Under A South Dakota Sunset

Happy Birthday To Me!

2009-02-07T21:57:00.003-06:00

My b-day was a little over a week ago - I think - and both my parents sent me some money. I had been waiting a few new kitchen utensils for a while now and figured I'd use my money wisely. I am finally able to throw away my gross old plastic cutting board which looks nasty, no matter how many times I scrub it! Yipee! And we no longer have any teflon in our kitchen - I've changed to cast iron! :) Except for my stainless steel pots. But I do have a dutch oven that I use occasionally. :)

Thanks mom and dad!

Then there's Jodie...she sent me a gift certificate to this website! What am I going to get from there?! LOL I guess the circular knitting needles that I got with the gift she sent me last year wasn't "girly" enough! LOL You're a great friend Jodie with a big heart. :)

Yesterday's Words

2009-01-22T11:45:00.002-06:00

Since yesterday was Wordless Wednesday I figured I would post the words today. Those are Russian Blue Potatoes. I got them for Thanksgiving but only made enough for Luke since we went to Bob's families - that way Grandma wouldn't have to make special mashed potatoes for him. They were great! I have had them since then and figured I should use them up so I made mashed potatoes to go with a roast I made on Monday night. They are really good and of course the kids love them! I got them from a food co-op I am in - they aren't a regular at the local grocery store! LOL I loved how even the little sprouts were purple! I read someplace that you have to boil them with the skin on so they retain their color. I did peel one and it wasn't as pretty as the ones that the skins were still on. They taste like regular potatoes and can be used for whatever you use regular potatoes for - unless you have issues with different colored food! :)

Wordless Wednesday

2009-01-21T09:11:00.004-06:00

2009-01-13T12:57:00.002-06:00

I added a new blog to my list of Blogs I Follow...

Christmas with the Family

2009-01-09T14:40:00.003-06:00

Here's what we did for Christmas this year. Unfortunately because of bad weather we were unable to attend the church Christmas Program that the kids had worked so hard on. They changed it to the weekend we were going to be at bob's Dad's and we couldn't make it back home for it. We were with Bob's family the weekend before Christmas and spent Christmas day at home because Bob had to work that morning. Fortunately we had the evening free and we went to dinner at the home of some wonderful friends (thanks again Carole and Jim!). On our way home we almost ran out of gas, went in the ditch, and hit a deer...almost! We had neglected to put gas in the car before we left and we knew it was on E...we just forgot because of the rush. Then the wind had come up and when that happens on the prairie with the snow it amounts to some pretty nice snowdrifts across the roads by the fields...Bob underestimated one but quickly got things under control. Just a mile or so down the road there was a deer in the middle of the slippery road and because of the blowing snow it took longer to see it than normal - and in the dark - but he nonchalantly walked away and we again were saved from an accident!

We decided to celebrate Advent this year and read a wonderful book called Jothem's Journey by Arnold Ytreeide. It's a story about a boy in biblical times who is journeying to find his family during the time of the birth of Christ. The kids loved it and couldn't wait to sit and listen and light the candles every day of Advent. There is one part where a boy unfortunately gets his fingers cut off as a discipline- which you could easily change to say that he got his hand slapped but it reflects the times and shows the evil of the man who did it. Every day ends with questions to reflect on the story and how you feel about Christmas coming.

I had surgery on my sinuses the week after Christmas. It wasn't anything major - the sinuses in my cheeks weren't draining so the dr. had to put holes in them and suction them out. So now there are perminent drainage holes in them...hopefully once they heal it should help keep my sinus infections under control. Or at least keep them from lasting through 7 rounds of antibiotics over 3 months! I still have to go back to the dr. to have things cleaned out up there but my healing is going well and I've had very little pain. Which surprised me because my mom had the same thing done about 12 years ago and came home with both nostrails plugged with packing and 2 black eyes. She was also awake enough through the surgery that she was talking to the dr. and nurses. I was so glad to hear that they were going to put me under and that they use the lathroscopic thingy! I didn't have any packing and no black eyes. You wouldn't know to look at me that I had surgery - unless my noese started bleeding! LOL

Well, I'm off to the post office to mail my first sold used curriculum. I am so excited! And I made $60! This is what I sold.

Oct. Trip to MI

2009-01-08T12:34:00.002-06:00

*Be forewarned! This is a long post! There are lots of words and pictures! So sit down, relax, make sure the kids are in bed and your favorite tv show isn't coming on soon, and enjoy!*

We had a wonderful trip to MI to see most of our family. We borrowed our mom's van and Levi drove the whole time we were there. It was great to spend so much time with him, I really wish we lived close enough to see each other on weekends...

We started out our time visiting at our Aunt and Uncle with our dad for a week. Their home is on a private lake and our time there was very relaxing. I had a sinus infection come back that I thought I had gotten rid of before we left so I ended up having to get an antibiotic that my insurance wouldn't cover...great! The kids spent most of their time outside while we were there. One day Jozie and I went shopping with Aunt Debbie while Luke went to an Amish farm with Uncle Lyle and Uncle Levi. Later that afternoon when we got back Luke went with his uncles to shoot the cannon - that was an experience that he won't soon forget!

We took our time getting to the UP, stopping in TC to see our old friends, Amie and Jeremiah. It was great to see them and their kids and though the kids were a little shy when we first got there they were all reluctant to part when it was time to go! LOL Isn't that they way it always is? :)

We would normally follow US2 through the lower part of the UP, following along Lake Michigan for a time but the cut river bridge was out so we had to go farther north and take an alternate route. The TomTom didn't like that. We didn't reroute it when we passed up the US2 turn so it kept trying to get us back south all the way across the UP. At one point it told us to "turn left now" on a snowmobile trail that was overgrown and without possibility to have a car drive on it - much less a minivan! The drive along Lake Superior is always my favorite part of that drive - besides the part of reaching our destination! LOL

We spent our time in the UP at the farm where we grew up. We went through some of our childhood toys and things that we had stored in an outbuilding that needs to come down. Levi and I didn't keep much - neither one of us had room to take them home nor the desire to store them once we had them home so we TRIED to get rid of a bunch of stuff. It didn't work. Dad kept saying things were "saleable" and decided to take them back to his friend - who is an woman - so she could sell them on e*bay. LOL From what I understand she didn't get much for what she did sell!

Luke was feeling pretty sick with a nasty head cold by the time we got there so he didn't want to leave my side. He went grocery shopping with my dad and I one afternoon while Jozie went for a nice long hike through the woods with Uncle Levi. They roamed through the woods on our property just seeing what there was to see. She said they walked about a mile and a half...then she did the same thing a couple of days with Uncle Kimmy (he watched the kids the afternoon after they spent the night at their house while A. Darlene was @ church and Levi and I took dad to find a new cell phone...which is a whole nether story!) a few days later - only that time Luke went with them. :)

Good Lord! Who ever knew that finding a cell phone was such an ordeal! We spent hourssssss...notice I used an S several times on that word....at cell phone store fondling every button and examining every aspect of every phone available! And then we did it all over again! Needless to say it was an experience that I DON'T care to ever have again! That took us most of one day...

It was great to see our grandparents. I miss them so much! I really wish we lived closer so they could see the kids grow up. Levi took some pictures - I was pretty miserable from the cold/sinus infection that I didn't think to use my camera - but has yet to send them to me. I think he told me he can't find his card reader so he can't get his pictures off his camera and onto his computer right now. I was kind of waiting to get pictures from him to post all of my pics together for that trip so I will just have to post what I get from him when I get them - if I ever do! LOL

On our last leg of our journey we were planning on going to Minneapolis but decided not to because of our all being sick with colds of some sort and because it was such a long trip for only a short time. We had also planned on seeing our friend, Jeremy, but didn't tell him. When we called to tell him we were on our way he said he was sick and also had things to do that he just couldn't get out of so we didn't get to see him either. But because we had routed the TomTom through there it took us an hour or so extra to get home since we were half way down the center of the state by the time we told it we were going someplace else. We also decided to follow it without question that day through the UP, even though we knew the quickest route by heart from traveling that way countless other times. For some reason it routed us through Bond Falls - which is WAY off the main road - so we stopped for a little stretch at the retention lake there. It also took us way through and around a town that added almost 15 or so miles onto our drive that didn't need to be there...we don't know what that was all about but we'd never seen that town before since we usually turn where the TomTom told us to go straight...who knows with technology! LOL So we ended up making an 8 hour trip into about a 10 hour trip. I guess the next time we'll know better than to just follow the voice on the dashboard! LOL

The morning after we got to my mom's I woke up feeling a bit itchy...by that night I had a full blown case of the hives! I wasn't sure what had caused it because I had never been allergic to anything in my entire life so I took my antibiotic again that night thinking that it MAY be the cause but I only had a couple of doses left...how bad can it get? Oh, it got bad, REAL bad. And since I was out of the state of SD our insurance wouldn't cover ANY medical care - unless it was a life and death situation which it wasn't because my airway hadn't closed up - yet. I had hives - literally - from the top of my head to the bottoms of my feet and the palms of my hands. And my throat felt thick - like I had a pill stuck in it that wouldn't go down. At this point I was so glad I was at my moms and not in Minneapolis!

I was miserable and high on benadryl and covered with cortisone cream but the next day we took the kids to the Lincoln Park Zoo in downtown Chicago. They had fun seeing all the animals but I was close to tears most of the day. So I didn't take many pictures - that's why I need my brothers! LOL People kept looking me like I was strange but then I realized that as hard as I was trying not to scratch most of the say I was rubbing the itchy places - which started on my chest and well....lets just say if I were them I would have given me funny looks too!

We took a trip to Fair Oaks Farm on the day that Sami had off from school. It was pretty cool but I didn't take but one picture there. I think my favorite part was the smell of the cows and the birthing barn. Jozie was exhausted so I took her back to the van to sit with Uncle Levi while everyone else stayed in the birthing barn. Luke was so excited when he finally got to see a baby cow being born! I think it was one of the highlights of his trip! LOL

So because of my lack of sleep (who can sleep when every square inch of your body itches?!) and my terrible itchiness I didn't get to see my dear friends, Janice and Jennie and their kids while we were there. Jozie and Luke were pretty disappointed but I just couldn't subject them to my misery!

We did a little shopping while I was there and I got to spend some money on yarn *sigh* but we didn't have a whole lot of room to take things back on the plane with us - I borrowed a suitcase from my mom as it was...

This was Jozie and Luke's first time to fly. They were pretty excited - and apprehensive at first. But by the time we got on the plane in Mpls. they were thoroughly convinced that this was the way to travel! They took tons of pictures for Daddy and Luke was thrilled to tell an old guy sitting next to us and telling Luke how the plane works that his daddy is an airplane mechanic! LOL So I guess by association he already knew most of what the old man was telling him! LOL

The flight home was a little more difficult for me than there. I guess I was missing my family already - mostly because who know when I will see most of them again - and I hadn't eaten breakfast so my stomach was pretty empty. I was feeling airsick and couldn't even eat the sub that I got for Jozie and I to share while we were in Mpls. The flight in the little plane from Mpls. home was dark and not very crowded so I thought I would be able to sleep but the old guy behind me asked that I didn't put my seat back because he was too tall for the seat he was in...so much for a nap. Thankfully Jozie fell asleep on me - she was feeling a bit nervous because we had just left her Amma and there was a ton of turbulence so that wouldn't have helped her at all. When we landed at our local airport I had to wake her up twice to get her out of the plane! LOL It was so nice to be home again!

PS I ended up figuring out that I am allergic to Augmentin so no more penicillin for me!

2009-01-07T12:40:00.001-06:00

Well, I think I like this one better, but how do I get rid of the box around it?

2009-01-07T12:35:00.001-06:00

I just wanted to see how this would look and work...I added a signature but I'm not sure I like it...

2009

2009-01-06T20:19:00.003-06:00

OK! As you can see I have updated my blog! Yeah!

Well, at least I changed the layout...I must be feeling "springy" with this new look! LOL

So, over the next few days I will be posting some pictures and whatnot of what y'all have missed over the last few months!

Just not tonight... :)

I've gotta get the kids to bed for school in the morning and Bob is home from work so I need to get off the computer...I'll see what I can get accomplished tomorrow! :)

Knitting in the Dark

2008-10-01T10:52:00.002-05:00

Well, as you can see, I've been far too busy to get on here and do any searious updateing. Jozie had her Mpact (formerly Missionettes) sleepover last weekend at church and for some reason I volunteered to stay all night...After the girls finally fell asleep the adults sat up and just kind of watched to make sure they were all sleeping and there were no problems with anyone. I sat there in the dark knitting the fringe that I am adding to my mom's prayer shall I made this spring. I'm bringing it to her this week and I'm still not finished with it. The fringe has by far been more time consuming and more work than the shal itself!

I've got our bags packed excpet for a few little things that we are still using that I'm planning on taking. And of course my knitting. I've been kinda stressed because I've been afraid they won't let me take my needles on the plane with me. But they assure me I can so...I'm bring stitch holders just in case! LOL I don't want to risk losing a bunch of my work if they decide that I don't need my needles anymore!

So I will do my best to do a post or 2 while I am gone but I'm thinking I won't have time or the place to do it. We're going to be keeping busy! My dad even informed us that a huge shed that we have on the farm is falling in so we have to clean it out (oh, boy!) so that it can be taken down. It's full of junk and mud and yuck! We are not thrilled about the prospect! Oh, well, maybe we will find some of our toys from when we were kids that have been missing for some time....

I'll post more when we get home after the 20th! Have a great couple of weeks! :)

We're Set!

2008-09-20T07:28:00.002-05:00

Well, almost...

Ok, let me back up, I'm getting ahead of myself. Some of you may or may not know that we are going on a quick trip to MI/MN/WI/IN...we will be gone for a little over 2 weeks. The only thing I'm not thrilled about is that we have to leave Bob behind. :( He could never get that kind of time off from school and work unless it was Christmas or maybe spring break. I wanted to get this trip done before the snow claims the UP so those dates are pretty much out of the question.

So the "we're set" is that Levi got the dates off - Oct 3rd throuth the 19th - and the "well, almost" is that we are still waiting for plane tickets from my dad. He flies for work so he has a lot of frequent flier miles to use up and since we've all been wanting to get together for sometime this seemed to be our only wan to do it. And A. Debbie and U. Lyle wanted to see me and the kids (and Bob too, but we've already went over the why not with him) so we are going to see them as well...but I'm getting ahead of myself again! LOL

Here's a map of our tentitive course:

View Larger Map

Chances are - if your town is on the map, plan on getting a call from us in the next couple of days! Amie and Jodie Z. included!

