It's Snowing In TEXAS!

We don't see much of the white stuff here. It sure is pretty, but I don't expect it to last for long. In the meantime, this will be a day for hearty soups, hot cocoa, and cuddly quilts! If all goes well, it will also be the day that I complete my move over to the new blog site. :)

Thanks for stopping by!

44!

That just happens to be the number of historic churches in a two county area surrounding our home! I'm not including historic cemetaries (a MUCH larger number) and other historic sites of interest just yet. We plan on exploring as many of the historic churches and other interesting historic sites in the near future. Pictures to follow. ;)

I'm Still Here, But Not For Long

As it turns out, I will soon be moving to a newer and hopefully much better blog site (thanks to my wonderful husband)!

In the meantime, I have to confess that I am wonderfully and even disgustingly happy and content. Yep. That pretty much sums things up right now. I have a wonderful husband, some fabulous children that I genuinely enjoy spending time with, and a more than decent life. Homeschooling is usually a joy (except, of course, when it really just ISN'T). Life is good, not perfect by any stretch, but good. So, the truth of matter is that I have pretty much taken a week off to just revel in being disgustingly happy.

Go ahead and hate me. ;)

In the meantime....

Triton, Erik, and anyone else who might know... I need some fabulous resources for teaching economics. We LOVED the Uncle Eric books, but need to delve a little deeper. Any books, sites, videos and other suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! TIA

Which Jane Austen Heroine Are You?

You scored as Catherine Morland. You're Catherine Morland of Northanger Abbey! Innocent and good-hearted, you love to read gothic novels, the elements of which find their way into your daydreams. Elinor Dashwood 95% Catherine Morland 95% Fanny Price 80% Marianne Dashwood 75% Anne Elliot 70% Emma Woodhouse 70% Elizabeth Bennet 55% Which Jane Austen heroine are you? created with QuizFarm.com

The Year I Became A Mother...

In 1991 (the year you were born)
George H.W. Bush is president of the US

The US and its allies launch an air attack on Iraq to being liberating Kuwait

In a ground war that lasts just 100 hours, the US easily defeats the Iraqi army in Kuwait

The case against Oliver North is "terminated" with all Iran-Contra charges dropped

The US Senate approves the nomination of Clarence Thomas, after investigating an allegation of sexual harassment

A brush fire destroys over 3000 homes in Oakland, California

Tim Berners-Lee introduces the web browser

An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King by Los Angeles police officers

Serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer is arrested after the remains of 11 men and boys are found in his Milwaukee, Wisconsin apartment

The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics officially ceases to exist

Linus Torvalds releases the Linux kernel

Sonic the Hedgehog is released for the Sega Genesis in North America

Minnesota Twins win the World Series

New York Giants win Superbowl XXV

Pittsburgh Penguins win the Stanley Cup

Terminator 2: Judgment Day is the top grossing film

Nirvana's Nevermind, led by the surprise hit single "Smells Like Teen Spirit", is the most popular album of the year

"Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" by Bryan Adams spends the most time at the top of the US charts

Britney Spears appears on Star Search

Home Improvement premieres

What Happened the Year You Were Born?

This One Made Us Laugh..... A Lot!

After much debate and discussion, Eaglewood and I (who took this particular blog quiz together) came up with these answers which have left us scratching our heads.

Your Slanguage Profile

Aussie Slang: 100% British Slang: 50% Canadian Slang: 50% Prison Slang: 50% New England Slang: 0% Southern Slang: 0%

What Slanguage Do You Speak?

What did you get?

I Think I May Need More Coffee!

Seriously!

I am usually completely solar powered. If it is sunny outside, my enthusiasm for life and a good adventure can reach heights previously unthought of! However, after a couple of weeks without enough sun... well, you can just imagine how fun I'm not! I have a SERIOUS case of the winter blahs which are being held back only slightly by my increasing caffeine addiction and a really weird sense of humor. I think I have been drinking more coffee in the past few weeks than in all the rest of my marriage (insert pity for Eaglewood here)! So, if you happen to be running out for anything today, can you pick me up some more coffee? The increasingly sloshy Birdie needs it! ;) Even more to the point, if you have some extra sunshine to spare, I could REALLY use some right about now. It is my preferred high, after all!

