I haven't participated in this meme before, Blogger Friend School, which provides a weekly "blogging homework" theme. As I was browsing through some of the amazing blogs listed over at the HSB Awards, I clicked onto this week's theme for the BFS, and was totally inspired to join in, since it goes hand in hand with thoughts and observations I've been having here in the last couple weeks anyways. Technically, I believe that the "assignment" is supposed to be posted on Tuesday?, but in my natural way, I'm posting mine a day two days late!

 

The passion to sing, the passion to draw, the passion to build, the passion to ride, the passion for reading, the passion for nature… the list is endless. Some children exhibit their passion from day one, others need an experience to spark that passion.

Assignment: Share a field trip/lifestyle learning experience where you really felt you were bringing good things to life for your children, where something came alive for them, or ignited a passion.

This is something I've been thinking about a lot lately... the facilitating of that passion to learn, to build and to creatively express ones self; that desire to grow and to become something great that's within us all, my own children specifically, manifesting itself in so many various talents. As a parent and my children's primary instructor, it's important to me that I culture their God-given abilities and desires, bringing these good things to life, if you will... while at the same time realizing that I truly am not taking the lead... in that it's not all up to me to conjure these up in my kids. Rather, I'm watching, listening, and waiting on the Holy Spirit to show me their intrinsic giftings, and praying for His guidance as I plan our studies and their activities.

As I'm doing my best to daily immerse our kids in an engaging learning environment and introducing them to a variety of inspiring subjects, I am delighted to be discovering their passions with them, and comforted in the remembrance that these precious soul stirrings and that ultimate quickening of their spirits towards Him are all individual workings of His Spirit within them, as we're learning to walk out His Word in our lives together, and therefore not solely dependent upon me, nor anyone else. I need but tune in to them, and especially their Creator, while keeping my eyes wide open to the opportunities abounding in each moment as we journey together each day, lest I miss those small sparks that would ultimately kindle their passions and thereby could someday even dictate their very livelihoods.

I have found that with our oldest daughter, 9yo T, who is my "go-getter", this is an easier thing to recognize; her passions. She talks about it, and initiates doing stuff working towards that end on her own. When she's inspired, the results are much more extravagant and obvious than when our 12 yo son, N is impassioned. He tends to discover passions (like writing, dance, reading a certain book, horse riding) after I've suggested he try something out. Lately I have been fascinated over the inter-connectedness of their blossoming personalities with the opportunities they've been offered thusfar in their young lives. I'm left to wonder over how beautifully it has all worked together... and question which came first, a specific passion or was an experience the catalyst of curiosity turned to desire? I've been musing over what the ramifications of these truths could be, not only in my kids' lives, but in my own as well.

And we know that for those who love God, that is, for those who are called according to his purpose, all things are working together for good.

~ Romans 8.28

It's certainly a mystery profound how the Sovereign Lord choreographs our very lives, nurturing those seeds of talent He placed within us, even as He knit us in the womb, while simultaneously allowing the free-will of our individuality. It's caused me to consider the weighty responsibility Chris and I have as parents to introduce our children- His children- to a wide array of possibilities, directing them toward His truths, and presenting them with an assortment of rich ideas for their minds and hearts to grow upon. Gradually, I am learning to recognize when the "education" is doing its work within them, and to therefore not snuff out the tiny flames which seem yet so insignificant by my own lofty unrealistic adult-perspective qualifying standards, set mostly by pre-conceived ideas of how learning "should look"... Meaningful learning does not necessarily mean a finished *project*. I'm learning to look with my child-eyes again.

For instance, the other day when T showed me the language she's creating for the characters in one of her stories, my first teacherly-Mom thoughts were along the lines of, "well, that's not a real language... why should she be wasting her time and all of that good language interest and energies with this when we could be working on our Latin or Hebrew?" Thankfully, in the next instant, I realized that I was witnessing a beautifully genuine representation of this child's love for language and passion for writing. And so the thoughts I expressed to her were those of encouragement and "why not?, how clever!" and musings over the inceptions of various languages.

But that was not the only challenge along these lines that either one of my kids have thrown at my feeble mind in the last couple of weeks. Last month N, who's been taking guitar lessons for just over a year now (that was his own inspired idea, which he faltered in when it came to the monotany of daily practice), announced to me that he'd like to come up with his own song to play at our co-op's end of the year student presentations ceremony... I immediately had to shush my overly-conservative, doubtful-of-his-being-ready-to-do-that thoughts right up. After months of laboring resistantly through daily practicings on his guitar, he's made it over some kind of mental hump, and now usually plays daily (without my having to tell him to!), and tells me he absolutely loves it. He was also greatly inspired by the movie August Rush. As we're driving home from his lessons, he often tells me excitedly of what he's learning, and how encouraging his guitar teacher is. Just last week his instructor told him that he could play his own songs without having any music written out(?!), and could even learn to play chords he hasn't yet formally learned, just by intently listening to a piece of music and then copying what he hears. Imagine that... I am so thankful for the many wonderfully inspiring people that have been God's vessels of instruction for our kids  (and myself) over the years, what evidence of HIS faithful provision! On so very many levels, this whole parenting/homeschooling business has been such a growing experience for my own faith levels.

And I know that I've mentioned here before of how my daring daughter gets these crazy inspired ideas to do things that are much bigger than any goals I'd ever set for her. I've seen how God has been faithful to send others into our lives to facilitate dreaming and passions that I could not... but I'm apparently a slow learner. Usually my first (natural) impulse is to caution her and help her to pare her visions down a bit, set her sights more realistically... but her fervor and insistence that she can and has already counted the cost of a conceived endeavour has once again inspired me, and as I've let go of the reigns I had moments before fearfully rationally tightened my grip on, I've been further delighted to see how God has sent others to come along side of me/us to see that her fans are flamed and help set her on the path to accomplishing these fantastic goals that I couldn't have orchestrated or provided for on my own, let alone have even decided upon.