Here's our projected tentitive schedule...everything is moveable by a day or so...

Fly in to Chicago - Jodie F. if you aren't too busy and you want to meet me and the kids for lunch leave me a FB message or a comment here and we can work things out! - (Flint for Levi) and go to my mom's to get our rental car. We will probably stay at her house for a day or so and then travel to either Flint to travel with my dad and Levi from there to Houghton Lake where we will stay with my A. and U. for a couple of days. Tues. we were hoping to maybe swing by and see Jeremiah and Amie (I haven't called yet because we just made up all these possible plans last night and they aren't concrete on the exact time and day yet) for lunch or something then go on up to the UP - with a few stops in between (my brother is going to have a rude awakening about traveling with kids!). We plan on spending a few days at the farm with my dad (I'm pretty excited about staying there - I love going home!) and seeing U. Kimmy and A. Darlene and Grandma and Grandpa and anybody else who we hope to see there. Sometime over the weekend or the beginning of the following week we want to travel to Mpls. to see Josh and Bethany and maybe Jodie if she has the time. We will probably only stay one night but if our rental car permits we may stay 2 - the kids have expressed a desire to go to the Mall of Am. and I think they are old enough to remember an event such as that. So if we have the time we want to take them there and maybe ride a ride and see LegoLand there (Luke is a lego freak!). On our way back to my mom's, we want to stop in Stevens Point to see Jeremy R. for lunch or something. Finally back at my moms by Tues. or Wed. at the LATEST (this all depents on how long we have our rental car - my mom is renting one for us so graciously so we can see her as well), spend the rest of our time there and fly out on Sun. or so.

So it's a lot of people and places - and miles! - to pack into a few days. It seems like plenty of time when you refer to it as a little over 2 weeks but when you look at the fact that we are traveling through 5 states in that time...it doesn't seem like NEARLY enough time to see everyone! So, I will be packing and planning and not really looking forward to air travel with 2 kids over the next couple of weeks and probably won't be posting much on here!

For now, we are getting ready to go to Luke's last soccer game of the season so I better get moving. (He asked me the other day if he could have "the guys over" so they could play together before next spring...yah, I want 5 more boys with as much energy as Luke all about the same age here in our tiny apartment for ANY amount of time - I don't think so Tim!)

Have a great weekend! :)

Laughing with Luke

2008-09-17T13:51:00.003-05:00

Last night after I got my flowers from Bob I decided I should go to the store to get him something...the only problem was what? Neither one of us need anything and he wouldn't care for flowers (besides, we already had one beautiful arrangement at home but even one more would make my living room to look like a funeral parlor)! So I made the mistake of asking the kids, "What should I get Daddy for our anniversary?" Luke - the first thing he said was, "That 10 lb. chocolate cemetary thingy at wal.fart in the Holloween isle!" Yah, I'm going to give my husband a 10 lb. chocolate tombstone for our anniversary! Next, he said we should get him a really nice, very good, tie....Well...when does a mechanic wear a tie and where would he wear one? So that one was ix-nayed. Another one he suggested was a candygram, since daddy likes candy!

I ended up getting him a nice card (it's hard to shop for an anniversy card with kids who like to point out all the funny or gross ones and they are opening all the noisy cards when you are trying to hear one!), a nice dinner (I got fried chicken because I didn't really want to cook on my anniversary!) and dessert, plus some chocolate covered cashews and candy corn. I feel back on the old reliable, food! I still feel bad so I may have to get him, oh, maybe a 4G jump drive that he's been wanting...or a new gun case or sling for one of his guns...we'll see. Now that I've had some time to think about it!

Today Jodie updated her blog with this cute picture of her mom's new puppies. They were so cute I called the kids to look at it and Luke says, "Did that black lab lay those?!" LOL I had to laugh!

The things that kid comes up with!

NRA Sporting Day

2008-09-17T10:29:00.007-05:00

Luke, Annabelle, and JozieBelle

A couple of weeks ago I took the kids to an NRA Sports day where the kids got to participate in all kinds of outdoor sports and learn a thing or 2 along the way. The first thing they did was ride a 4-wheeler. They both enjoyed it but they were really big machines and Luke had a hard time turning it! After that they moved on to archery. Jozie really enjoyed shooting the bow but I think she had a hard time pulling it back because of her recently broken arm - it's still pretty weak. After that they had a little talk from the Boy Scouts about outdoor safety while they are hunting or camping and also a demonstration about compasses. Then they came to the hard part for Jozie - there was a shotgun/skeet shoot. Luke loved it and shot 3 times (he didn't hit any of his pigeons though)! But Jozie was afraid of the gun. She got up there and after the guy showed her what to do she chickened out and walked away. I talked to her a little about it and she finally decided to go back up. She ended up shooting it and even liked it! After lunch they had a trapping demonstration. Luke really liked that - I think it was his favorite part - but was getting a little frustrated because he was one of the youngest and consequently one of the shortest so he was having a hard time seeing around the taller kids who were crowding around the demo. The last thing they did was shooting .22's. They both really enjoyed that and each of them came home with their spent casings. Overall it was a long day - 8am to 3pm - but the kids had a great time! Here are a few other highlights and some pictures:

Jozie was afraid of the 4-wheelers as well. She has never driven one though Grandpa in MI used to give them rides on it whenever we would visit him. So she asked the instructor to ride with her. He got on the back - I think it was like a 450 or 500cc - and once he was on she gave it the juice - fast and quick! She ended up doing a wheelie and the guy nearly fell off the back! LOL There were some farm boys that were in her group that happened to be in line to ride the same 4-wheeler and they were in awe! They were older boys who drive 4-wheelers daily for various chores and entertainment so they though it was great that this girl did a wheelie! For the rest of the day she had 2 admirers! I couldn't believe it! My daughter impressed the boys without even trying! She was a tad embarrassed when she got back to the line but quickly became proud of her accomplishment when all the boys started talking to her and patting her on the back! Just remember your Bowling Ball song and everything will be fine, honey! Daddy said those boys were lucky that HE wasn't there!
Jozie and her admirers (Orange Cap ? and Blue Cap Tyler)

Jozie on the 4-wheeler
She asked me, "Mom, why do those boys keep following me around?" LOL
When the kids were in the archery area they had to partner up. Jozie had no problem finding a partner because one of her HS friends were there. Luke, on the other hand, didn't know anyone and he is left handed. This usually doesn't matter, just find another boy and shoot at the targets, right? Wrong. Because he is left handed he had to have a partner that was left handed because they were using compound bows. By the time they saw the little one raising his hand for being a lefty the only other lefty left was a girl! He wasn't really happy about it but he wasn't going to let it show to the girl...he's a big man, you know! And she had to be at least 10 - if not older! He told Papa John that she was cute! She was a very nice polite girl and she even helped him out with his shooting a time or two. After that, the girl had an admirer that followed her around all day! LOL

Luke's Partner

Luke shot the bear right in the eye!

What Form!

Belle the archer!

Annabelle and JozieBelle

in love

2008-09-16T17:09:00.003-05:00

for 8 wonderful years today! Though our road hasn't always been easy I have always known that I could depend on you. You have been my best friend and my partner. I look forward to the years ahead with anticipation. I can't wait to see what God has in store for us!

Thank you and happy anniversary!

Reason #101 I'm Glad We Moved To SD

2008-09-16T16:20:00.002-05:00

The major flooding that is going on right now in Northern Indiana! Oof-duh! My friend posted pictures on her facebook of the bridges that I used regularly in Hobart and they are all underwater. There is flooding so bad in downtown that the bank and the Library next to the house we almost bought had water in them. Our house (that's what we called it whenever we went by it) is right next to the bank. We did put a bid in or 2 on the house but they took someone else's offer because they went higher than the asking price and they had cash. We were pretty upset at the time - being so tired of living in a basement - but I'm just grateful that we don't have that headache to deal with!

I just talked to my mom and she said that overnight the street in front of her house got a big sinkhole in it. People were driving across the neighbors yard to go around it and she thought that people had used their driveway too - since it connects to the street on the other side of the house. They don't have any water in their basement except for a couple of spots that got wet whenever we had a lot of rain but their sump pump is running constantly!

And all thanks to Hurricane Ike!

Luke in Soccer

2008-09-15T17:42:00.003-05:00

One Happy Kid!

Luke has really been enjoying his soccer season. His team is undefeated and they tied once...the rest of the games the coach was telling the boys to hold back some to let the other team get some goals. LOL They don't really have practice except for a few minutes before the games. There are only 6 kids per team and only 4 are on the field for each team at a time. They don't have a goalie, they have a "sweeper" who isn't allowed to touch the ball but can stand guard of the net. There was one goal in the tied game they had the should have gone in but the sweeper on the other team used his hands to stop the ball. They should have just given Luke's team (Liverpool) the goal but I guess that's not the way they do things...Bob was able to attend Luke's game on Sat. because it was his weekend off. Luke was thrilled to have Daddy at his game for the first time. He played his first game ever and scored 2 goals for his team. He was so excited he asked me more than once if I was proud of him for making 2 goals. He is not a very aggressive player - which surprises me since he is so aggressive and competitive in almost everything else he does - esp. if he's competing against his sister...

So, we have a make up game tonight for one that was canceled because of lightning last week. I think he only has like 4 more games left. After next week the season is over. I'm sure he will miss it and I've really enjoyed watching him play!

The Team - Luke is #3

Time to line up!

Team "Practice"

I DID IT!

2008-09-10T16:26:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures from our DeSmet trip!

Picture Neglect. II

2008-09-08T18:29:00.004-05:00

Ok, Bob and Luke went with Taylor (one of Bob's friends from school) to get some shooting practice in so I might be able to get another set of pictures up....lets see if I can get both the Little House and soccer on before they get home!

We had a wonderful trip to DeSmet. The tours were great - I wasn't supposed to take pictures inside some of the buildings but I had my camera in my hand and I forgot a few times. Laura's prairie was beautiful. Words can't describe how neat it was to stand where she stood and look at the same sunset that she did and hear the same night noises as her. I was sad to leave. It gave me a longing inside for something simpler, for someplace to call my own. I have this little obsession of looking at old house plans and looking on realtor.com for my favorite property search...I'd love to live on a place like that! (Not the whole museum thing but my own home, barn, fields, and room for the kids to run and play - while they are still young enough to enjoy it!)

Here's the quote on the plaque...

"It was fun to explore the farm.
A careless glance made the land look
like all the rest of the huge prairie.
But with a watchful eye, it was surprising
how much variety and
how many things of interest
could be found on 160 acres."
~From "Pioneer Girl"
(The Unpublished work of
Laura Ingalls Wilder)

The rock quotes:
"Remember well and bear in mind, a constant friend is hard to find." Laura Ingalls Wilder
"The future is in our hands to make it what we will." Laura Ingalls Wilder
"The true way to live is to enjoy every moment as it passes - it is in the everyday things around us that the beauty of life lies." Laura Ingalls Wilder

Ok...now I know why I HATE slide and bought PhotoShow...I just uploaded about 100 pictures and added captions - it took me the majority of 2 and a half hours (mostly upload time) and I lost it...I am so mad I could spit! I'm done. I'm frustrated. I'm going to bed!

On the upside the boys are home and Luke had a great time shooting with the boys! He shot the .22 but wouldn't shoot anything else. He brought me one of his targets that he hit...on the edge! I guess he couldn't see through the scope so he just pointed and shot.

So I guess if I have time I will try this again tomorrow...maybe this time I will just get my PhotoShow going...

The Radio In My Head

2008-09-08T18:02:00.003-05:00

Here's a brand new song that I have been singing for the last couple of weeks. I can't seem to get it out of my head (what's new there?LOL) so maybe this will help...

It really captured my heart. How many people do we walk by everyday that are hurting and struggling to find their way? How many only want to hear that God love them and that He's always there for them? And how can I make that difference in peoples lives? I'm not really sure about the people I go by on the street but I know I can be my neighbor's friend. I can show her God's love through my life and by listening to her - even if I don't want my kids playing with her kids anymore...but that's another post! Anyway, I guess that's where I can start - and hopefully I can make a difference in her life.

Here are the lyrics:

Brandon Heath Lyrics - Give Me Your Eyes

Looked down from a broken sky
Traced out by the city lights
My world from a mile high
Best seat in the house tonight
Touched down on the cold black tile
Hold on for the sudden stop
Breath in the familiar shock
Of confusion and chaos
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

Chorus
Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah

Step out on a busy street
See a girl and our eyes meet
Does her best to smile at me
To hide whats underneath
There’s a man just to her right
Black suit and a bright red tie
To ashamed to tell his wife
He’s out of work
He’s buying time
Are those people going somewhere?
Why have I never cared?

I’ve been there a million times
A couple of million eyes
Just moving past me by
I swear I never thought that I was wrong
Well I want a second glance
So give me a second chance
To see the way you see the people all alone

Give me your eyes for just one second
Give me your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me your love for humanity
Give me your arms for the broken hearted
The ones that are far beyond my reach
Give me your heart for the once forgotten
Give me your eyes so I can see
yeah .. yeah .. yeah .. yeah

Picture Neglect.

2008-09-08T12:53:00.003-05:00

Yep, I have committed Picture Neglect. I have several events that we have taken pictures at over the last couple of months that I have neglected to post. (Probably because I'm not very happy with the pictures I take with this camera - I'm almost ready to go back to my big old camera!) I fear my blog has become pretty wordy - and they weren't very good words either!

So, without further ado, here are my pictures!

OK, my computer is acting goofy and I've got to get SOMETHING done today so I'm going to post this before I lose it!

I will post the big DeSmet trip and Soccer pics soon!

Shoes...Again...

2008-09-08T12:46:00.003-05:00

Well, we got all of our shoes this week and we've decided on the purple mary jane's. They were big for her but they give her room to grow and most importantly she's worn them a few times now and no blisters! Yipee! So now all I have to do is figure out how to send the rest back. The 2 I ordered from 6pm were big enough for me to wear comfortably! I couldn't believe that my little girls feet were as big as mine so I made her put hers up to mine. Sure as shootin', they were almost the same! Her's were only slightly smaller! Can you believe it? I can't! So I guess the lady at the local shoe store wasn't that far off! "Sorry lady at the local shoe store!"

My baby girl is growing up and I guess I just refused to see it!

