunch!!! Yea!!


Now to find our hotel.... I headed one direction and had that PANIC feeling that we'd be lost forever.... Oh, LORD, Help!!! Looking at the map again... I did an 180 & in one block we were at the hotel!!! Wow!!! Praise God!!!!

I found the Riverwalk mall at what seemed at an unlikely jaunt of the river!! The mall was so out of sight!! Hubbie had to stop for a pose!!

My Lessons from the Riverwalk!

• Heading to street level when lost is not a wise option.


• The funny guys/gals in green wearing a hat are at corners to help those of us lost!!!


• The Alamo is thru the Hyatt... and if you pass the H there's not much after... turn around!!!



• My girls favorite was feeding the ducks & especially the duckings. Actually, they wanted to catch a duckling!!! Huge thanks for the suggestion to bring bread for them!!!


• I wore a fanny pack after hearing of a camera snatched out of a purse... at Hubbie's convention. I was reminded again to be cautious seeing several police around an elderly woman in a wheel chair... it looked like her load had been lightened!! Horrible!

We had all in all a wonderful time!!! From the river.... next the Alamo!!
Grace! ss

Thankful

I'm thankful for the 800 round miles to SanA & the Alamo & for those miles on a rental!!!

Thankful for our safety in those tight spaces & for Odyssey over the miles.

I'm amazed & thankful we camped with friends last weekend that now is hundreds of miles away!

Non stop washing is going on here & I'm so thankful for my own washer & dryer!!

Homeschooling.... I'm thankful we can hit the road... and learn all on the Alamo & we did it!!

Wow, I'm thankful that Hubbie brought us with him... over hill & dale... he toiled while we played... and he hit the river walk afterwards...

I thank God! He's brought us round & home again!! Grace!!! ss

My Camping Check List

My Camping Check List- This is my start on a master list!!! What would you add??? ss

Last Time I Forgot:
Rake
Dustpan
Table Umbrella
Doormat

Attic:
Tent (Big/3l) &Tarp
Screen Tent
Fans
Heater
All Sleep bags
Blankets

Cooking
Double Burner
Single Burner
Propane
Kettle
Hot Pads

Garage:
**Carpets 3x
Doormat 2x

Bucket
Ant Killer
Round-Up
Fly Swatter

Maddox
Shovel
Rake
Broom
Dustpan
Picnic Table
Umbrella

Fishing Poles
Tackle Box
??Worms

**Firewood

Uno
Bug cages
Mag glass
Chalk
Bubbles
Water guns
Sour Spray

Household:
Bedding
Sleeping bags-4
Sheets
Girls Blankets
Pillows
Towels

Flashlights
Lantern -2
Propane
Xtra Batteries

Hoodies
Sweatshirts

Swimsuits
Sunscreen

Meds:
Med Kit
Tylenol
Antacid
Itch
Poison Ivy
Chigger
Kleenex

Somores
Marshmallows
Graham
Chocolate

Kitchen:
Plates
Napkins
Paper towels
Plastic ware
Foil

Hot Tea
Cider
Mugs
Water
Cooler

Breakfast
Skillet
Hot pads
Spatula
Cracked Eggs
Bacon
Tortillas
Sausage mix
Fz OJ & Juice Jug

Hotdogs
Extend Forks
Buns
Chile
Mustard
Ketchup
Relish
Chips
Cookies
Drinks

Bread
PBJ
Cream Cheese

Snip!

Hey just wanted to let you know that I am excited about you going to get your hair cut. I think you will like a change.
123... 123... 123... 123...
KjS

Before














After! Thrilled!! I do like it!!!


It has taken forever to make that appointment... alas with the girls in toe. They made a fatal attempt at playing battle... and finally quieted reading books.... We survived!

Thanks to Lovebug my photographer!

Grace! ss

Sharp or Flat

I really have no clue!!!

To a friend's amazement... I can listen to her trio... and never hear if they are off!! Some would call this a blessing!!!

I've always thought I don't have an ear for music. Recently, I've heard you must be trained to hear the right sound!!!

So there!! I've never been taught!!! Well we are heading into new grounds....

After G'ma Carol tickled the ivory... we nearly lost this piano... it sounded too good to the sellers and they had second thoughts... nearly a week later they decided for it to go our way so our little girls could learn. Yea!

We are thrilled!!! Wow a piano!! It is a Jansen with a cool light for the music!! I've always admired those who could play!!! HUGE thanks to Mom & Dad!!! (Do leave a comment, Mum!!)


Now I'll pray my girls learn to tickle the ivory! G'ma Carol is eager to teach!!!

Now, how do you move a piano???? Oh!! Any volunteers???? Grace!! ss

Many Garage Sales

Two weekends in a row!!! We've hit many garage sales!! The girls are definitely learning to bargain :)

Here's our loot!!

3 Man Ten - $8 (Already broken in by the girls & neighbors!)
Yogurt Maker & extra cups & lids $5 (to replace those we've melted!!) Yea!
Battle .50 (I beat Hubbie)
Countdown $1 (Cool math game!! Replace dice for .98)
Red Silicone Pot Holder $1 (now I have two~)
Canvas Bag for camping $1
Car Soft sided top Cargo $10 (Camping supplies)
Hanging Clothes Bag $3 (Borrow no more)
Block & Tackle Pulleys $1

Lovebug:
Trouble $1 (Missing one green peg?!?)
Heart Tin .25
Candle & Bear & Basket $1
Paint Brushes .25 for chalking
(She offered .25 for another stethoscope but it was not worth a dollar to her!!)

Ladybug:
Stethoscope $1 (The real thing!~~)
Moose Massage Roller .25 (By the bed for a night back rub.)
Hoola Hoop .25 (That's gone everywhere with us!)
Paint Brushes .25 for more chalking

Hubbie even took the girls solo!!! He's great!!!

Grace!! ss

Oh!! My Back..

Yikes!! My back hurts....

I've visited my chiro.... snap crackle & pop, Thanks Dr. T.... but it is not helping... and surgery is not the answer either....

I don't have an injury, thankfully! Even so I have this lingering lower back pain... often as I stand... sometimes just waking up... Oh.. that was a clue...

Just this summer we celebrated 15 years... I love being married!!!
Alas.... my bed too has aged... 15 years. I think it to be the cause of my aching back.

Oh!!! This fix comes at a price!! Allergy resistant... side sleepers... foam....
Now I'm researching... awe... CR has a review... hummmm a research expense....

Praying for God to guide!! All our pennies are His!!!
Grace! ss

Our Fairy Tale

How does a lady sit?? Ankles are quickly crossed.

How does a lady walk? Pretend you have a book on your head!!

How does a lady eat? She eats what she is served.


The girls were excited all day for their fairy tale night!! It is the Daddy Daughter banquet!!

Princesses!!! Faces are washed. Earrings are on. Girls glitter.

Daddy sports the Tigger tie, a must.

All are child of the King!!!

Loving our Fairy Tale!! Grace! ss