Once again, this week it seems that another request, prayerfully offered up by a girl with bigger faith shoes than I can fill has been fulfilled by a generous Father.

Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows...     

~ James 1.17

T has praise in her heart. She loves to put on worship music and dance before the Lord enthusiastically. It's something that I've enjoyed doing with my kids since they were babies in my arms, twirling together with hands lifted high. T told me on Monday that she'd like to choreograph her own dance to a Third Day song and perform it at the aforementioned homeschool co-op student presentation ceremony. I gulped down my doubts, astonished at her brevity, again. She proceeded to explain her plans to me, and I just nodded along as I listened, knowing better than to discourage her resolve. "I'm going to ask Mrs. Jamie (her dance instructor- that's another testimony we have of His great provision for us- scholarships for dance lessons) to help me with my moves and figuring it all out." "That's a good idea." "Okay then, you'll have to wait for me a little bit longer after class so that I can talk to her about it." I agreed. And after her dance class ended on Tuesday, I watched as she gingerly approached her teacher, holding her passion close, encased in a dream that she proceeded to share with a trusted confidante. To my great surprise and delight, Jamie agreed to help her and meet with her a half hour before her class, every week- for free! I went back and checked with her myself after T told me, just to make sure it was really alright! Is that crazy-generous, and just like God, or what?! Needless to say, T is so excited about it that she's on fire now, and has asked a dancing friend that we carpool with to join her in the dance! She's been busily drawing and dancing up her choreography plans. Here's what she's got so far:

I tried getting some pictures of her dancing, but she wouldn't cooperate.

She did, however, allow me to take some pictures of her practicing on her violin. This - her opportunity to play the violin this year- is another story of her aspirations met by the willing Hand of Providence.

T has wanted to take violin lessons for years. I believe that the desire was probably first sparked sometime in her toddlerhood, when we spent a great deal of time with friends, whose then highschool daughter played the violin beautifully. She would watch and listen to her play intently every chance that she got. She began asking for lessons a few years ago, but we couldn't afford private violin lessons, and neither Chris nor I can even read music (something which both of our children are now learning to do quite well -without us!).  As I do, I told her that I would join in her praying that if it be His will, that He would provide an avenue for this opportunity for her. Then last year, we were blessed with the means to pay for N to have the private guitar lessons I mentioned above, and she so wanted the same. She confided to me of how she was struggling with jealousy and I reminded her that he too had been waiting for years for music lessons. Her time would come... and to be patient. Meanwhile, she decided to master her recorder and used the book that it came with to teach herself to read music and play quite a few folk songs. She joined a class offered at our co-op for the recorder, and took heart in my reminder not to despise small beginnings.

Then, to our delighted amazement, a wonderful lady decided to teach a strings class at our homeschool co-op this year, specifically violin and cello. T was beside herself with excitement over this opportunity to finally learn to play her instrument of choice - the violin. Now... if only we had a violin. I prayerfully sought the Lord, trusting Him to provide this too, knowing that with Him in it, it would all come together. Chris and I knew that it would have to happen cheaply to be feasible for us. Then towards the end of last school year, it came up at our Bible study with some friends that T was so glad to be looking forward to taking a violin class at our co-op, and since this friend had played for years, we asked her for suggestions concerning our finding a used violin for T. To our thrilled astonishment, she offered to loan T her own beautiful violin for as long as she needed it.

Time and again I have been blessed to see God's orchestration of timely provision for our children's passions, in both their inceptions and continuity. As their Mother and primary instructor, I find rest in knowing that it is not up to me to bring all these good things to life in their worlds,

      ‘ Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,’
Says the LORD of hosts.

~ Zechariah 4.6

but rather I am just an open conduit of His loving kindness and purposes for each of them, His unique creations.

"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

Memory Verse: Philippians 4:8

In conclusion, brothers, focus your thoughts on what is true, noble, righteous, pure, lovable or admirable, on some virtue or on something praiseworthy.

My blog here was actually nominated in the HSB Awards for "Best Unschooling or Eclectic Homeschooling Blog 2008"! so if you feel so inclined, I'd really appreciate your vote! ...though I hardly feel worthy to even be listed among so many wonderful homeschool blogs! There are some really GREAT homeschooling blogs listed there in ALL of the categories so be sure and check them out! You WILL be inspired and encouraged, I know that I certainly have been subscribing to some new favorites! Be sure and check them all out, and then VOTE for your favorites!

Today I was inspired by this meme over at Heart of the Matter Online:

I know that there are those that have amazing and elaborate school rooms dedicated to housing anything and everything related to homeschooling. There are also those who have mad skills when it comes to organizing and integrating the school into the home rather than having an ‘area’. We then have homeschoolers that pride themselves on the world being their school house and the couch being their desk.

Where do you school? If you are one of the super-organized mothers what tips can you share? If you are more laid back, what encouragement and insight can you offer?

...and so I'm sharing a post here about our "schoolroom". I thought that it'd be fun to show you around a bit. As many of you probably already know, we are definitely not in the first group there, but rather somewhere in that second and mostly even the third description. Super-organized lesson-plans-wise I am not... although I do have journals full of yearly plans, notes to myself concerning various goals for our kids, endless book-lists and all three of our kids' entire 12 years worth of homeschooling careers entirely mapped and tediously re-mapped out (yes, even the baby's!). Yeah, planning is playing for me... it's what I obsess over for fun in my spare time. Funny thing though, we have  yet to have a week go as I'd *planned*, much less a year! Ha!