Tender Foot

2008-09-04T11:32:00.004-05:00

Now that we are getting back into shoe season we've been having a hard time (again!) trying to get Jozie into shoes. Her feet are so sensitive and she gets blisters in EVERY pair of shoes she's got - right on her heels. I took her to the podiatrist yesterday and they couldn't tell me anything except to suggest some VERY expensive shoes. Which isn't a huge deal, I just hope that they pay off in the long run by allowing her to wear something other than sandals!

I went to Zappos.com and ordered her these:

and these:

He suggested the mary jane looking ones and he also suggested the backless ones so that the friction wasn't there on here heels. They were both about $60 a pair. I ordered from Zappos because they have free shipping BOTH ways so when I find out they don't fit I can send them back! She really should have wide sized shoes and these don't come in wide sizes but they are pretty chunky shoes so they might fit her. (I just got an email from them saying that they are upgrading their warehouse somehow so I qualified for special priority shipping because they are trying to shorten shipping time to our area. I guess it DOES to live in a rural area sometimes!)

Just in case they don't I ordered 2 pair of back-ups from 6pm.com. They don't have free shipping but the shoes are cheaper and both pair are wide sized so I'm REALLY hoping that they both work and I can just send the Keens back!

Here's what I ordered from them. They were less expensive coming to $60 for both pairs so if they both fit her I will probably keep them so she has SOME variaty to choose from!

She was happy with the way they all looked...she is a girl, after all! What girl wouldn't like new shoes! :) So at least I don't have to worry about her saying they are ugly when they come in.

We went to a local shoe store yesterday that the Dr. mentioned because they carry NB shoes. They didn't have kids sizes but said they would order anything I want - as long as I pay for them first. I wanted to get an idea of how they would fit her so the lady put some really heavy socks on her and put her in a woman's size 7 and a half. She was amazed at how well they fit and thought she may even need a bigger size because Jozie said they were tight across her foot. She didn't have an 8 so she put an 8 and a half on her. To me they were way too long but she said that an 8 would be perfect...again she was amazed. I left the store rather disgruntled that they could employ someone who couldn't even size a kids foot! I wear a size 7 and a half and there is no way her foot is bigger than mine. It's about an inch shorter! Sometimes you wonder what people are thinking!

Pick Me Up...

2008-09-04T10:57:00.002-05:00

The Princess Bride has ALWAYS been my favorite movie. When I was in high school Ally and I used to quote the movie back and forth to each other when we got bored in school - which was quite often! LOL Anyway, I found The Princess Bride Game is now available and I am so tempted to buy it just for nostalgia! My kids even love the movie but hate watching it with me because I STILL quote almost all of it! LOL

Here's a little funny from the movie that you will recognize if you have ever seen it...enjoy!

Tickle Me Vizzini from PrincessBrideGame on Vimeo.

(PS...I will eventually take the time to get those pictures up...I've been so busy with school starting and camping all last weekend and now with soccer almost 3x's a week and teaching Wed. night @ church and HS PE once a week, and co-leading Keepers of the Faith for our HS group...I'm tired. When I have a moment to myself I like to read or knit and my blog gets forgotten for a day or so...)

OK...

2008-08-27T16:41:00.003-05:00

I think next year when I am ready to order school curriculum I 'm just going to send my credit card and my list on over to Jamie! She seems to have a lot better luck with ebay than I do! Every time I would get close to winning an auction for the teacher book and DVD for Math U See ebay would remove the auction! I don't really understand why exactly but it's pretty frustrating! I did finally get it from HomeschoolClassifieds.com - all of it except for one Student Pack for $40 plus shipping. It's not exactly a GREAT deal but at least it's somewhat cheaper than new from the publisher. I will still have to get one Student Pack from the publisher for $20 plus shipping though.

So you see, I need Jamie's help! LOL

Library Woes...

2008-08-26T18:45:00.002-05:00

Well, after being a week "overdue" the state catalog system is back up - but not working so well! I've had SUCH a hard time with getting my books back in order...before I took my books back today I think I had like $100 worth of fines! LOL Well, maybe not that much but probably close to $20...they were all credited because of the new system screwing things up but it's a little frustrating to say the least! I can't imagine what it's like for the libraries in the state with school started and things still aren't running right!

*About those promised pictures...my PhotoShow is screwed up because Bob had to reload the computer last week and now I need to find my key for it...I'm sure it's gone into oblivion and I will just be done using it. I'm going to hold out on the pictures until I can see if Bob knows where we put the darn thing. I hate using Slide or those other ones online because it takes so dag gum long to upload your pictures!*

Shopping for School Supplies

2008-08-25T17:11:00.003-05:00

Today I have been collecting everything I need for the school year - it hasn't been easy or cheap! Aparently I'm not the only e-bayer that waits until the last minute for curriculum because a lot of what a want isn't available so I have been forced to buy them new...Grrr...I should learn from this and get my stuff together earlier next year but I'm sure I will be saying the same thing come this time next year! LOL

Here's what's on the "menu" for 4th grade:

Math: Math U See Delta
Science: A Beka Science Understanding God's World
History/Geography: 50 States Under God w/SD as individual State and A Beka My State Notebook
Handwriting: A Reason for Handwriting Book D
English: Easy Grammar Grade 4
Spelling: Wordly Wise 3000 Grade 4

Other than A Reason for Handwriting these will all be new to us...I used A Beka with Jozie for K4 and K5 but I'm sure it's a bit more advanced than when we used it then! LOL

I am looking forward to our year actually starting with our new curriculum. We "started" unoffically last week with some multiplication and addition/subtraction memorization drills and we have been working through M is for Mount Rushmore that I mentioned in a previous post plus I'm having the kids read to me for a few minutes. Not half as much work that we will be doing once everything gets here so I'm sure they will be disappointed that their day is going to be much longer this year than it has in the past!

Jozie was pretty excite to go outside to play with her friends after she was done with her school work and her chores today because we were gone all weekend - only to be disappointed that they were all gone to school! LOL

We had a wonderful time this weekend with very little fighting between the kids. I will post more with pictures later this week...I was so tired when we got home yesterday and busy getting school stuff together today that I haven't even loaded my pictures onto the computer yet!

A Fun Filled Weekend Ahead!

2008-08-21T15:45:00.003-05:00

Well, my kids are driving me nuts and I have decided to bring them on a mini-vacation! Doesn't that make perfect sense?! (Not really but we do a lot of things for our kids that don't make sense?!) I've been wanting to go to De Smet, SD to visit the Ingalls Homestead since we've moved here but haven't taken the time. So since we are studying SD history right now I've decided to take the weekend and go for a drive and a night. It will be busy! I'm hoping to get a covered wagon for the night at the Homestead or at least a Bunkhouse - doesn't that sound fun?! I couldn't tell if they allow campfires but that would be even more cool to sleep in a covered wagon for the night under the stars and tell stories around the campfire! The only downside is that Bob won't be able to go. :( He has to work all weekend. I would wait but his dad is coming next weekend for camping with us here and Luke also starts soccer next week so that won't leave us any free Saturdays until it's over. Plus I plan on going to Prairie Village on Sun. morning. It's the Jamboree this weekend so there promises to be a lot of knee slapping fun for all there!

Most of this stuff closes down after Labor Day as well and we don't want to miss it since we are so close! I figure an hour and a half drive isn't that bad. I found a place I really want to stay - Prairie Retreat - but it's too far out of the way for my plans. If nothing else I'd love to go just to support the ministry! How wonderful would it be to spend a couple of days on a farm?! If we had 2 or 3 nights I would seriously consider it!

So, enough with my plans! I've gotta go get some laundry done if I plan on taking clean clothes with us and I want to get some of our curriculum ordered today!

My New "Look"

2008-08-20T13:55:00.002-05:00

I decided to change things up a bit and go with a back to school kind of template. I finally figured out how to fix things but had to redo all of my lists! I feel like I'm missing a couple of people! I don't have most of the links bookmarked of my blogs I read, I usually just start at my blog and go down my list. So with my limited memory banks lately I feel like I've forgotten someone! Oh well, I'm sure I will remember eventually...so if you are one of them let me know and I will add you back onto my list! :)

Belle's Arm Update

2008-08-20T13:50:00.001-05:00

We went to the Dr. this morning and he said it's solid. It looks great and she is no longer under any restrictions. She was THRILLED to hear that she get's to ride her bike and scooter again!

Strong Family History

2008-08-19T11:57:00.002-05:00

I had my first mammogram about a month ago after finding out that my aunt was diagnosed with breast cancer last fall. It's not just her but my grandma on that side and an aunt on the other side of the family. My grandma was quite worried about me so because of my "strong family history" my dr. said she would give me a referral to have one done.

I must say it's not a process that I care to repeat - it was VERY uncomfortable - even with it being "digital" there was still a lot of pressure and whatnot. The tech. said that I shouldn't be surprised if I have to get some more views done because my tissue is still quite dense (you could have fooled me!) because I'm so young. She was right. I got a letter in the mail about 2 weeks later saying that I had "abnormal results" and I had to go in for further testing. Great.

The second time was worse than the first because they had to concentrate on one spot. Twisting and squeezing and pinching. It wasn't fun!

She said I should know in a few days but when a week went by without any phone call I started to get a little nervous. I ended up calling for my results and they said that everything came out normal and that I should just go back in another year.

So I guess I now get to make this an annual thing and I'm not even 32 yet!

How Does That Figure?

2008-08-19T11:37:00.002-05:00

Ugh. The whole state of SD is upgrading the library catalog. The process started on the 11th and was supposed to be finished today. I went to our library website only to find out that the company has "encountered some problems" and they don't know when they are going to have it up and running! How frustrating is that? You can check out books but they aren't checking them back in so when you bring a book back it sits on a cart in the back waiting for the catalog update to be finished so they can check it back in. Which means that by the time this is all over there aren't going to be a whole lot of books left to check out! Our library isn't the greatest either so a lot of the books I check out are interlibrary loans and I can't get those without a catalog.

What a pain in the butt! You'd think they would do like one library first to see how it goes and then maybe do the whole rest of the state...but they didn't ask for my advice so I'd best just wait like the rest of the state. You'd think with most of the colleges starting this week they would have it done. I wonder if they will go back to the old reliable card catalog?!

Grrr...

2008-08-18T17:23:00.002-05:00

I was trying to change my template so I saved the old one like it said to but it didn't save everything so I lost all of the stuff on the side...I'm going to have to go and hunt for what I've lost...it irritates me! Not only that but when I changed it to the new one it kept my old header on there and only made the background white...it looked kinda silly so I tried to reload my old one and all of the other stuff was gone. This is why I don't do a lot of changing on my own! I'm HTML retarded and I only know enough to screw things up!

Busy Week!

2008-08-18T15:34:00.002-05:00

We've been keeping busy with several things over the past couple of weeks...

The kids reading program at the library ended with a prize day. They were pretty excited to get the prizes - Luke had the top reading time for their class - but were disappointed in the prizes. It seemed like they tried to keep everything equal for everyone - no matter how much effort the kid did or didn't put into it. I think each kid was supposed to end up with 3 prizes and since Luke had the top time, he got to pick first. The only problem was that he didn't get to pick what he really wanted for some reason. And a kid who had quite a few less "bug bucks" than he did got 7 prizes. Jozie didn't read much so she didn't have many "bug bucks" to buy with to begin with but then didn't even get to choose the prize she wanted either - they just gave her a goofy little craft thingy and some advertisements for a new PB*S show called "S*id the Sc*ience K*id" for pre-schoolers...she's 9. So when we got home I dug into the Christmas stash and gave them each a prize of my own to show them I was proud of the job they did. I don't mean to complain, they had a great time and it was a wonderful program but if you are going to get the kids all excited about all the prizes they are going to get at least follow through in the end and be fair about it!

We had a picnic afternoon a couple of Sunday's ago I forgot to mention! It was with our new homeschool group! I'm so excited! The plan is to have PE once a week for the kids - lead by parent volunteers - along with some other group outings and support. It was so nice to sit and visit with a group of other like-minded adults for an afternoon and not have to explain why we do what we do to everyone who asks. I get the feeling that HSing isn't the "thing" to do here in SD. It's rather disappointed to get the "Oh, that's great." reaction when people ask where our kids go to school. Since there are several elementary schools here in town I suppose it's the last place people expect to hear where they "go" to school. I think it kind of catches them off guard and they really don't know what to say.

So if you were a HS parent and were thinking about teaching PE for a month but were REALLY not an athletic person, what would you do? Not that I'm talking about me or anything...

I knitted a new beanie for Luke for this winter - he loves it and wore it for like 2 days all day - even to bed - before he realized it was too hot to wear it still! LOL It's green with a white VW symbol on the side of it. I only used cheap acrylic yarn because I've never knitted with 2 colors before and I wanted to make sure I could do it before I buy the 'spensive stuff and screw it up! I want to make one for Levi for Christmas because he drives a VW and it's also the initials for his last name. :)

Speaking of Luke - he had almost a whole week of Birthday events last week. We started with his actual birthday celebration on Monday which was supposed to include a trip to the local pool - which has a few watersides, a lazy river, and some other water features - but the weather didn't agree so we ended up going on Tuesday instead. The kids had a blast and wanted to know if we could go back ...probably not for $12 for 3 hours!

Wed. was the free day at the local zoo so we spent almost the whole day there - literally! We got there about 9:30 am and were about to go at 11 but saw our neighbors. Luke insisted that he wasn't ready to go home yet and wanted to stay and play with Joey so we stayed with them until about 3. We went home and ate "lupper" around 4. The kids were going to VBS at the Baptist church with the neighbor kids but Luke was having some issues with one of the older girls there (he punched her in the stomach the night before because she was picking on him and pestering him. He tried to tell the teacher but they did nothing about it so he decided to take things into his own hands...) so we decided it was best for him to just not go. I asked what he wanted to do and he said to go back to the zoo. We were there for another hour and a half just looking at the animals and paying more attention to the fact sheets and such that Luke didn't look at much while he was with Joey. He was pretty impressed with himself every time he read one of the signs! LOL

Thurs. was the only day we didn't do anything "special" because Fri. we went to see the new Star Wars movie. My mom sent money for Luke's b-day for us to go (thanks mom!). Bob had the day off from work but didn't want to see it (he went to work to change the oil in his new scooter) so he sent money for us to get popcorn and soda. We got a large and had it refilled - did we ever eat popcorn! LOL The kids liked the movie but I found the battle scenes a little long and since there was so much movement it was making me a little sick - esp. after all that popcorn!

Since Bob had Sat. off he took us around to some rummage sales. I didn't really find what I was looking for but got some US Geo. stuff for school and a couple of clothing items for the kids. I also found some Scooby Doo books and a puzzle for our nephew - Dakota. He's 3 and LOVES Scooby but I need a few points with him so I told Bob I wasn't sending it to him via grandpa when they come up to camp in a couple of weeks - Dakota won't be getting it until Aunt Risa can bring them to him on her own so he knows they are from me - not grandpa! LOL

In between our busy-ness we've been watching some of the Olympics as they unfold on TV. Rooting for the USA and booing when a certain country who I won't name seems to get away with way too much in gymnastics!

Bob starts school tomorrow so I plan on getting up with the kids when he leaves to start our day off with school as well. I have been reminding them since last week that we are going to start when Daddy does - even though we won't have our curriculum until the end of the month or early Sept. I have plenty of things they can work on until then! I'm going to have to make a "Do Not Disturb - school in progress" sign for the front door since all of the neighbor kids don't start school until the 25th. Hopefully if I can keep them away until after lunch so I won't have too many problems getting the kids to focus.

Oh! I almost forgot! I signed Luke up for soccer this fall. It starts the first week in Sept. and then there's another season next spring. This is our first experience with organized sports - except for Aikido. Hopefully he will grasp the concept of a "team" and "sportsmanship"...2 things that he definitely lacks! LOL It is 3 times a week but it only lasts for a few weeks so hopefully we won't get too burned out on it. He's pretty excited about it - we found him shin guards at a garage sale and he had time on yesterday kicking around his basketball (he doesn't have a soccer ball!LOL) and he said that they work great - he can't even feel the ball on his shins! We were looking for shoes while garage saleing but didn't find any in his size. I think I'm just going to have to break down and buy some. I hate the thought though because they are bound to be too small by next spring!

Jozie goes back on Wed. for her final (hopefully) x-rays on her arm. She's been doing great though except for a little muscle pain due to, I'm sure, over working it. She's excited to get it cleared up so she can ride her bike again! I asked her about joining soccer and though I would hae loved to sign her up as well she said she doesn't want to so I didn't. I suppose it's probably for the better anyway with her broken arm being so recent. She said she wants to take piano lessons instead so that we will probably do. I'm going to start both of them with it this year so by the time they are ready to start playing an instrument they won't have to work so hard at the music reading part.

Well, I'd better go get supper started. The kids are starving (what's new?)!!

Eight!

2008-08-11T14:43:00.003-05:00

My boy turns 8 today! Little did I know what I was asking for when I prayed for a boy before he was born! LOL

He's been fun and he's been a handful but most of all he has been a blessing to our family. He's the most strong-willed kid I know - now my prayer is that we can mold that will to that of his Savior so someday he can be a great influence for God. No matter what he does or where life takes him.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BUBBA!

"Hey Luke!

2008-08-02T21:18:00.003-05:00

How come you aren't catchin' anything?"
"I don't know! Why don't you ask the FISH!"

This was the conversation I overhead this evening when the kids were fishing with Bob. LOL

We've really been trying to get in some fishing this summer because we all enjoy it and there are plenty of lakes around to try out. Today it was pretty windy but we decided to try it anyway because Bob had the day off (his first day off in about 2 weeks!) and it was nice out. I don't have a license but I give the kids a hand here and there when Bob can't and I take pictures or read.

They didn't have much luck with catching anything that was really edible - except for a decent sized Perch and a few Bullheads. Jozie caught the most and the biggest fish - including a great big Snapping Turtle! LOL Between her and Bob the caught the same turtle 3 times and then got a little Painted Turtle as well. Bob also got a big old Carp on but lost his bait and hook since they weren't exactly fishing for the big ones from the shore. The Snapper took 3 hooks and sinkers too so we figured it was about time to call it a night.

The Shadow of the Turtle

Not So Happy Snappy!

We saw a little bit of wildlife as well in the from of Canada Geese, a beaver, and some beautiful American White Pelicans. The Pelicans are really quite numerous around here and are huge birds.

Beaver From Afar

Some Past Due Pictures

2008-07-23T18:35:00.002-05:00

It's Cast-Off Day!

2008-07-23T17:53:00.003-05:00

Yippee! It's off! It's gone!

But we still need to keep activities limited for at least the next 3 weeks when she goes in for more x-rays. The only thing she can do now that she couldn't before is swimming. She is in no pain except for the stiff muscles and peeling dead skin (yuck).

It's A Boy!

2008-07-20T14:23:00.002-05:00

He came into our lives yesterday at 3:41pm weighing 308 lbs. and he is 71.3 inches long. His name is New Natty Shanghai Shenke. We love him to bits and can't wait to see how much gas he will save us!

Click here for pictures!

I'm Still Here...

2008-07-17T17:44:00.002-05:00

It's been a while since I have posted anything new. We've been staying busy and I haven't had much time to use the computer. I'd post some pictures but Bob has my camera tonight - something about a big jet coming into work tonight...

Jozie is pretty excited to get her cast off next week. She is counting the days! LOL I am counting the days as well - I'm tired of bathing her and putting her clothes on for her! :)

Luke got his bike replaced by Grandpa Byron. :) It was a camping bike that they got for $3 at a garage sale we went to back in May. They had several girl bikes but this was the first boy bike. It is exactly like Luke's old bike except with a couple of the pads still on it. He's really glad to not have to ride his sisters pink bike anymore! :) Thanks Grandpa! :)

Bob has been working a lot of extra hours lately. Which is good but on the down side it means that our rent will go up next month - we live in income based housing...grrr...I know I shouldn't complain but we don't know how much that increase will be. Isn't there some kind of law that says you are supposed to have a 30 day notice?

Me, I've been knitting a lot lately again. I know someone who is having a baby soon so I've been trying out several new projects for the occasion! ;) It's hard to type and knit at the same time! :)

I'm starting a unit study on South Dakota next week with the kids using this book. Hopefully they won't complain too much - I'm going to try and ease them into school this year and it incorporates almost everything except for math so I will just have them practice their times tables along with it. I have the unit studies for both MI and IN as well so if this one goes well we will be using both of those next. They are pretty simple books but the Unit Studies sort of use them as stepping stones for more information.

I will try and remember to post pictures when Bob gives me my camera back! Until then you will just have to make due with my words! :)

What Next?

2008-07-01T15:49:00.002-05:00

So I'm finally settled down enough to blog about Luke's missing bike. It wasn't worth anything except to the boy who owned it. And now it's gone. His and the neighbor boy's were taken on the same night and we reported them missing at the same time. They said to wait a week and call officer so-and-so - the animal control officer - to see if they found. But the officer wasn't to confident that they would ever find it.

We were planning on waiting until we moved to get the kids new bikes - neither one of them were new when we got them - because we don't have a place to put them besides the bike rack so they sit out in the rain and snow. That way we wouldn't have to move bikes when the time comes next spring or summer. So next week we will probably hit the pawn shops and rummage sales to see what we can find. I found this really cool bike at W@lM@rt.com last night that has a speedometer and an odometer but it was like $80 and it was out of stock. I just can't see spending money on a bike that's only going to sit out in the rain and rust though. But I'm sure he would have fun with a bike like that! LOL I probably wouldn't be able to keep him off it! :)

The Radio in my Head

2008-06-28T14:44:00.002-05:00

This song has been going through my head lately - I even made my own ring*tone for my phone with it - probably doesn't help with it going through my head. But it is a great song. "It moves me, Bob!" It's where I am with everything that's been going on in our life here in SD - from no HSing support to a lacking church family, from broken bones to stolen bikes (Luke's bike was stolen from our front yard last night!) - I will not be moved from Christ's hand, from His love. I will stand strong in him through my relationship with him and know that whatever happens to us, "I will not be moved".

01.I Will Not Be Moved - Natalie Grant

NATALIE GRANT LYRICS

"Will Not Be Moved"

I have been the wayward child
I have acted out
I have questioned Sovereignty
And had my share of doubt
And though sometimes my prayers feel like
They're bouncing off the sky
The hand I hold won't let me go
And is the reason why...

[Chorus:]
I will stumble
I will fall down
But I will not be moved
I will make mistakes
I will face heartache
But I will not be moved
On Christ the Solid Rock I stand
All other ground is sinking sand
I will not be moved

Bitterness has plagued my heart
Many times before
My life has been like broken glass
And I have kept the score
Of all my shattered dreams and though it seemed
That I was far too gone
My brokenness helped me to see
It's grace I'm standing on

[Chorus]

And the chaos in my life
Has been a badge I've worn
Though I have been torn
I will not be moved

[Chorus]

Jozie Update and More

2008-06-22T17:51:00.004-05:00

I took Jozie to the Orthopedist on Wed. and they had to re-x-ray her arm before they put a cast on it. The Dr. was worried that since her fracture was all the way through the end of her elbow that she might have to have surgery and put pins in to keep it from moving around. The x-rays came back better than the first ones and they put her in a pretty pink cast from hand to armpit. We were really revealed that she's doing good. I was really proud of her. She did great and even let them move her arm around and straighten it out for the x-ray. She isn't in as much pain this week as she was last week at all. We have to go back to the Orthopedist this coming Wednesday to get more x-rays to make sure things are coming along as they should.

Luke is doing better this week with dealing with the attention Jozie is getting. It finally came to a head and after a big blow up and me telling him that if he didn't shape up he was going to be confined to his room until he could - he changed his tune. I could tell he was really working hard yesterday and the day before to please me and do what he was asked to do when he was asked to do it. Today we are pretty much back to normal - which means things aren't prefect but I don't find myself having to yell at him and beg him to do every little thing. Of course I'm not catering so much to Jozie as I was earlier in the week either...she tries to use her broken arm as an excuse for this and that so I've been telling her that it's her arm that's broken - not her legs!

We went to the beach again last week in the evening to see the sunset and we plan on going again tonight. It's so pretty there and relaxing and the kids love playing in the water and sand. We got a Seal-Tight Cast and Bandage Protector for Jozie's arm. It's a vynal like sleve with a really tight rubber-band like top. It's pretty uncomfortable and she doesn't like putting it on but she doesn't complain much once she gets to playing in the water with her friends! LOL

We also had a nest of Robins hatch out recently in a tree near the house. It was fun watching them grow and just this weekend they have come out of the nest! So cute...here's so pictures of them...

They are the lucky ones - we have seen several around here that didn't make it, probably due to the wind and rain storms that we had earlier in the spring.

Lukeisms

2008-06-15T22:02:00.002-05:00

Luke's been having a tough couple of days. Last night and most of today I've been after Jozie and attending her - making sure she's comfortable, taking it easy, letting her have friends over to see her (I usually don't let kids come in to play since we live so close together I don't want them to take for granted that they can come over anytime they want), etc. So needless to say, I'm sure he's been feeling a bit neglected. We played a game together this afternoon while Jozie was using the computer and taking a walk with Jordan and I took him on a walk to the mail box while Jozie was watching TV with Ayianna. He's been so cranky and crabby and doesn't want to listen!

Anyway, he said some things today that I just had to share.

Jozie slept on the couch last night because she found it comfortable and supportive for her arm so I slept down here on the floor next to her so if she needed something I wouldn't have to run up and down the stairs. When Luke woke up this morning and found me sleeping on the floor he said, "Mom, you should have let me sleep down here on the floor so you could have slept in your bed. I could have taken care of my little angel!" LOL They were the first words out of his mouth this morning and unfortuantely things only went down hill from there!

I just got done telling him to go up and get ready for bed - he hates brushing his teeth. He told me that he brushed his teeth for 8 minutes the other day so he was good for 4 days! He didn't want to brush them tonight so he said he would just brush them longer tomorrow. I think he is taking his tooth brushing timer a bit literal! LOL

Happy Father's Day!

2008-06-15T17:42:00.003-05:00

Happy Father's Day to all of my dad's and my wonderful husband - I couldn't be the mom I am without all of you! :)

Bob has to work today so here are some words of endearment from Belle and Little Bob...

2008-06-15T17:32:00.000-05:00



		I will marry Bob.
		After a wild honeymoon, We will settle down in SD in our fabulous House.
		We will have 7 kid(s) together.
		Our family will zoom around in a Brown VW Vanagon.
		I will spend my days as a Zoologist, and live happily ever after.

She's Back!

2008-06-15T16:45:00.004-05:00

But a little worse for wear!

She broke her elbow! Luke and I went to see her yesterday because there was a parade and free swimming at the public pool. She was with Brittany and Brittany's mom and during one of the pool breaks they were playing on the playground where she tripped on one of those hanging bridges on the playground and landed right on her elbow. She said he heard it crack. Great. Brittany's mom took us to the ER where we had x-rays done. I will scan them in later so you can see them. But she has a fracture in her elbow. She has a partial cast right now - more of a splint because of the swelling. Since we weren't home, we have to go see her Dr. this week for more x-rays and follow-up to see what they are going to do.

As far as how bad it is I was just too busy trying to keep her mind off it because she was scared to death and in a ton of pain and I was pretty freaked out as well - so I'm not sure how bad it is. She still hurts quite a bit but has her friend over playing Monster's Inc. Life so she's being really brave. She's on Tylenol with Codeine and ibuprofen for the pain and swelling.

She was really disappointed because she had to come home, cutting her visit with Brittany at Grandpa and Grandma's camper short by almost 3 days! She wasn't ready to come home and wanted to stay even though her elbow is broken! That's my girl - the social butterfly! :)

I'm glad I didn't spend the $175 for the membership at our local water park!

Jozie and Jordan

My Baby is Gone!

2008-06-12T14:27:00.003-05:00

Jozie left with Grandpa and Grandma just a few hours ago and already it's much quieter around here! Luke is outside reading to Ayianna as I type - she's the only other kid in the neighborhood who isn't gone on vacation somewhere - she was at her Grandmas last weekend and earlier this week. I think Luke and I might make a trip to the zoo tomorrow - maybe drag Daddy along, we'll see. Depends on how bored he gets! LOL Bob and I were laughing about how Luke will probably cry about missing his sister tonight when it's time for him to go to bed, and then he will probably sleep until 9 tomorrow morning without her here to wake him up. :)

I'm pretty proud of myself, I didn't cry when she left - I haven't cried yet! :)

The Radio in My Head

2008-06-11T12:58:00.002-05:00

Today's featured song is a beautiful march, by Bruce Broughton. It's the Theme Song to the TV Show, Jag. Bob has been watching it a lot lately - he's got 10 seasons of it and is currently on season 5. I hear the song about 10 times a day - opening song, throughout the show, and the closing credits. I hum it in the grocery store, I whistle it as I read and even hear it as I use the bathroom (I know, TMI!) but you get my point...