Our days are generally pretty relaxed and free-flowing, and I'm always open to the unplanned and unexpected, which I just cannot help. It's a good thing too. I've learned that I simply cannot even foresee, let alone plan out the best learning experiences, yet I do try and have our direction and goals laid out which we work towards within the framework of daily routines and habits. If we don't accomplish or finish something one day, there's always tomorrow.

Homeschooling is such a way of life for us that it just IS all the time, everywhere... in my mind, it all *counts* as valuable learning time anyways. Over the years and through three interstate moves within a span of three years, and then some, our home has been through many upheavals changes and therefore what I'd envisioned at the onset of our homeschooling journey was certainly different than how things have turned out. Fortunately I've grown accustomed to our relaxed eclectic approach to homeschooling, else I probably would have lost my mind! Ha!

With that said though, I do believe that it's important to facilitate appropriately structured routines and accountability when it comes to responsibilities for our children as they're discovering and learning in their every day lives, and especially so as they're getting older. This does not come naturally to me, lots of structure I mean. However, realizing that there's basic stuff they definitely need to know, facts to master, skills to learn and just so much wonderful history, literature, etc. that I want to share with my kids (and much of it I'm learning for the first time myself), that we'd most likely never get around to without scheduled, concerted efforts, I'm striving towards making the most of these precious years with our children.

There have been times that I thought having an actual schoolroom- a space set apart- might help us to stay more focused with our studies during the day... but then I've thought, we'd probably not end up spending much time in there anyways, practically speaking. So as a family, we've all pretty much decided that when and IF we ever have an extra room, it would better serve as an art and crafting studio! Anyways, I know what you're thinking, "Enough talk already, ON with the show!" Okay, c'mon then, let me show you around our world *(un)school*room(s).

First off, I'd like to show you just how organized I am trying to be with all of our schoolerish-type stuff, which yes, we do use regularly and yes, it's mostly great literature, maps, paints, crafting stuff, papers, pens and other notebooking supplies. Here we have our giant "books closet",

which was already lined with shelves on two walls when we first moved in here. That metal caddy on wheels is full of my scrapbooking stuff...

I stacked two bookshelves against the third wall, one...

on top of the other, and then filled them all right up!

This giant closet/mini-room is indispensable to me now. I keep the books we're reading and studying from for a given year lined up and accessible on these shelves. Of course, this doesn't include our library books, nor the kids' free reads, etc.  

N and T each have their own shelf this year, since they're now doing their own AO years and individual studies in other areas as well.

You can see here that T has all of her horse study stuff lined up together, but her favorite classroom for her horse study is definitely still the barn...

Then we have our indispensable crafts/notebooking supplies caddy which I like to keep pretty-well organized. You can see it here in this picture, next to T as she's sitting here at our dining room table playing with cuisenaire rods.

or wooly worms...

The kids each have a crate for their notebooks, papers, copywork books, and various other books they're using, which are kept in this big wicker chest, also found in the dining room, under the window, right beside the caddy. This works well because the kids can clean up their messes off the dining room table fairly quickly.

We also have lots of bookshelves in the living room, where we like to spend many hours reading and discussing all that we're learning.

In the living room is our favorite table, our "coffee table" which is rugged and tough as they come. Chris and I found it many years ago in a thrift store, without the glass. We bought this great piece of artwork that someone spent a lot of time building and welding for a mere $10!and then we paid $40 to have thick glass cut for it to lay in the inset, under which we placed a map of the world, which makes for easy referral. This table is used for eating at, gaming and sitting on (and dancing on if your a little person), drawing, coloring, writing, and mathing on too.

And there behind N, you can see our couch, which is our favorite place to cozy up with books to share...

Well, our favorite place next to the field behind our house.

The other littler couch/loveseat is usually where laundry sits waiting to be folded, next to whomever happens to be sitting there reading a book, or on the kids' laptop, or where I like to sit and blog (like now) while Chris and N are watching something on tv.

Sometimes the kids like to do their studies outside with the goats and chickens...

Oh, and let's not forget the kids' favorite place for their late night studies, their Mom and Dad's bed!

Of course there's so many lessons always waiting to be learned in our favorite classroom, the great outdoors as well, like when Dad wants to read to them under the open sky, or when he has big jobs to do with them,


or when a perfect day beckons them outside to build forts... like today.

No matter where, when our how we're learning, I like to remember the concept expressed in this quote from William Butler Yeats...

Education is not the filling of a bucket, but the lighting of a fire.

Be sure and visit HOTM online's Friday meme for today if you'd like to visit some more schoolrooms. That's where I'm headed now! Happy homeschooling!

Outside My Window... it's dark, curtains pulled. We had crisp Autumn weather outside today, and we were loving it... windows closed to the cold now. It's a beautiful sun-shiny Autumn day... T is out there "building a fort".

I am thinking... how nice it is when the house is quiet in the evenings like this, and the kids all tucked in their beds... makes it hard to make myself go to bed. I'd rather sit up and read, write and ruminate. Someday I'll feel less scatter-brained and will find time to blog more regularly, surly! Okay, I'm trying to finish this and post it for the third or fourth time this week! Pitiful! Yes, I'd started it on Sunday night, and then Monday morning was starting again, and then thought forget it yesterday... I know it's Wed. already and I'd hoped to have these up every Monday, and I almost didn't even post it again this week, but decided "Phooey! I'm going to just finish it now, even if it's late... again." What's crossed out is old news from when I first started, the second or third time around. (yes, I'm seeing the pattern here...)