Oh the joys of having a radio in my head!

Click here if you dare risk having it play in your head!

Luke Update - And More

2008-06-09T15:17:00.002-05:00

Luke is back to his old self again! It didn't take long. That evening (after I had given him the Tylen0l and Ibupr0fen) when we went to W@lMart to get more Tylen0l he acted like a prefect monkey for the pharmacist as I asked him how much of and what I can give my poor kid for his extremely painful dental work he just had done that morning. The guy chuckled and said I shouldn't need to worry about giving him much extra anyway after we talked about age and weight and what not...that's my boy!

This week I am under a lot of stress...I am preparing my daughter to spend her first week away from me since I can remember. :( She is going to be camping with her grandma and grandpa - not far from some of her "cousins". Jozie couldn't be more excited! I couldn't be more freaked out! Though it's not far from here - about an hours drive - I don't know how I'm going to handle not seeing my baby girl everyday for a week! She isn't leaving until Thursday - I think - but I have almost everything packed that she might need - from band aids to sunscreen to - I know, I'm a freak - poison ivy wash. And of course about 7 days worth of clothes. I am a wimp. At least I will have my boy home to bother the living daylights out of me for the time his sister is gone! His friends next door are gone for the week to see their dad and won't be back until sometime next week. He is going to be bored to death! And to think he doesn't want to play with his sister while he has her - hopefully this will give him a reality check on how much his sister does for him and with him while she is around! :)

Dental Bliss...

2008-06-04T17:37:00.002-05:00

Both kids had dentist appointments last week where we found out that the crown that Luke had done last winter is infected! That's not supposed to happen...I wasn't too happy. Well, Luke spent 2 hours in the dentist office this morning - they decided to replace the crown to try and save the tooth rather than pull it and put in a spacer. When he came out he was shaking like a leaf with a rather green tint to his normally tan complexion...the nurse said he got sick while he was in there. My poor baby! And they didn't even tell me until it was all over! She said that they needed to see him again in a couple of months to "check things out" - she didn't seem overly confident that it was going to work out. It took them longer than they thought it would. Luke was pretty upset. He told me that there was something in his mouth and they didn't understand him when he was trying to tell them he was going to throw up so it happened while he was laying there practically upside down and he got it all over his face - which was crusty by the time he cam out - and on his shirt. Did I already say, "My poor baby!"? He said he wanted me to come in there too and they didn't understand that either. Probably ignored his request is more like it!
Oh, well. He is still alive - and in VERY much pain. I plan on taking him to Wal M@rt after I drop Jozie and Ayianna off at VBS to get some Tylenol - apparently you can use it and Ibuprofen together. And hopefully he is feeling better by tomorrow!

Ready, Set, Go...

2008-06-03T14:26:00.002-05:00

The kids have started VBS at the local Four Square Church this week. The theme is a car racing theme and they have really been enjoying it. They have both been bringing their friends and even invited some of their friends from church - Luke says he wishes he could bring Paul! LOL

Here's one of the songs that they sing, just to give you an idea of what they are learning about:

Friend Like That - Hawk Nelson

It's so cute to see the kids do that motions to the song, learning that Jesus is the truely their "Friend Like That". Even the kids we brought from the neighborhood! If only Paul could go... :)

The Radio in My Head

2008-05-29T09:01:00.004-05:00

I love music. The problem is that I don't listen to it on a daily basis. I will sometimes listen to music on the computer or the MP3 player on my phone but since we don't have an actual radio or stereo in the house the only time I really listen to the radio is when we are in the car.

So instead I have this radio in my head. It's usually nice except that I am either humming or quietly singing wherever I go - which gives me this slightly crazy appeal! The problem with the Radio in My Head is that it usually gets stuck on one song for a while. Never quit finishing, it just loops through the verses and the chorus as it wills...sometimes for days! So I am starting a new label (can someone tell my WHY labels don't show up on my posts? I use them almost every time I post something!) called The Radio in My Head. Every once in a while you will see random songs tagged as such and hopefully this will bring closure to the days on end of the same song rolling around in that vast empty space between my ears! :)

Whatever Youre Doing (Something Heavenly) - Sanctus Real

Memorial Day Weekend

2008-05-28T21:36:00.002-05:00

We went to the beach again last Sunday afternoon. It was plenty warm but very windy. The kids enjoyed playing in the big waves and collecting rocks with their friends along the beach. We were going to grill out at the park but due to the wind we went home and my neighbor - Jen - 's boyfriend - Davy - brought his grill over and we just grilled at home. Did I ever mention how nice it is to have such great neighbor's that are also friends? I've never experienced that before - but I haven't lived in an apartment much either. :)

We didn't do much on Monday. Bob had to work and Jen and Davy went to pick up a camper so the kids and I took a drive to a little town of about 650 people not far away to get some freecycle stuff. What fun! Then we came home and didn't do much after that until we went to get Bob from work at 8pm. Oh, the old lady "on the end" was yelling at the kids for making too much noise with their marshmallow guns (?! do marshmallow guns made from PVC make noise as you blow with your mouth through them to make the marshmallow go "poof" out the end?!?) because she was trying to take a nap. So I took Jozie's gun and together Luke and I had a marshmallow war in the front yard! About 5 minutes into it the old lady "next to Miss Jennifer" we over to see the the old lady "on the end". Hmm. I've never napped with a friend before! Must be an old lady past time! Anyway - we had fun and I REALLY wanted that old lady to come out and yell at me for playing with the marshmallow gun!

Here's some pictures of the kids in the water...

Nostalgia

2008-05-24T10:42:00.003-05:00

This song has been playing constantly on our local Christian radio station lately. It brings to mind all the friends that helped me through all the good and bad times in my "growing up" years. Most of you guys know who you are; Jamie, Jodie, Amie, Bethany, Jodie Rae, Allyson Rae, Danny Ray, the Library crew, Jonny, Joel, Jeremy, Johnny and Amy, and Kevin - just to name a few and not excluding my mom and of course Bob! :) Without these people in my life, both in the past and in the present, I probably wouldn't be the person that I am today.

Thanks guys! I couldn't have done it without you! :)

Those Nights - Skillet

SKILLET LYRICS

"Those Nights"

I remember when
We used to laugh
About nothing at all
It was better than going mad
From trying to solve all the problems we're going through
Forget 'em all
Cause on those nights we would stand and never fall
Together we faced it all
Remember when we'd

[Chorus:]
Stay up late and we'd talk all night
In a dark room lit by the TV light
Through all the hard times in my life
Those nights kept me alive

We'd listen to the radio play all night
Didn't want to go home to another fight
Through all the hard times in my life
Those nights kept me alive

I remember when
We used to drive
Anywhere but here
As long as we'd forget our lives
We were so young and confused that we didn't know
To laugh or cry
Those nights were ours
They will live and never die
Together we'd stand forever
Remember when we'd

[Bridge:]
Those nights belong to us
There's nothing wrong with us

I remember when
We used to laugh
And now I wish those nights would last

A Mechanic and His Wedding Band...

2008-05-22T20:37:00.002-05:00

...Are soon parted.

Bob lost his wedding band the other day at work! I was steamed but he whispered it to me while he was on the phone to his boss who was looking as he talked! His boss found it - in a glove that gets left on the fuel truck to be used by anyone who is refueling an airplane! I was relieved but needless to say, it now sits safe in my jewelery box. Where it will stay. He really shouldn't wear it anyway being in the hanger it could get caught on anything from a tool to a machine to some kind of engine parts. He's pretty disappointed. But he thinks he has found a solution to his problem.

He wants to get his wedding band tattooed on. I know most of you aren't really into tattoos but it's a way for him to show his commitment without the risk of losing his finger. And it seems logical for me to get one as well...we want to figure out exactly what we want to have done first. We want something simple but not just a black band either. And probably something that is small enough to be covered by our regular rings when we wear them - so it doesn't look goofy. They are actually supposed to be cheaper than a regular ring - averaging about $100, except they usually have to be touched up because the skin on your hands regenerate so often.

Anyway...just a couple of thoughts.

A Birthday Party and a Visit to the BEACH!

2008-05-22T19:44:00.002-05:00

This week we took our first trip to the beach for the summer (and hopefully not the last)! The water was freezing but the kids got in anyway - well, at least dunked under once and got out quick! They played with a friends dog in the water and on the sand and then we headed to the park where we had roasted hot dogs and a picnic with our neighbors.

The same said neighbors invited the kids to their birthday party last night. Jozie stayed for the whole thing but Luke only got to swim because he had to leave for the Pinewood Derby.

Here's some pictures...

WOO HOO!!!!!

2008-05-22T19:36:00.002-05:00

Bob made it to the end of his first school year - well almost! He took his school finals yesterday and passed both sections with an 80%. He was pretty excited - you had to get an 80% to pass so he barely made it. He had his FAA license test today - well the written part anyway - so he stayed up half the night studying. He was tired this morning but got there on time and passed those tests as well! The test cost $100 to take so I'm really glad he passed - if he would have had to take them over it would have cost $150 each for a total of $300! So he is relieved that it's over with - he has to go in for his oral and practical on June 25th.

I'm so proud of him! What a man! *sigh* :)

It's Derby Time!

2008-05-22T16:54:00.002-05:00

Luke had his Pinewood Derby last night at Royal Rangers. He had a great time and earned second place with the car that he worked on with Daddy! There were about 12 boys in his class with cars so I think he did pretty good, considering there was plenty of good competition. His best friend, Andrew, got first place. Luke told Joey that he was so happy for Andrew! That's my boy! :)

This morning he watch closely and as soon as he saw Paul he ran in the house to get his trophy and car to show them off!

Luke and Paul

2008-05-22T16:41:00.003-05:00

Luke has struck up an unlikely friendship with one of the older gentlemen that lives in one of our neighboring apartments. I don't know if it was Luke's boyish nature or his helpfulness to the older folks who are our neighbors (he likes to ask them if he can take out their trash but HATES to take out ours!) that drew Paul to him but they have become fast friends. Paul always comes out to talk to Luke as he is riding his scooter past his front door or if he's sitting out on the picnic table playing with his cars.

Luke says, "You never would have guessed he is such a nice guy! Now I have 3 best friends here - Andrew (from church), Joey (our neighbor boy), and Paul!"

He was so cute and all excited about his Pinewood Derby last night that he just had to go and ask Paul to come. Paul said he would come if he had the time (he didn't come but Luke didn't seem to notice!) .

**Now don't get me wrong, I didn't let my kid just start talking to some stranger, I made sure Luke understands that he doesn't go anywhere with Paul or go into Paul's apartment - just like any of his other friends - without asking me first. And to not get upset if I said no because I would say no to any of his other friends that I don't really know, for his own safety.**

I'm just glad that he is able to call an older man a "friend". Most kids wouldn't even consider it because Paul is "old" but Luke doesn't see it that way. He just sees Paul as one of his friends.

Through the Eyes of my Children

2008-05-16T22:25:00.004-05:00

The kids have been using their cameras a lot lately, trying to get plenty of good shots for A. Debbie and U. Lyle. Here's a preview of what they see...Luke took his on the lowest setting so he could take more pictures, that's why some of them don't look very good, but he used his money to buy a memory card for his camera today so we eliminated that problem.

Luke saw this Robin

The neighbors behind us were paving their driveway...

More driveway construction...very important!

One of his 50c garage sale finds...I won't let him take his clean good ones outside to play with...

So he grabbed these 2 outdoor trucks for a buck! What a bargain finder! :)

Miss Belle loves her morning doves...

Our prairie skies...

Self Portrait:)

If this one wasn't so far away, I'd swear that was a prairie dog...I just didn't think we had them this far east!

I think these are her favorite "flowers"!

I Hope My Kids Feel This Way Someday!

2008-05-16T11:21:00.002-05:00

I think this about says it all. I got it in an email the other day. :)

Truly Free
~By Kristan Mikala~

Note From The Editor: This was a writing assignment prompted by these HomeschoolSoup newsletters. It was written by a 15 year old homeschool student. Aside from it being one of the more touching messages I've ever read, consider it a powerful open letter to all children and parents thinking about homeschooling.

As a student in almost every sense of the word, I have experienced many different types of teaching. The worst of all were the styles in which you were so boxed in you felt you couldn't breathe, couldn't move, couldn't do anything. The best was that rare wildflower of learning, homeschooling. In homeschooling, you are free; free to learn, free to be yourself. You needn't worry about what your peers think of you, you needn't worry about whether this or that teacher does or doesn't like you, you only worry about whether there's something you forgot to remember to learn. In the fields of your mind, you choose what you plant. You don't need someone to do it for you because you want to learn. No one can force you to do what you are already doing. There may be rows you'd rather not hoe, but for the sake of your future you do it anyway. You look forward to tomorrow, and you know that even if you aren't completely prepared, you can and will make it, because you can and will learn how to. Saying 'the sky's the limit' is untrue, because you can reach beyond. There are many things only you can understand because others aren't willing to learn. They won't open their minds unless someone does it for them, and some things can only be learned voluntarily. Some things can only be learned if one knows how to learn and loves learning itself. Some things can only be experienced with open eyes. Hiding from the world, and even from themselves, many cannot understand that.

How can you revel in the glory of the sunrise if you won't wake up?

How can you marvel at the beauty of a flower if you won't stop and look?

How can you breathe the fresh sea air if you won't leave your house?

How can you find if you won't seek?

You can't.

Neither can you reach your full potential if you limit yourself by closing your mind to knowledge. So open your mind. Shake yourself free of the tangling cords around you, hindering you from truly living. Shake yourself free and fly into the blue sky that expands with every new thing you learn. Soar into your ever-growing horizon, and learn what it is to be truly free.

~Kristan Mikala Age:15~

Happy Mother's Day!

2008-05-11T07:47:00.003-05:00

From me to all of you mothers that read my blog! Thanks for listening to me, encouraging me, advising me, and laughing with me as I journey through this ever changing path of motherhood! :)

Love you! :)

Less Words Thursday

2008-05-08T11:02:00.003-05:00

Since I used too many words on Wednesday!

Here's a couple of pictures from the tarmac of our local airport that I took last night. I have the hook up! ;)

My Plans for the Week (And Into Next)

2008-05-06T17:26:00.006-05:00

This week we've got some new stuff going on around here. To start with, Bob got a new job working at the local airport! He started yesterday and he loves it! I'm so glad. :) I was worried that he would have to go away for an internship for the summer but it turns out he's too he's over qualified for internships. They just want people who have no experience in the field - he did the same thing in the Air Force - so he applied for a job at our local airport and got it instead. It'll be so nice to have him home all summer! :)

Bob finishes his classes this week and has independent study all week next week. He will also be taking all the tests for the FAA for the Airframe part of his A&P licensing. Next year he will be doing the Power plant part. He's pretty excited to be done with school for the summer.

I plan on doing our daily lessons with the kids through next week - they have already finished with their Math for the year. They are still working on Spelling and Handwriting though. I am going to try and keep some lessons going a couple of days a week through the summer to finish up their spelling and then work on memorizing their times tables. I'm signing them up for the summer reading program at the library as well.

I am going to go to Sioux Falls this Friday for a different community rummage sale. I think I'm going to go with my neighbor while her kids are in school. I kind of wanted to leave earlier so we are there when they open but I guess if I'm meant to have whatever is there, it will still be there when I get to it! :)

We had an incident here yesterday - while I was typing this very post - involving Jozie, 2 of her friends, some neighbor boys, and a BB Gun. It wasn't fun. Nobody got hurt but when Luke came in to tell me that there was a police officer talking to Jozie (I was inside making supper) my heart was in my throat and I went outside to find 2 very terrified little girls.

It turns out that Aiyanna brought out a BB Gun to show Jozie and Shakiah while they were playing yesterday. It was her uncles and she wanted to play cops and robbers. She didn't want her mom to know she had it so she hid it behind our apartment and told the other girls not to tell. Aiyanna went home because her mom was calling her and Shakiah thought she would take the liberty of showing it to some boys from across the street. When she handed it to one of them he took of running home with it and she chased him to try and get it. When he got home he told his mom that she was pointing it at him and he took it from her. She called the police and they came over and confiscated the gun.

When I talked to the police officer I told him that Jozie would never point a gun at anybody, she has been taught respect for them and even shot them with my dad. He said that she wasn't the one who did it (this morning I got the above story from Jozie so I'm pretty sure that the boys lied when they said that Shakiah pointed or "waved" it at them) and he was glad to hear that we had educated our children about guns. I also told him that we have been having quite a bit of trouble from those boys from using swear words - writing them on our front step and calling Jozie the B word - them stealing Luke's toys - which we got back a day later - and one of them taking apart Luke's bike. All within a couple of weeks. Luke even came in crying one day because the older one threatened to beat him up. Joey - Luke's friend who lives right next door - stuck up for him and said it was the other boys problem and he was just being mean to Luke. I asked the police officer to talk to the mother and tell her to keep her kids off our property. I don't send my kids over there to cause trouble and I would expect she would show me the same courtesy.

My next door neighbor, Jennifer, got home about then and the other mother Jennifer to tell her that she didn't call the cops on her kids, just on "the other ones" and her boys still want to play with Joey. She told Jennifer that Joey would have to go to her house to play though because the police said that if their kids come over here anymore they will get a ticket for trespassing. I was grateful that I wasn't the one who had to do the calling! I sort of considered it after all the negative things that have been happening when those boys are around but I didn't want to be one of those moms. I tried to be calm I was upset! You mess with the cubs and Mama Bear gets a little angry!

Oops!

2008-05-06T12:33:00.002-05:00

It's been so long since I have used PhotoShow that I forgot they use the first picture you upload as the opening shot...which was sideways when I uploaded it but I rotated it when I put it in..Oh well...enjoy Belle's big weekend! :)

Looking for Math...

2008-05-06T10:20:00.004-05:00

I have decided to completely break from A.C.E. for next year. This year I went "eclectic" in our home school approach. I think I have things pretty much figured out for everything else, I just need a new math. I want to find something that we love that will carry us through to the end and also prepare the kids for the future if they choose to go to college.

I have been thinking about Saxon math because it is so widely used not only in HSing but also in public and private schools. It looks like my kids would pretty easily transition into it for 4th grade from what they have been doing in ACE (that concerned me because I thought ACE was a little slow) and I've heard - from several people I know personally - that their kids found Saxon easy because it has so much review. That concerns me slightly because both my kids hate repetition - though Jozie can really use it - but I can always assign odds or evens as need be so I wasn't overly worried over that point. BUT...then I G00gled reviews for Saxon HS and read several negative reviews. Ranging from the kids thought it was boring and HATED math as a result to using it all the way through High School and not being prepared for college math courses. Of course there were those who said their kids loved it and one Med. Dr. who said her parents used it for her and all of her numerous siblings and she found it one of her favorite subjects through college because it throughly prepared her for college math...hmmm. I suppose if you hate something you are more likely to complain about it than praise it if you like it.

As you can see, I'm confused over that subject.

I am also thinking about Math-U-See because both my kids like using their hands and it's so much easier for Jozie to physically see her math like if she uses blocks or dots or even her fingers. But do you have to use the manipulatives if you don't want to? Luke seems to breeze through math without much instruction at times - sometimes I tell them to do what they know how to do and when they get to a certain page to stop because it's new and they need instructions. Luke will usually just keep going. I don't want it to be boring for him because he has to count blocks if he doesn't need to. I still have to do a little more research on this one - like is it something that you use all the way through high school or is it done by the end of elementary grades and they you have to switch again?

Jozie's GS leader has used Saxon math through for all of her kids except the youngest which she switched to Math-U-See for this year. She's got 6 kids I think and has home schooled them all most of the way through. I'm going to have to give her a call and pick her brain on the 2 different approaches.

Sorry this got so long - sometimes it helps me organize my thought to get them out in "print". :)

Something New...

2008-05-03T15:07:00.003-05:00

Here's a quick way to earn twenty*five bu(ks for online shopping! I plan on using mine to buy school books for next year...No huge plug...if you want more info, click on the link in my sidebar. It's only good until May 15, 2008 though so click quick if you want to take advantage! I probably won't use the account after my money is out of it - I use PayPal for most everything. But if you click on my link in my sidebar I will get $10 for referring you. Thanks! :)

Oh, some of you will be getting basically the same info via email!

My Exciting Week and Feeling Better

2008-05-02T08:59:00.005-05:00

We've had a rather uneventful week since our big snow fall. My dad came to visit and was here until Wed. morning. It's nice to see him, I really wish he lived closer so we could see him more often! :) He got me a new microwave while he was here! I was so excited! He has been such a blessing to us - always asking if there is something that I need everytime he comes. The last time it was a toaster and this time my microwave seemed to be in need of replacement. Though it still works, it was taking longer and longer to do things like cook frozen veggies - and that takes almost 10 minutes! I've had it since before we got married - it's about 10 years old so I suppose it's slowing down. Here's the one we got:
You can click on it for the details. I don't know why it said it's not sold in stores, I got mine at the store...anyway, I wanted something a little bit bigger and better than the one that I had and the other ones there were about the same as my old one and my Dad didn't like the brand names of the rest of them so this is the one we chose. You can change it to like 3 different languages and it says "Enjoy Your Meal" when it's done cooking - the kids really got a kick out of that! I still haven't figured out why I need my microwave to speak 3 different languages - maybe it would teach the kids Spanish or French for me!

Exciting, right...yah.

Pretty much all of our 19 inches of snow is gone - we found out that our little town got more snow in 24 hours than has ever been recorded here. I'm so glad we were here for that!

And last - and definitely least exciting - I had the stomach flu on Wed. night. What fun. I went with my neighbor to her daughters school play so Jozie could see her friend. My stomach had been bothering me most of the day but I kind of ignored it, thinking it must have been something I'd eaten. I guess it's been so long since I was sick I forgot what it was like. Once I got to the school I knew I should have just stayed home. I had barely gotten home and into my PJ's and I was in the bathroom...I'm sure you can guess why! I was up most of the night so I slept most of the day yesterday. I was feeling pretty ok but still achy and sore. I didn't figure I'd sleep too good last night since I slept pretty much all day. I slept like a log. Better than normal...maybe if I sleep all day everyday I would sleep so good every night! LOL But that doesn't leave much time for anything else, does it? :) I'm feeling fine today - but still not ready to eat much!

What is This Counrty Coming to?

2008-04-30T09:10:00.003-05:00

Things like the CA decision to basically ban homeschooling scares me pretty good. Now they are doing this! I'm afraid. I can only pray the the Lord comes quickly and my children and grandchildren won't have to live in a world where the government controls your every move. Where they can't even use Biblical standards of discipline and education in their own homes. At the rate things are going I can't hardly imagine that we will be able to continue such practices with our children until they are old enough to be on their own.

It sickens me.

Digging Out

2008-04-25T12:49:00.005-05:00

We have been hit with our second worst snow storm of the year so far and they have both been in April! Bob didn't need to worry about not going to school yesterday because it was closed at noon! It's the second time this year and again, in April! I think there was only one other snow day all winter...and I can't say for sure there was one. Can someone please explain to me how all this snow in April has anything to do with global warming? I don't understand!

Here's proof that it came in full force!

Bob's dad drove here yesterday afternoon. It took them 2 and a half hours to drive about 50 miles. The trip is mostly interstate where the speed limit is 75 mph here in SD. It should have taken them about an hour. He said that there were 26 vehicles in the ditch between here and there on the interstate and 6 were semi's. Once they got to our exit on the interstate it took them about a half an hour to go the last 2 miles or so because the interstate was closed and everyone was forced to get off at that point. We found out it was closed to the ND boarder. What fun! Then they got their Explorer stuck in our parking lot! Bob and I had to go out and shovel it into our space. At least we didn't need to worry about being in anybodies way - it's not like anyone was going anywhere anytime soon! It's a good thing we didn't risk our lives to go to those 25 pages worth of rummage sales - not that I didn't REALLY think about it though! LOL

Here's some more pics I took throughout the day yesterday and this morning. Mostly from my front door and windows...I wasn't about to go out in that if I didn't have to! :)

Happy Birthday, Belle!

2008-04-25T08:39:00.006-05:00

She was still a little sleepy when I took this before 7 this morning!

Nine years ago she became ours, nine years ago she made our lives and our family fuller. Without her we would be incomplete.

Here's a few pictures of her through the years. Most of my pictures are in storage and can't be reached but these are a few that I had in frames from when she was younger so I scanned them in for you...

Me and Belle at about 4 months.

Me and Belle at about 7 months.

Jozie and her Baby Brother still in the hospital. (She was just over 15 months.) Already the little mother and full of love for others!

Here she is at 2 years old! Look at those curls! *sigh*

Here she is at 5 - Luke's 4th birthday at a bear sanctuary (the title of the pic is wrong).

Here she is at 6.

Seven Years Old

And finally 8!

These were taken outside just minutes ago! (It's gotten worse, Luke has declared a blizzard! But you can seriously hardly see the neighbors house out our back yard window!)

Snow in her hair!

Miss Belle, I hope all your Birthday dreams come true! We love you forever! :)

Hmph...No Garage Sales for us....

2008-04-25T07:56:00.004-05:00

Again we are foiled by the weather! It's started to rain already this early morning and we have 3 to 6 inches of snow forecasted for this afternoon. The roads are supposed to get nasty so there will be no garage sales for me today. :( Bob was even going to cut class for the day - which isn't really advisable because he would have to make them up at the end of the year and a test as well - but he is going to take the test that he didn't study for instead of going today. Bob's dad is going to look for some elbow and knee pads for Luke on his rollerblades for us. Just in case you are wondering what we are missing you should really see it all here. Bob printed the list and there's 25 pages of posted sales - that doesn't include the ones that aren't posted! Sweet heaven! Boo Hoo!

We are going to wait and get to this one in a couple of weeks...I will die if we get snow in May! (It's coming down as I am typing this!) Grrr!

Cowboys and Tumbleweeds!

2008-04-23T07:45:00.006-05:00

We've had some problems with our internet connection the last week or so - that's why I haven't done any posting lately. The cable guy came on Monday and fixed it but I have also been walking a couple of miles a day with my neighbor and one of her friends everyday this week so I've been keeping torchered, er, busy (and sore) the past couple of days! Today I get to do laundry and clean because Bob's dad is going to be here to visit this weekend - but have you seen our 70% chance of snow on Friday? I was hoping to meet them in Sioux Falls early Friday morning for a huge community garage sale day but if we are having snow...I'm not sure I want to make the drive. Yuck!

Luke became a cowboy this weekend. The neighbor boy gave Luke his old cowboy boots - which are huge on him! He wore them to church with his cowboy hat and wrangler jeans! There were several comments that he made in reference to his "cowboyhood" - as he's climbing into his bed one night, "I guess even cowboys need their rest, huh, mom." Me - "Luke, what do you want for lunch? Peanut butter or turkey?" Luke - "What would a cowboy choose?" Me - "Probably a big juicy steak!" Luke - "Then I'll take the turkey!" LOL

Jozie was glad the snow was gone so she could get back on her favorite swing again! :) They got out their marshmallow guns one day and peppered the birds and yard with mini marshmallows. I had to clean about 6 dried up, stuck on, marshmallows out of Jozie's gun before she could use hers though - they have been there since last fall! Yuck!

The kids found this big old tumbleweed blowing in the wind one day last week. Luke was trying to keep it - I guess he wanted it for a decoration or something! The wind was actually pretty frigid that day - you couldn't tell it by the smiles on their faces, the bright sun and blue sky and the lack of the zipper on Jozie's jacket! She doesn't think she needs to zip and this morning woke up with a stuffy nose...maybe she will learn someday! :)

Luke finally got his new rollerblades on and was thrilled. I followed him around our apartment complex for about an hour before he was confident enough again to let me go inside. :) He's excited to have them on again and didn't do too bad.

I Corinthians 13 For Homeschoolers

2008-04-15T11:20:00.004-05:00

I just got this from Jamie in my email today and though it is written for homeschoolers, I think it is great for any parent. I don't know who wrote it though.

Though I teach my children how to multiply, divide, and diagram a
sentence, but fail to show them love, I have taught them nothing.
And though I take them on numerous field trips, to swim practice and
flute lessons; and though I involve them in every church activity,
but fail to give them love, I profit nothing. And though I scrub my
house relentlessly, run countless errands, and serve three nutritious
meals every day but fail to be an example of love, I have done
nothing.