I am thankful for... this country that I live in, with the freedoms we still have: the freedom to homeschool our kids, to vote my conscience in a presidential election, to openly discuss and debate politics, education and religion, etc. in a public forum... to resist socialism, communism and political correctness, to be different, unique, having resources from which to learn so readily available, and most of all the freedom to worship and celebrate our LORD openly! We're also all very thankful to have just found out that N made the basketball team that he'd tried out for, and he's so excited!

From the kitchen... just put away chicken soup left-overs in fridge, a few dishes left to be done tomorrow. N is doing the dishes, and I'm about to go and make spaghetti and meatballs for dinner. We've finished dinner, and a dirty kitchen beckons...

I am wearing... comfy, cozy pajamas. Jeans, a purple shirt, a knit cardigan and my fave blue slippers.

I am creating... artwork with T, plans for Thanksgiving, photos and ads for some Craigs List postings (getting rid of more stuff!), reading lists for history studies with N who's very intrigued with our American history so we're going a bit slower than I'd planned and immersing in some more books than I'd originally planned... which means we'll be getting to the 20th Century a bit later than I'd planned, but that's okay. It's great to see him so engaged in our historical studies, with all kinds of related political, theological and philosophical musings!

I am going... to have to get up early to get ready for our homeschool co-op in the morning, so need to get some sleep soon! ...to be lucky if I even get this posted this time around as baby S is now pulling on my arm and crying for my attention.** Okay, distracted her with a peeled apple, but son is almost done with dishes and asking when I'm starting dinner...**Now it's after dinner and I have yet to finish this one simple meme!

I am reading... What Jane Austen Ate and Charles Dickens Knew: From Fox Hunting to Whist- The Facts of Daily Life in Nineteenth-Century England, Genesis 6-11, Isaiah 54-55, 1 Peter 3, some blogs, twitters and a lot of political commentaries and posts related to the Presidential elections.

I am hoping... to sell everything we post on Craigs List.

I am hearing... the hum of the dishwasher and N playing with baby S.

Around the house... a few messes to clean up, but we did a good bit of house cleaning yesterday, so not too bad. More laundry is clean and needs folding, as always. T is taking a bath with baby S, Chris and N are watching Glory Road one more time before we send it back to Net Flix.

One of my favorite things... Autumn.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

1. Get items posted to Craigs List.
2. Practice my ballet dance exercises and choreography.
3. Work on homeschool studies with N and T, gradually implementing more grammar and AO books into our daily studies.
4. Sort through and get rid of some more stuff.
5. Help T get her room straight, and show her how to use new washing machine so that she can do her own laundry, as N does.
6. Take  T on a "girls' date" to go shopping for some new clothes for her.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

T with her beloved Jimbo, who was given to us, but we recently had to give away to a new home since we do not have an electric fence and therefore couldn't keep he and his sister, Sheba... They were here as weedeaters, but it turned out to be way too much work to have to relocate their tethers, water and shelter every other day. T really misses them, they were such sweeties.

Hosted by Peggy @ The Simple Woman

Life with a little one is busy... ALL. the time. I'd forgotten just how busy one baby can keep a Momma, and then, throw in a seventh grader and a fourth grader, with so many of their activities and a large part of their education hinging on my daily accessibility... not to even mention everyday stuff like housework, cooking healthful meals, running errands, etcetera... and then wifedom too! ...and there you have 'em... my reasons -in a nut shell- for neglecting this here blog of mine lately. I mean, the baby girl turned ONE year old back in August, and I have yet to get a picture of her sweetness in cake up here on my blog! Pitiful... *smiles*

There's also the general brain-writer's-block and tendency towards passivity and wanting to just veg-out, read or play when I do sit down at mr.mac here, or baby S's thinking that this computer/desk chair is the nursing chair, and therefore pulling on my arm until I pick her up and nurse her (hungry or not, she likes to just lay in my lap and comfort nurse... endlessly it seems! aaack!) every time I sit down in it for longer than 5 minutes, which makes it rather hard to type, her being about 30#'s and 32" long now. But OH! how my head is swimming with ideas, my heart brimming with meditations, ponderings and everyday updates that my fingers are ready to write out, when the time is right... like now- today I'm making time, I've sent the kids outside to play in this beautiful sunny Fall weather.

I have been encouraged though in seeing that I do have faithful friends, family and anonymous readers, albeit a few, who do still continue to patiently wait for my humble musings, checking back here and actually reading when I do get around to posting, even subscribing. Thank you! You are what makes this creative outlet so much fun and worth every bit of effort. I have finally figured out how to use an RSS reader, and it's great! It really does streamline your online reading and save time. I'm using Google reader, and encourage you to check it out if you don't already have a reader of choice. Then you can subscribe to my blog here, or most any other online site you'd like to keep up with, and will automatically be able to see/read when any one you've subscribed to has updated, all from one page. It's niiice.

I'm Feelin' the Love Here...

I'd like to thank Renae, of Life Nurturing Education, who hearted my blog a couple of weeks ago, despite its recent dormancy. Ha! Thanks for the encouragement friend, I heart yours too!! I always find inspiration over at Renae's blog, and I'd like to heart a few of my favorites here as well. Much love to all of my bloggy friends~ and I'd like to heart "7 from heaven" (in keeping with Renae's cornball standard) here:

 7 from heaven that I just love...

1. Leslie (aka. Tim's Mom) of Bona Vita Rusticanda Est, which she writes with her son, Tim. I had the wonderful pleasure of finally meeting this AO/CM celebrity a few weeks back at a Mom's night out dinner for the local Charlotte Mason group here. We've been online friends for years, and wanting to get together in real life (since we only live about 40 mins. from eachother) for a long time, and finally got around to it! I had so much fun, and I'm already looking forward to our next get-together! She's just as I'd imagined, only a little shorter...
2. Jenny of Under His Wings, a kindred spirit blogging sister of mine for years, whom I could talk to forever (knitter of beautiful baby rainbow blankets) and do hope that I can meet one day in real life as well, on this side of the Jordan.
3. Christine of The Blue Bird Sings, a local dear friend of mine that I've become fast friends with so easily. I just met her at co-op last year and we hit it off right away (as did our daughters as well). She actually blames me for giving her the blogging bug, but since she gave me the knitting bug, I'd say we're even! Hah!
4. Nina of Raising Butterflies, who always, ALWAYS makes me laugh, or at least crack a big 'ol smile when I read her thoughtfully quirky posts. She's such a natural, great writer and also another local homeschooler I've met IRL. It was a bit surreal when she walked up to me at an organized field-trip to the local Hands-On-Museum and said she *knew* me from my blog, introducing herself as a reader. Weird, but totally cool too!
5. Birdie of Wings and Prayers whose blog and family I just love, and to whom I still owe some whole-grain recipe postages... getting to that, I promise, recipe posts forthcoming to all who care to read!
6. Dana of Principled Discovery, and Simple Pleasures, is another blogging buddy whose blogs I just Love and have learned a lot from over the years! (Yes, I realize that Renae already hearted Dana, but hey, one cannot get too much of Dana... and what can I say, she's a fave of mine too. I'm thinking she won't mind being hearted again though! Right?)
7. Heather of Sprittibee, who I'd bumped into here in blogosphere years ago, back when we both first started blogging, right about the same time. I've always found such inspiration over at her place, and it's also been fun to learn this year of how similar our political views are. Sprittibee had also tagged me way back in August with the "6 Quirky Things Meme", so now, without further adieu, I shall finally get on to completing this meme!

RULES of the '6 Quirky Things' meme:

* Link to the person who tagged you.
* Mention the rules in your blog.
* Tell about six unspectacular quirks of yours.
* Tag a new set of six following bloggers by linking to them.

Okay, so here's my six things (which I've asked N and T to think of for me, since they're now sitting here at the table next to me, with much more creative energies than I, as prior mentioned brain-block has kicked in... and I'm finding it hard to think of things about me, being used to me and all):

1. I'm "funky and wear blue polka-dot pants." (love those spunky knee-shorts, got 'em for $3 from a Goody's sale last summer, they make me *feel* happy to wear them... unfortunately they're too big now- though losing weight is good- but, still... I'll miss them.)
2. I "let my husband hang three deer-heads in the house!" (oh, he's got it good... he doesn't even realize how tolerant and sweet I am...)
3. I "wear a purse the size of a bag with potatoes in it!" (that would be my fab new knit "Sak" purse from my heaven-sent MIL)
4. I "cook the best food in the world" (okay, someone gets dinner tonight)
5. I "wear a pony-tail on most days" (*sighs*...yeah, wondering if I should get a cut?)
6. I'm "a good organizer"(Oh, wow, I'm glad they think so! LOL)

So, there you have it folks! I'm tagging the same ladies as I did above (minus Sprit because she tagged me first and has already done this meme!) because I now have a squirmy-wormy girl in my arms and need to sign off! *Interesting, fun sidenote: Just realizing that three of my seven friends here are expecting another baby of their own soon... Isn't that wonderful? Congratulations (again)!*

1. Bona Vita Rusticanda Est
2. Under His Wings
3. The Blue Bird Sings
4. Raising Butterflies
5. Wings and Prayers
6. Principled Discovery

Hosted by Peggy @ The Simple Woman

Outside My Window... it's dark and quiet now, late Monday evening.. Stars are out, and a bright half moon. We saw lightning bugs twinkling and bats flitting over the fields at dusk.
I am thinking... I am glad to have found this "Simple Woman" meme over at Heather's and Jacque's blogs today (two blogs I've also recently discovered this week...) I look forward to doing it on Mondays (maybe even regular-like)!
I am thankful for...

• *A husband that's worked hard all day in the hot sun, only to come home and work some more to finish a pen for two thankless goats, and is now tucking our 9 and 12 year olds in with Bible devotions, prayers and whispery snuggles...
• *A 12 yo boy who runs to get his baby sister out of bed as soon as he hears her waking cries, and gleefully hugs her tight as he exclaims to me, "I just LOVE my sister!"
• *Two new goats some friends needed to get rid of and gave us, that the kids have been doting over for the past two days.
• *The smell of sunshine in our clothes from drying them outside on the clothesline, which almost makes up for the card-board hard stiffness of the line-dried towels, heh!* and knowing that the Lord will provide $ for a new used dryer, or a dryer, before it gets too cold to dry our clothes on the line!
• *Friends that gave our daughter a beautiful violin to use for her upcoming violin lessons*which she's waited years to have* which our local co-op is offering at such an affordable price! Halleluah!
• *This old lap-top that's keeping us connected, even though our iMac is dead in the water.
• *Friends that call to spontaneously invite us over for a yummy dinner, and enjoy playing our favorite board game, with brownies and good, cheap burgundy wine, while our littles have a blast blowing things up and playing- loudly!
• *Learning to knit and a weekly knitting circle with friends who love chocolate and coffee- we had 16 kids last count- and N can get his weekly X-box fix too = big fun for all!
• *Shiny, new planner for our upcoming school year!
• *New apple green pocket calendar (to replace my used up one) that I write EVERY thing in, and
• *A daughter who loves new pencils, pens, books, planners and paper as much as I do.
• *The BEST Mother in Law in the WORLD! who's busily planning a wonderfully fun-filled long weekend vacation for us all in October!