Love is patient with misspelled words and is kind to young
interrupters. Love does not envy high SAT scores of other homeschool
families. Love does not claim to have better teaching methods than
anyone else, It is not rude to the fourth telephone caller during a
science lesson, does not seek perfectly behaved geniuses, does not
turn into a drill sergeant, thinks no evil about friends' educational
choices.

Love bears all my children's challenges, believes all my children are
God's precious gifts, hopes all my children establish permanent
relationships with Christ, and endures all things to demonstrate
God's love.

Love never fails.

Where there are college degrees, they will fail; where there is
knowledge, it will vanish away. For we know in part and we teach in
part. But when the trials of life come to our children, the history,
math, and science will be done away and faith, hope and love will
remain; but the greatest of these is love.

Playing With Photo$hop

2008-04-14T15:55:00.004-05:00

Lately I have discovered the cheater way to use Photo$hop. To use actions. They are basically a set of instructions that you download (or write on your own - but since I am PS stupid, I just use the ones that other people have written) and tell PS to use all at one time on your pictures.

This picture of Belle I just love but it was too dark in the tube of the playground I never used it for anything but I pulled it up today and here's what I did...

Here's the original...

First I lightened it....

Then I made it black and white...

And I also added a blue action...which I think I like the best. :)

I would probably get reprimanded by real Photo$hop people, like my b-i-l, but I can't help it! I wanted to do something with these pictures I have and I wanted to use Photo$hop...we have it so I might as well put it to use.

This is a Little Strange

2008-04-14T12:20:00.002-05:00

Ok, I know you all must be getting tired of hearing about my weather...like it's the only thing in my world worth blogging about - that's SAD! But...this afternoon I checked my weather and this is the current "warning" that came up...

MON APR 14 2008

...MODERATE FIRE DANGER...

THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX WILL REACH THE MODERATE CATEGORY THIS AFTERNOON.

THE OUTLOOK FOR TUESDAY AFTERNOON... THE GRASSLAND FIRE DANGER INDEX WILL REACH THE HIGH CATEGORY.

It's pretty common here on the prairie to get the grassland fire danger index daily but in the summer...we just had a ton of snow and the grass will be ready to blaze by Tuesday?!? I guess I will believe it when I see it!

To Camp or Not to Camp....

2008-04-14T08:48:00.002-05:00

...That is the question.

Jozie got the flier for kids camp last week at church. She is pretty excited about it. This is the first year that she has had the opportunity to attend kids camp and they are doing a High Sch00l Mu$ical theme this year so that is a major plus for her. The only thing is that the camp is almost 8 hours away from home in the Black Hill$. I wouldn't mind so much if she were only an hour or 2 away but 8 is awful long...do you guys remember how old we were when we first started going to camp? Jamie? Jodie? I remember our first trip away from home with the Youth Group was when we were 13 and we went to Gre@t @meric@ but I don't remember going to camp before that....maybe Bethany would remember...not that it would make me feel much better about letting my 9yo little girl (yep, she's gonna be 9 in a few days!) go across the state without me for a week.

Luke is also old enough to go but could care less about it. Which is fine. There is only 1 other boy his age in church that is old enough to go and he's also a homeschooled kid. He doesn't want to go, he says maybe when he gets older but not yet. So I can't see Luke spending a week at camp with a cabin full of other boys he doesn't know.

I've had the bright idea of going with her as an adult mentor for the group but then what do I do with Luke? And how much extra will that cost for me to go? One kid is $149 with early registration - by May 1. So I have to make up my mind before then! Both my parents got on board the maybe-she-could-use-the-week-without-you-to-mature train and I'm not sure I want my 9yo baby to mature...I know, I'm a terrible mother...just if it wasn't so far away...she has a nervous stomach and when she gets really upset emotionally - like when she misses someone like her Grandpa and Grandma (Bob's dad) and her Amma (my mom), or her Papa (my dad) she feels sick to her stomach so I'm afraid she might get homesick. Then what would I do? I would feel so bad and would have to drive 16 hours (8 there and 8 back) to bring her back home.

Gosh! Listen to me! Who knew that one little postcard sized flier could cause so much indecision in my life!

Contest For a NEW PHOTO PRINTER! UPDATED

2008-04-12T14:49:00.005-05:00

*I didn't win. Boo Hoo...Now I have to keep my 3 printers or find the $250 to get one new one...the prospect is very tempting...LOL*

But you have to sign up by 7:00 tonight pacific time so get over there and do it!

Ree at Confessions of a Pioneer Woman is giving away an HP C8180 All-In-One! We've had an HP printer since forever and we love ours but it's getting kinda old and doesn't print the best pictures...so this would be WONDERFUL! We currently have the HP plus an All-In-One (because our flat bed scanner broke when we moved - we don't have ink for the printer on this one) plus a huge old laser printer (because it was free and Bob thinks we needed it to print pictures!). So if I could win this new HP C8180 then I could probably convince him to get ride of all three of the ones we now have! Wouldn't that be WONDERFUL?!!?!

Here's proof of our 3 printers...

Spring Knits

2008-04-12T13:50:00.002-05:00

Here are some of the knitting projects that I have been working on this spring. The pictures with Belle in them didn't come out so good so I will have to retake them. They are kinda dark and you can't see the colors real well. The poncho is purple with a white fun*fur edge and the shawl is a multi color. I wish the prayer shall was a little bit longer but I used 4 skeins of yarn for it and thought it was enough...until I ended it. I should have measured it and invested in that one last skein! Oh well, it will still serve it's purpose!

Luke's Math Lesson for the Day

2008-04-11T16:55:00.004-05:00

Ahhhh....

Snow Day

2008-04-11T15:59:00.003-05:00

This is what we woke up to yesterday morning...dead grass, clear sidewalks, little birdies eating bugs out of the grass.....

And this is what we woke up to this morning!

The birdies weren't very happy! (Here are our poor little robins getting a rude spring blizzard!) And I wasn't very happy either! LOL

But the kids were another story! They went out to play as soon as their dishes were done this morning and had a great time! I was going to be the mom who made her kids do school work even on a snow day but when the neighbor kids came knocking on the door I couldn't very well make Jozie and Luke work when they knew their friends had a snow day...

I'm so glad we got those bikes out early!

And then we have the picnic table...which they had to move early this morning when they plowed the parking lot! LOL I thought about that as I went to sleep last night!

So, I guess you can say that we have officially survived our first prairie blizzard! Last night right before I went to bed I heard the weather man say that every road in the state was either snow or ice covered! I was very glad for my nice warm bed last night:)

Jozie is outside still as I write this at almost 5. Luke is in watching Kim P0ssible. He was tired of being cold and playing with the girls!

But I hear that it's supposed to warm up and the snow should be gone by the end of the weekend...I'm looking forward to it! :)

I Thought we LEFT the UP!

2008-04-10T09:11:00.003-05:00

I would have to agree with Amie...April is NOT my friend!

Here's what I woke up to greet me this morning in my weather...

...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT FRIDAY... ...WINTER STORM WARNING IS CANCELLED...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN ABERDEEN HAS ISSUED A BLIZZARD WARNING...WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 1 PM THIS AFTERNOON TO 7 PM CDT FRIDAY. THE WINTER STORM WARNING HAS BEEN CANCELLED.

LIGHT RAIN THIS AFTERNOON IS EXPECTED TO BECOME MIXED WITH...THEN TURN QUICKLY OVER TO SNOW LATER THIS AFTERNOON. THE SNOW WILL THEN CONTINUE THROUGH THE OVERNIGHT HOURS AND FRIDAY MORNING...BEFORE TAPERING OFF TO LIGHT SNOW. COUPLED WITH NORTHEAST WINDS THAT ARE EXPECTED TO GUST AS HIGH AS 50 MPH AT TIMES...WIDESPREAD BLOWING AND DRIFTING OF SNOW IS EXPECTED... WITH VISIBILITIES APPROACHING ZERO AT TIMES. THE SNOW IS EXPECTED TO BE HEAVIEST FROM MIDNIGHT THROUGH 6AM. TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS WILL VARY FROM 6 TO 10 INCHES FROM THE JAMES RIVER VALLEY AND POINTS WEST...TO 10 TO 15 INCHES EAST TOWARD THE I-29 CORRIDOR. ISOLATED HIGHER AMOUNTS ARE NOT OUT OF THE QUESTION.

SNOW AND BLOWING SNOW WILL FREQUENTLY REDUCE VISIBILITIES TO LESS THAN 1/4 OF A MILE WITH WHITEOUT CONDITIONS AT TIMES. TRAVEL WILL BE DANGEROUS AND IS STRONGLY DISCOURAGED. IF TRAVEL IS A MUST...BE SURE TO PUT A WINTER SURVIVAL KIT IN THE VEHICLE...ALONG WITH HAVING A FULLY CHARGED CELL PHONE...A FULL TANK OF FUEL...AND PROVIDE SOMEBODY WITH YOUR TRAVEL PLANS AND ROUTE.

I highlighted some important parts for those of you who don't want to read ALL of our weather woes...and FYI - We are in the 10 to 15 inch area. Yay. I guess that's what happens when you get the picnic table out! So I must say again...April is NOT my friend.

I Cheated a Little

2008-04-04T11:09:00.003-05:00

I finally got around to getting all those badges on Luke's Royal Ranger vest the other day. Here he is proudly modeling the results. I used this groovy little bottle of goodness called "Patch Attach". I got it at Wa*lMart and it was easy to put them on! I planned on sewing them all on after I had "Patch Attach"ed them but after sewing a couple I realized that they weren't going anywhere anytime soon so I didn't sew them all! That stuff was wonderful! I used it on Jozie's GS sash as well!

My First Felt

2008-04-04T10:40:00.004-05:00

Here is my first felting project! It's not exactly like I pictured it - and I think it was supposed to have 2 handles but I must have went wrong somewhere - I like it with only one handle though! I thought it was pretty good for a first try at making a bag and at felting! :) I did this while we were on vacation. Jodie - this the one I used my needles for! ;) The ruler is a 6 inch ruler. I didn't realize how much it shrunk up until after I looked at the pictures. It was fun! I'm going to look for a bigger version of this pattern so I can get a bigger bag out of it. :)

Before Felting

After Felting

Is Today Monday?

2008-04-02T13:27:00.003-05:00

I know it's really Wednesday but it feels like Monday here.

My dad was here for a quick visit over the weekend and I was supposed to take him to Sioux Falls to the airport on Monday to go home. Monday morning came with an abundance of snow and cold and foul roads so we didn't go. He tried to get out of our local airport but that flight was canceled so he ended up staying another night. We didn't complain, we enjoy having him here! The kids are always especially sad to see him go.

So because of the extra company and the planned trips to Sioux Falls that didn't happen we didn't do any school work on Mon. and Tues. Today was the first school day this week and of course I wake up with a nasty cold. It's been coming on for a couple of days now but today is the worst. And of course the kids didn't want to have anything to do with school work today! Big surprise! Thankfully we are done! We still have reading to do which I plan on taking to my room and we will all read in bed! Then I plan on letting the kids watch a movie after that's over so I can take a nap. Thankfully I cooked plenty over the weekend while my dad was here so we have more than enough leftovers for supper - I don't have to cook tonight! :)

Hopefully it will be more like Thursday tomorrow than another Monday!

For the "Losties" UPDATED

2008-03-27T09:45:00.003-05:00

Since today is the all important Thursday night, I thought this post would be important! :)

Do you want a Sawyer nickname? I got mine, I'm Quick Draw! Bob is Third Degree. It suits him! :)

Quick, go get yours and leave me a comment telling me what your Sawyer nickname is! :)

Goodness! I was so excited about this I forgot to post the link! Here it is! Duh!

"There's No Place Like Home!"

2008-03-26T14:03:00.002-05:00

We made it home early Monday afternoon! The kids were cranky from lack of sleep and upset because they didn't want to leave their cousins or grandpa and grandma so our 3 and a half hour ride seemed a lot longer! They did sleep about half way but they are getting older and I'm finding it harder to occupy their time in the car - even if it is such a short time!

We left Omaha on Friday to go to Bob's dad's for the weekend. I got to my Goodwill by the pound store and was pretty disappointed this time. I could have done without the few things I found there and it was MUCH dirtier than I remembered it...we found old, dirty, underthings as we sifted through the bins! Yuck! And a couple of them we skipped altogether for the smell of vomit emanating from them! :P I'm pretty sure we will skip that store next time!

Other than that we had a good time shopping! We went to one store where Lisa found a wallet she liked and was explaining to the cashier that she was looking for just the thing because she had switched to a bigger purse and couldn't find anything in it. She was pretty excited as the cashier stood there rolling her eyes wearing a t-shirt that said, "Suc*ka Free!" As Lisa walked away calling for the girls (we had Jozie and Sara with us) the cashier rolled her eyes once more and said in a mocking voice, "That was the highlight of my day!" Luckily Lisa didn't hear but she was livid when I told her in the car! It was so funny! She was ready to turn the car around in downtown Omaha on a one way street to go give that cashier what for! We laughed about it all day and of course everything after that was "the highlight of my day"! LOL

It was nice to spend the weekend relaxing at Bob's dad's after the busy week in Omaha! "Thanks Dad and Marge!" (I know you are reading this even though you don't ever comment!:)

I found a long lost friend yesterday via Ya*hoo IM! I don't usually use it (A. Darlene is the only one who I've talked to on it and that was once several months ago!) but he popped up yesterday while I was checking my email and asked if it was me. It was Jeremy R! He was one of my best buds in college, a wonderful guy, that I took a few classes with and hung out at his house with practially everyday. His friends were my friends (I met my Matron of Honor through him) and my friends were his friends. Becca even happened to be in one of our classes and we did several projects together! We went to church together. Remember our hiking trip in the Pork*ies? Him and Bob got to be pretty good friends too through working in Royal Rangers together. It was great talking to you Jer! Have fun reading about what we've been up to the past couple of years as you read my blog! :)

2008-03-18T14:23:00.002-05:00

Hi All!

We are having a great time here in NE! Nice and relaxing. The kids have been spending their days playing with their cousins on the computers, outside, and with the dog!

I have spent a couple of days shopping. I found some clothes for Bob, which he really needed and I got some yarn for a couple of projects that I have been wanting to do. One being a felted purse that I finished knitting yesterday but need to felt still. I will post beffore and after pictures when I get home. Today is another day of shopping! We are taking the girls to the Goodwill Outlet where everything is sold by the pound - even if we don't find anything it's a ton of fun to look through everything. A lot of tings still have tags on them!