From the kitchen... *peaceful sighs* It's all clean and ready to serve for a new day. Blender's ready to go for morning smoothies, coffee pot's ready for my mid-mornin' brew, and mixer's ready for makin' bread tomorrow.
I am wearing... black sweat pants and a green and white X-Alt t-shirt.
I am creating... book lists, to-do lists in calendar, schedules, plans to rearrange my bedroom, and T's, knitted scarf for N and a few posts and art projects in my head.
I am going... to bed soon, after I knit a bit.
I am reading... What the Bible is All About by Mears, The Laurel's Kitchen Bread Book and the Book of Lamentations.
I am hoping... to wake up get up early tomorrow.
I am hearing... Chris just came out from the kids' room and is rummaging up a snack in the kitchen, headed for the living room, where I'm gonna join him (going to knit myself while he watches the boob tube).
Around the house... sleep and cozyness, humming of box fans in each bedroom and mumbling of the tv in next room... and the *crunching* of chips.
One of my favorite things... evenings alone with my Chris, chatting about our day, catching up with eachother, knowing our chillins are sleeping safely in the next rooms over, just loving our life together, living with my best friend.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week:

1. Weed  garden, maybe plant a few late crops?
2. Rearrange my bedroom, replace baby S's co-sleeper (which is beside our bed) with her crib, with one side off (it's one of those convertible types) so that it will be more supportive and comfy for her, more long term since it's obvious she'll be sleeping in our bed for awhile yet.
3. T is so excited because this means that it (the crib) is coming out of her room and she'll now have room for a desk in there, which means rearranging her room too.
4. Post some books and curriculum for sale to local homeschool list.
5. Finish re-organizing big book/curriculum closet.
6. Continue with N and T's lessons, which we started last week. We're gradually getting into our studies, hoping to be in full routines by September.
7. Post about that, our plans for this school year.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...

Seems like yesterday she was brand new...

I can hardly believe that she'll be a year old in less than two weeks!

I just like the way this photo turned out, the lighting, the straight lines, its candidness... and it fit with last Monday's theme for a new photo meme I found, so I'm posting it.

N has been helping Chris with clearing and cleaning out the once upon a time bathroom out in the garage, as well as the garages... prepping to finish them out with insulation and drywall, and turn this room back into a bathroom again, to go with the eventual new spare bedroom, and workout/studio room (which are right now still storage/garages)... eventually. We got a lot done this weekend though, good, good.

Moody Monday theme: straight

What type of Mother Hen Are You?
by Montessorimom.com: Educational Resource

Found it over at Marye's.

I saw this over at Leslie's, and as it turns out, I'm the same punctuation mark that she is... a colon, though when I changed one answer that was negotiable, it made me a question mark.

You Are a Colon

You are very orderly and fact driven.You aren't concerned much with theories or dreams... only what's true or untrue.You are brilliant and incredibly learned. Anything you know is well researched.You like to make lists and sort through things step by step. You aren't subject to whim or emotions.Your friends see you as a constant source of knowledge and advice.(But they are a little sick of you being right all of the time!)You excel in: Leadership positionsYou get along best with: The Semi-Colon

What Punctuation Mark Are You?

I must admit though, that when I saw the heading "you are a colon" at Leslie's blog, the punctuation mark was not the first thing to come to my mind... I guess maybe since I've been thinking of cleansing again, and wondering to what extent I can/should go while still nursing? I dunno...

I saw this quiz over at LaPaz Home Learning and, as did Theresa, found it to be pretty accurate. I really did have a hard time with the third question though, think that I could have actually answered it either way, "feeling" or "thinking", especially since I really don't usually have a hard time saying "No" to my kids when necessary... just ask them. Hah!

Your type is: infp —The “Tuned In” Mother

“Inside our children, I believe, is a truth that tells them what’s best for them. I am always listening for that truth.”

• Aware, astute, and understanding, the INFP mother is sensitive to her child’s needs, feelings, and perceptions. By observing and listening to the cues of the whole child, she is “tuned in” and naturally develops an intuitive feel for what he or she needs. Responsive and helpful as well, she tends patiently to those needs as they arise.
• The INFP mother is comfortable letting her children follow their own course of development and make their own choices. She offers encouragement and uses her insights to head off trouble and difficult issues.
• The INFP mother takes vicarious pleasure giving her children good experiences and watching them enjoy childhood. She’s happiest creating pleasant, memorable times for the whole family.

Take The Mothering Styles Quiz and find out what your own mothering type is!

I saw this over at Leslie's, aka. Tim's Mom's blog this morning, and so I decided to play.

How it works:

1.grab the book closest to you
2.open it to page 161
3. find the fifth full sentence
4.post the text of the sentence to your blog
5.don't search around for the coolest book you have, use the one that is really next to you.

Well, since we have a whole book shelf literally right beside the computer chair I'm sitting in here (technically *closest* and all equally so), I looked to what was actually within my reach on the desk. And the closest book is N's Bible, still sitting here where I placed it, moving it from where he'd left it on the dining room table, after our studies last week. The kids and I have really enjoyed getting back into having our "Bible time" together in the mornings again, something that sort of fell to the wayside, unfortunately, while our days were all helter skelter with baby-sitting... did I mention that I'm glad that season's done?

From Leviticus, concerning the Burnt Offering:

Then he is to take off these clothes and put on others, and carry the ashes outside the camp to a place that is ceremonially clean. - chapter 6, verse 11.

I'm also doing one more book, since it was laying there right next to the Bible. I'm really looking forward to reading this one with the kids. My Mom sent it to me awhile back, and just yesterday it, along with some other books, finally found their way out of the box she'd sent them in, which had been sitting on the floor in a corner of my bedroom for much too long, waiting for me to disseminate the contents thereof (all of which we'd looked through, but hadn't yet found their homes)... to a stack here on the desk, still waiting for their homes.

While thus alone and free it was interesting to learn the richly varied songs, or what we mortals call the roar, of expiring breakers. - A Thousand Mile Walk to the Gulf, by John Muir.

A very groovy friend of mine recently emailed me this list of questions, and I had fun answering them (we even had the same answers on a few, she's so clever). I thought I'd share my answers here too.

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? Ummm, I don't think so.

2. ARE YOU AN ONLY child? I'm the oldest of 5, have one sister and three brothers.

3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? sure

4. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? Yes.

5. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? Um, No... I've seen too many of those videos where the bungee-rope breaks, not how I wanna go!

6. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Homemade granola, or grape nuts, or Crispix- depends on my craving. Lately I've been eating alot of cereal, seems to hit the spot, esp. plain bran flakes which I cover with organic raisins.

7. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF. Nope. But I do untie them before I put them back on.

8. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? In what way strong? Physically, probably not; emotionally, yes; spiritually, keep working on it.

9. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? BREYERS mint chocolate chip, Mayfield's Banana Split, or my **Grandma's home-made peanut butter**.

10. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? I guess it depends from what direction I see them them first!

11. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I'm a world champion procrastinator!

12 . WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? My Dad.

13 . WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? Gray sweat pants and yellow flip-flops.

14. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? a banana (And would you believe I got heartburn from eating a banana?!)

15. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Kids calling their Dad to see when he'll be home.

16. IF YOU WERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Periwinkle!

17. FAVORITE SMELLS? Newborn babies, fresh from heaven, all milky clean and warm.

18. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Chris, he was consulting me about a movie to rent.

19. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? Love her lots!!

20. DO YOU HAVE ANY PETS? Yes, our big 100# black 2yo German Shepherd, a green-cheeked conure, a cockatiel, two ferrets and 10 chickens.

21. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? Whatever my kids are playing!

22. HAIR COLOR? Blonde

23. EYE COLOR? Hazel

24. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

25. FAVORITE FOOD? Mexican or a good chicken salad on dark greens and other veggies (with honey roasted pecans!).

26. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Not scary, like horror, but I do like a good thriller, two different genres in my mind. And happy endings are good too.

27. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? We're watching the new "Charlotte's Web" movie now (Chris just got home), with dinner on the coffee table.

28. WHAT COLORS SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? light gray t-shirt with green writing that says "Sundance Pony Club"

29. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall and Spring!

30. HUGS OR KISSES? Both!

31. FAVORITE DESSERT? Fruit lately, but generally dark double-fudge brownies with big chunks of chocolate in them.

32. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? ???

33. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? Don't have any idea!

34. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING? For Home school or fun? For Home school we're about to finish The Chronicles of Narnia, just starting "The Last Battle" by C.S. Lewis. For fun I'm reading Teach Your Own by John Holt and various pregnancy/baby books I have. Or maybe it's the Narnia series I've been reading for fun, and Teach Your Own for homeschool? LOL

35. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? No pad, we have a trackball.

36. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON TV LAST NIGHT? The Antiques Roadshow, aaaah yeah! And then Chris and I ended up watching the documentary about Jim Jones that came on next... so tragic. It's just amazing how so many people can be so totally brain-washed, by such a lunatic!

37. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SOUND(s)? Rain, esp. thunderstorms

38. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? I don't listen to either anymore (too many associated bad memories), but Beatles if I had to choose, and I still like to hear a few of their tunes that remind me of my Dad.

39. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Highschool, college... Oh, you mean geographically? Well, I've lived alot of places, but the mountains have always felt most like home, being in the woods, so probably driving and partying in New Orleans, I felt really lost (in more ways than one)... Depends though, on where home is when you ask. Right now, from where I'm living, I'd have to say that where I spent alot of growing up years, in NE Washington state would be furthest from where I am now, but then, that place still has the nostalgia of "home" to me... sorry you asked yet?

40. SO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I like to think so, artsy type stuff... (I actually used to sell my artwork, back in my college days, when I was a Fine Arts Major) when I actually DO it.

41. WHOSE ANSWERS ARE YOU LOOKING FORWARD TO GETTING BACK? Anyone! Let me know if you decide to play, I'd love to read your answers.

I've seen this meme around alot lately, first over at lapaz farm, and just last night I saw where Andrea did it for her anniversary, as I'd also planned to do, 3 weeks ago, for Chris and I's 12 year anniversary (yeah, I told ya I have some catching up to do on this here blog) and thought to myself what a timely/fun meme to do for our anniversary. This morning, I was met by the same meme over at my friend Susie's blog, and thought to myself, "Self, quit procrastinatin', and BLOG already!"

1. Where/How did you meet?
We met at my Mom's church, where he attended while stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, (he'd just returned from Turkey) and I'd visit there occasionally with my Mom. I'll never forget how preoccupied he'd seemed to be when we were first introduced (which he still often is- preoccupied with something- it's a running joke how often he has to do U-turns because he'll drive on automatic, so often pre-occupied with something!), by a mutual friend of his and my Mom's. And I was right, he was pre-occupied, because he doesn't even remember that first introduction!! The next week however, as destiny would have it, we were introduced again, and he invited me to go out to lunch with he and his friends. I'd already had plans to eat with my family, so they promptly invited themselves to come along, so there we were with my Mom, and three little brothers, sitting between us! LOL

2. How long have you known each other?
Well, he'd called me later (had gotten my Mom's phone # from the church directory, and got my ph. # from my Mom) and we'd ended up talking for 5 hrs. That was Dec.4, 1994, the beginning of getting to know eachother, so just over twelve years now.