So I'm off for a couple more days of fun! Have a great rest of the week!

I Know...

2008-03-14T14:30:00.003-05:00

I'm being optemistic about the weather in Omaha but...we are leaving tomorrow and will be home on the Monday after Resurrection Sunday! Have a great week!

Badges and Cookies (UPDATED)

2008-03-13T08:34:00.007-05:00

Our Missionettes and Royal Rangers

Last night was the quarterly Royal Ranger Council of Achievement at our church. Luke earned a few badges and we are very proud of him. He worked hard and was after me constantly to work on them. He was the only one who earned more than the one badge that they did together as a group. I think that's probably because he has a book and we know what all the badges and requirements are. And the fact that his daddy was a RR commander helps his motivation as well. He has kind of slowed down on his progress because we don't have many more to earn and he is going to be working on the God and Country medal for his age group which is more involved than the badges. He will be working on the God and Me medal.

You can hear his little friend in the background saying that Luke is a homeschooler - a Home Ranger! At the end you can see all his little buddies congratulating him. Sorry for the poor video - Bob left our video camera at home so I opted for the video on my digital camera. I didn't get any stills so this is as good as it gets....one of these days we will get all of our media equipment organized and remember to bring both!

Jozie has been selling Girl Scout cookies over the past couple of weeks. She had a goal of 95 boxes. I wasn't really sure how many was a reasonable goal because I've never done it before and we weren't sure how many we could reasonable sell. She chose 95 because I stopped her there as she was writing 950! I couldn't see that happening unless we walked all over town and I didn't think I could do that! LOL She was going to do 950 boxes because she could earn $100 for her troop in Dakota bucks that they could spend on badges and such in the store there. So last night we finished up her sales and she sold 96 boxes! I'm sure if we were a little more aggressive and went to a couple more house we could have sold more but I thought it was great for her first time selling Girl Scout Cookies!

* Update: I just brought in Jozie's cookie order and she officially sold 98 boxes - the neighbor bought 2 more boxes as we were going out the door to turn in her order form!
I couldn't believe how much these babies cost! They are up to $4 per box and these girls only get $0.75 of that for their troop! I did a little research on it and in 2006 they were only $3.50 per box and the girls earned $0.85 cents per box. And that was only 2 years ago! To me - though most people think there are no other cookies in the world like them - you'd think that the GSA would come up with a fundraiser that they get a better percentage from - closer to 50% would be make more sense to me. These girls work hard - going door to door, selling at the mall or other public place, calling long distance relatives, etc. and all they get to show for it is about 20% profit. It's a shame! (I believe that Keebl*er is actually the maker of Girl Scout cookies so they are really the ones who profit from these little girls selling their cookies!)

Gee, Thanks!

2008-03-10T21:10:00.002-05:00

I took Luke on a date tonight and we went to Target to spend some of his hard earned cash - he's been saving it for years and he has REALLY wanted to spend it lately. Here's what happened...

Me: Oh, this is a cute dress! I could wear this in the summer, what do you think, Duke?

Luke: Come on Mom! We are looking for roller blades!

Me: Just a second! I want to look at these.

Luke: Hey Mom! (Holding out a little striped tank top) Do you think you could squeeze into this?!

I guess that's what happens when you take a 7-year-old boy shopping with you and ask for his opinion. Next time we will stick to the roller blades!

Signatures

2008-03-10T14:53:00.004-05:00

I have been wanting to add a signature to the end of my posts - you know, like a closing in a little box - to sorta complete my new look. Does anybody know how to do it? I have the picture of my sig. I want to add but I don't know how to do it and I'm afraid to do it wrong and mess up all the hard work that Nan did for me! :)

Any suggestions? I know it can't be too hard, I see them all over the place! :)

Playing Games

2008-03-10T08:45:00.003-05:00

This morning Luke wanted to play a game with me before we started school...it's not what we do normally but I said OK because Jozie was still in bed - a RARE morning indeed, she must have been pretty tired out from playing outside for about 6 hours yesterday!

So we got out the Mancala and played a quick game. Jozie was down by then and I played one with her too. I won both games. I felt kinda bad. Jozie is in a cranky mood today and wasn't happy to lose, though that's not like her.

My question is, is should you let your kids win when you play games with them or not? Not that I TRY to beat them every time, and I don't, but I don't try and lose on purpose either.

Cabin Fever

2008-03-07T15:23:00.002-06:00

I haven't had much to post about lately. I have had a bit of cabin fever. The weather is starting to perk up every so slowly and I think I'm going mad with boardom. It's still way too cold to get out of the house to do something fun - and when it's not too cold it's so muddy it's hard to go out the door without getting your feet wet! I can't wait for April.... :)

Jozie fell down the steps the other night. She was already in bed for the night but was impatient for me to come up and tuck her in. She rolled all the way down. She was pretty shook up but just fine. I don't think she even got any bruises! I was quite surprised with all the screaming she did! Luke needed to know what happened and I told him - he was concerned that she was OK and I told him she was just fine. The next morning he told her that if he was up when she fell he would have gotten her some hot cocoa, a band aid (even though there was no blood or scratches, I guess just the band aid itself is supposed to make her feel better! LOL), and some extra "blankies". He is quite fond of his "blankies" still...LOL You would have never guessed that moments later he meant what he said as he was telling her that he wished she would have died when she fell down the stairs because he was mad at her for some reason! LOL

Luke lost ANOTHER tooth this week. This time he was just eating an apple and it came out in the fruit. He had blood all over his mouth, face, fingers, and of course, his apple. He was quite proud of himself but didn't want to take the tooth fairy money because he already "knows" about it. So he doesn't need it anymore. Ok, sure, I will remember that the next time he looses a tooth! LOL

So that is my exciting week. Bundles of fun and joy!

From Jozie to Her Cousin

2008-03-01T16:59:00.003-06:00

Jozie and I often read Jamie's blog together, she likes to hear how her Mississippi cousins are doing, especially Princess. When she heard about Princess' liking a boy she wanted to share this song with her. We change the songs on her MP3 player often but this one stays as #1. Enjoy H! :) Oh, and she really liked this Hanna*h Mon*tana version of the video that we found on Yo*u Tu*be so at her request, here is the song for her cousin! :)

Bowling Ball by Superchic[k]

Maybe he'll change
Maybe things'll get better
Maybe it would be nice
If he wouldn't always put you down
Maybe things'll work out
But maybe they'll never..
And I think you've given him
The benefit of the doubt

You need that boy like a bowling ball
Dropped on your head
Which means not at all
You have too much to give, to live
To waste your time on him (twice)

Maybe he'll change
If you could be better
But maybe it's not your fault
He's checkin' out the waitress now...
But someday you'll change
One day you're stronger
And you will have changed enough
And it's time to get out.

You need that boy like a bowling ball
Dropped on your head
Which means not at all
You have too much to give, to live
To waste your time on him (twice)

You have too much to give, to live,
To waste your time on him.

You need that boy like a bowling ball
Dropped on your head
Which means not at all
You have too much to give, to live
To waste your time on him (twice)

You have to much to give, to live,
To waste your time on him.

Another From my E-mail

2008-02-29T11:36:00.002-06:00

I checked this out on Sno*pes dot com and found that it is true - but not completely accurate and there is more information about it, if you care, you can check it out there.

I loved this prayer though and thought it was worth posting anyway.

Here it is:

It seems prayer still upsets some people. Please read.....
When Minister Joe Wright was asked to open the new session of the
Kansas Senate, everyone was expecting the usual generalities, but
this is what they heard;

"Heavenly Father,
We come before you today
To ask your forgiveness and
To seek your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says,
"Woe to those who call evil good"
But that is exactly what we have done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium
And reversed our values.

We have exploited the poor and
Called it the lottery.

We have rewarded laziness
And called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn
and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists
and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline
Our children and called it
building self esteem.

We have abused power
And called it politics.

We have coveted our neighbor's
Possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air
With profanity and
Pornography and called it
Freedom of speech and expression.

We have ridiculed the time
Honored values of our
Forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh, God,
And know our hearts today;
Cleanse us from every sin
And set us free..
Amen!"

The response was immediate. A number of legislators walked out
during the prayer in protest.

In 6 short weeks, Central Christian Church, where Rev. Wright is
pastor, logged more than 5,000 phone calls with only 47 of those
calls responding negatively. The church is now receiving
international requests for copies of this prayer from India , Africa and Korea.

Those Promised Pictures...

2008-02-29T09:24:00.004-06:00

...Didn't really get taken. I did take some pictures of the kids playing outside and one video of Luke playing a game on the computer - you have to have your speakers on to hear the full effect of him on the game. He doesn't sit down very often or for long and the sounds you hear him making are pretty constant while he's playing. I only let them play for an hour a day IF their school work and behavior in school merits it.

He is so engrossed in what he is doing he doesn't even notice that I am taking video of him until almost the end and then he just goes back to it like he didn't even see me. That is unusual because rarely lets me take pictures of him!

This is another rare moment! He's even smiling!

Belle and her friends. The one in the middle is Ayian*na (pronounced Eonna), she is the one who was the recipient of Jozie's Gift at Christmastime. As you probably guessed, what Jozie gave her was quite big (except for the hat and gloves which we have yet to see on her). So this is typical Ayia*nna dress. It was probably about 25 Degrees F this day and though sunny, still pretty cold. The little one on the end is Jayden, our neighbor girl that Jozie plays with most of the time. (I censored her name just in case her parents g0*ogle it - it's not exactly a common name and I'm not sure how they would react to what I've posted about her.)

Papa's Coming!

2008-02-25T22:00:00.002-06:00

The kids were quite excited today to find out that their beloved Papa is coming to visit tomorrow! My dad is back to work so he is making a trip out to OR this week and gets to stop and see us and spend the night on his way. We haven't seen him since before Christmas so it will be nice to have him here. I won't have to send him the picture of the kids I have for him and I will be able to give him his Christmas present! LOL I'm cheap, I didn't send it! I'm going to try and take some pictures while he is here since I haven't posted many pictures of the kids lately.

You may even see some differences in them....Luke lost another tooth - btw - and his two front ones are about half way in...the other 3 middle front teeth (the 4 on the sides of the 4 middle front top and bottom) are loose now so he will probably have the opposite gappy grin in a week or so! I'm going to have to go easy with my tooth fairy fund or there won't be enough by the time the last one is out!

Spring is in the Air...I Think

2008-02-25T08:52:00.003-06:00

Things are starting to warm up here on the frozen prairie. We've had almost a week of above zero weather! I am amazed!

The reason that I am blogging about this is simply because I have nothing better to blog about. And now that I have said it, I'm SURE we will have another 2 months of frigid winter weather! Isn't that the way that it usually goes? But we will take it as it comes and be happy when Spring finally does start to thaw us out! :)

On a side note, there was quite a bit of sickness at church yesterday. Oh, joy! There were some families that went home early because of sick kids...and of course my kids happened to be in children's church with the siblings of these sick kids. I am not thrilled. I am praying that they don't get sick but almost expecting that they will. Why is it that people insist on taking sick kids to church? It's almost like they think if they miss one Sunday that the world will stop turning and they will go to "the hot place" (as Luke likes to call it).

What'cha Readin'?

2008-02-21T21:42:00.002-06:00

Becca posted this and I thought I would try it for a lack of something better to post about!

Here's what you do. . .

1. Pick up the nearest book ( of at least 123 pages).

2. Open the book to page 123.

3. Find the fifth sentence.

4. Post the next three sentences.

5. Tag five people & post a comment here once you post it to your blog, so I can come see.

I'm not tagging anyone...just post a comment if you play along so I can come read yours! :)

"Maybe, but the train might derail, and then you'd be in a pickle," the sheriff replied.
"If Joey Garza's after you, you're in a pickle anyway," a lanky deputy named Ted Plunkert observed.
"If it was me, and I was driving the dern train and I seen a pile of rocks and though Joey Garza had piled it up, I'd pour on the steam," the deputy added.
- From Streets of Laredo by Larry McMurty.

Yep, I finished Lonesome Dove and couldn't pass up the next one. It's kind of embarrassing, reading old man westerns! But it's exciting - and somewhat comical! It's different than the historical romance stuff that I usually read so I guess I'm taking a break from the norm!

Under A South Dakota Sunset

Happy Birthday To Me!

Yesterday's Words

Wordless Wednesday

Christmas with the Family

Oct. Trip to MI

2009

Knitting in the Dark

We're Set!

Laughing with Luke

NRA Sporting Day

in love

Reason #101 I'm Glad We Moved To SD

Luke in Soccer

I DID IT!

Picture Neglect. II

The Radio In My Head

Picture Neglect.

Shoes...Again...

Tender Foot

Pick Me Up...

OK...

Library Woes...

Shopping for School Supplies

A Fun Filled Weekend Ahead!

My New "Look"

Belle's Arm Update

Strong Family History

How Does That Figure?

Grrr...

Busy Week!

Eight!

"Hey Luke!

Some Past Due Pictures

It's Cast-Off Day!

It's A Boy!

I'm Still Here...

What Next?

The Radio in my Head

Jozie Update and More

Lukeisms

Happy Father's Day!

She's Back!

My Baby is Gone!

The Radio in My Head

Luke Update - And More

Dental Bliss...

Ready, Set, Go...

The Radio in My Head

Memorial Day Weekend

Nostalgia

A Mechanic and His Wedding Band...

A Birthday Party and a Visit to the BEACH!

WOO HOO!!!!!

It's Derby Time!

Luke and Paul

Through the Eyes of my Children

I Hope My Kids Feel This Way Someday!

Happy Mother's Day!

Less Words Thursday

My Plans for the Week (And Into Next)

Oops!

Looking for Math...

Something New...

My Exciting Week and Feeling Better

What is This Counrty Coming to?

Digging Out

Happy Birthday, Belle!

Hmph...No Garage Sales for us....

Cowboys and Tumbleweeds!

I Corinthians 13 For Homeschoolers

Playing With Photo$hop

This is a Little Strange

To Camp or Not to Camp....

Contest For a NEW PHOTO PRINTER! *UPDATED*

Spring Knits

Luke's Math Lesson for the Day

Snow Day

I Thought we LEFT the UP!

I Cheated a Little

Contest For a NEW PHOTO PRINTER! UPDATED

For the "Losties" UPDATED