3. How long after you met did you start dating?
Well, we've been together ever since that phone call, so I guess you could say we started dating that same week. I remember that our first date was going to a movie together with some of my friends from school, we saw the Santa Clause.

4. How long did you date before you were engaged?
Date? Engagement?! Aaaah, who needs it? Well, seriously... we married a mere three months after we first met (and have actually met one other couple over the years who did the same), so I guess that you could say we dated for 3 months.

5. How long was your engagement?
Um, let's see, from the time he actually proposed to the time we got married? Um, I don't remember, days, a week maybe? We wasted no time! LOL

6. How long have you been married? 12 years and three weeks.

7. What is your anniversary? March 10, 1995.

8. How many people came to your wedding reception?
Only a handful, from my family and a couple of my friends from school. But then my sweet, thoughtful, priceless Mother-in-law (hi Mom!) held another reception for us in FL (where we'd moved to by then), the following August, where I met many of Chris's friends and family. My Mom drove up from MS with my brothers for that too.

9. What kind of cake did you serve?
A white sheetcake with peach and yellow frosting, store-bought (at our first little reception) and a fancier layered cake at our larger reception, same colors.

10. Where was your wedding?
It was in my Grandparent's lovely backyard, under their big magnolia tree, with Spring blooms all around, in Biloxi, MS.

11. What did you serve for your meal?
No time for a meal, we had cake, punch, opened a few gifts and were off for our honeymoon to FL. I don't remember what we first ate, something on the road between Biloxi and Orlando.

12. How many people were in your wedding party?
4 - us and two witnesses, my sister as Maid of Honor and my oldest brother served as Best Man for Chris. My Papaw (Mom's Dad) gave me away.

13. Are you still friends with them all? Yes.

14. Did your spouse cry during the ceremony?
Yes, I saw a few tears, and he was grinning from ear to ear.

15. Most special moment of your wedding day?
Saying the vows together, how both our hands were shaking as we held hands, and the unity we shared as we prayed together and joked/bragged about how "in tune" we were/are, that first kiss as "man and wife".

16. Any funny moments?
Yes. Right before we proceeded to say our vows, my grandparents' white cat walked right in front of us, between ourselves and my uncle, our licensed minister. We all laughed at what good fortune this must surly be bound to bring! Hah! Then, my aunt gave us a decorative pillow that says "Tonight" on one side, and "Not Tonight" on the other, which gave everyone chuckles.

17. Any big disasters?
Nope! Well, except that the film for many of our pictures during our honeymoon never caught on the reel of my el-cheap-O camera, so we were missing lost of pics we'd thought we'd taken. aaaargh! It still frustrates me to think of it! ;(

18. Where did you go on your honeymoon?
Disney World, Orlando, FL (I'd never been) and we stayed at the Red Roof Inn. It was fun.

19. How long were you gone? One week.

20. If you were to do your wedding over, what would you change?
I would've liked more of Chris's family and friends to be there. But we had no extra time, nor money, and families and friends in different states. He'd just gotten discharged from the Air Force the day before, so had no place to live and we planned to move to FL right away, since my last term of school was just ending as well. So, since we wanted to be married when we got a place together in FL, time was of the essence. If we could do our honeymoon over though (aaaah, which we will one day), we would, in an old cabin somewhere out in the mountains/middle of nowhere.

21. What side of the bed do you sleep on?
My side. When looking at the bed, the left.

22. What size is your bed?
King. And if the kids had their way, it'd be bigger (more room for them).

23. Greatest strength as a couple?
Complete trust in eachother, and the fact that we always talk things out, never stay mad at eachother. Also, we're so much alike in so many ways, and though we're both quite opinionated, we see eye to eye on most issues.

24. Greatest challenge as a couple?
Hmmmm... I dunno, plenty, but I'm not sure of the greatest? I'll have to confer with the other half and get back with you on that one. Off the top of my head though, I'd have to say that we're so much alike in so many ways, that we can also tend to irk eachother.

25. Who literally pays the bills?
It's never been set in stone, there's been seasons when he'd do it, and then I'd take over and vice versa. Lately I do most of the time.

26. What is your song?
I don't know! Never have really had "a song". Some romantic songs he likes are Dreamweaver, and Take My Breath Away... I know they must just remind him of me, of course, but we've never considered them "ours". There've been a few sappy others we've gotten all silly over with eachother over the years, but can't think of 'em offhand. We do however have an entire cd that reminds us of our honeymoon every time we listen to it, since we'd played it over and over as we cruised Orlando together... sweet nostalgia.

27. What did you dance your first dance to?
We didn't even have music.

28. Describe your wedding dress: It was a solid creamy peach color, tailored and mid-calf length, with short-sleeves and decorative applique down one side, very Spring (think I still have it).

29. What kind of flowers did you have at your wedding?
Peach and yellow roses with baby's breath, silk arrangements my Grandma made. I had a big cascading bouquet, and matching hairpiece, Chris had a matching boutonniere. My sister, Mom, brothers had matching corsages and boutonnieres. They were beautiful, my Grandma had made flower arrangements professionally for many, many years in her own business.

30. Are your wedding bands engraved?
Nope, they’re white gold though, and Chris did have them made especially, in the antique-style that I loved, along with an earring set for me. All of the diamonds are special, since they were given to us by his Mom and Grandmother, except the .5 carat center one of my engagement ring, which he bought.

31. How old were you when you got married? I was 21 and Chris was 22.

Please let me know if you decide to do this meme, I'd love to read your answers!

******************************************************************************

I wanted/tried to scan a picture of Chris and I from our wedding day, taking our vows, but cannot get our scanner to work (nor the software to even install, maybe it's not MAC compatible?) So anyways, this pic that N took of us on our 12th anniversary three weeks ago will have to do for now.