We Have An Amazing Can Opener

In the past week we have found our can opener inside the refrigerator, on top of the refrigerator, on the computer desk in our family room, in a chair in our living room, and under another chair. It has also turned up in my boys' bedroom for reasons no one seems able to explain. No one seems to ever take credit for moving the can opener from place to place about the house. To hear my children tell it, the can opener just takes off on its own. Maybe it is easily bored, or maybe it just has a restless nature. I can certainly relate. There are occasional times when I feel like wandering off for a bit myself. Like my can opener, I don't ever wander very far. I just seem to step far enough away to catch my breath and regain a little perspective. What a blessing that such things can even be done from the distance of our own back yards! ;)

Mixed Blessings

In addition to the "fun" of our ice storm here, we have also had a computer virus and Eaglewood's scooter broke down. I'm not complaining, however. My genius of a husband has mostly fixed the computer and will probably be able to fix his scooter as soon as the weather allows. I'm certainly grateful for our enormous van, "The Beast", as it is allowing Eaglewood to get safely to and from work even in this interesting weather. The ice storm hasn't even been too dramatic over our way. It certainly is NOTHING like the enormous ice storm we had a few years ago in Arkansas that left us without power for a couple of weeks. Our family has been riding out what small setbacks we have recently suffered with family time in the form of older movies and hot chocolate (coffee for me!). Everyone should be this blessed, and I sincerely pray that you will be! ;)

The Much Predicted Texas Ice Storm Has Arrived

And it seems to have brought some internet connection problems with it. :p I'm sorry about my lack of communication here. I will be back when I am able. In the meantime, thanks for stopping by!

What Does Homeschooling LOOK Like Anyway?

Honestly, I have no idea what homeschooling looks like in general terms. I only know what it looks like in my own home. Around here it looks like little boys cuddled up in Mommy's lap while she reads them a story. It also looks like little boys cuddled up in Mommy's lap while they read her a story. It looks like a big kitchen mess where either the math lesson (fractions), the cooking lesson, or the science lesson got completely out of hand but tasted pretty good anyway! Homeschooling looks like four children chasing a bug across the floor and consulting all of the nature books plus on online site or two to identify it before tossing the little ugly back outside. Homeschooling looks like math lessons full of manipulatives like m&m's that must be shared with all of the siblings and Daddy after lessons are finished. Homeschooling looks like trips to the library and the used book store where we use our numbers to stage a takeover. Homeschooling at our house looks like history lessons while sprawled across the couch and language arts lessons sprawled across the floor and Mommy pushing for handwriting lessons to be done at the table so that at least she will be able to read them! Homeschooling looks like trips to the park to identify local flora and fauna. It looks like physical education in the livingroom and back yard. It looks like learning to sew with Mommy and learning vehicle maintenance with Daddy out in the driveway. Homeschooling also looks like Mommy having to sincerely apologize for being such a grump when the drain stopped up and the ice-maker froze over and the little guys decided that fighting with each other is a lot more fun than math lessons. It looks like lost books and projects found after we had given up on them. Homeschooling looks like learning about manners and character from very real and very imperfect people who are still learning themselves. Homeschooling looks a whole lot like any other part of real life because that is exactly what it is. I wouldn't even want it to be any other way.

Family Visit

I was briefly mistaken for my daughter this past weekend. I had previously thought that being mistaken for someone 12 years younger than me was pretty amazing, but I have now been mistaken for my adolescent daughter! Yikes! Believe me, that is a feat of previously unheard of bad eyesight! lol

We all had a ball at my parents house. My children were ready to bring their little cousins home with us and just keep them! They probably could have gotten away with it until we did a head count at dinner time, too! ;) My folks are still some of the greatest people on earth. My brother is still a really manly kind of guy who even took the time to teach our eight year old how to fire a bb gun. My sister-in-law and sister are the salt of the earth and can (and do) make me laugh so hard it's embarrassing. My sister's boyfriend Eric, fit in so well we were ready to adopt him on the spot. The visit was wonderful (except, perhaps, for poor Eric who is now obligated to keep hanging out with us!). We talked, ate, played board games, talked, practically took over my folk's church on Sunday morning, talked, played with the children, talked and had a wonderful time. We also talked... A LOT! ;) The braver souls, including my parent' little dog, played football with the children, too. I have the pictures to prove it! ;)

Eaglewood and I had a chance to visit Samuel's grave while we were there. My sister and Eric had made a temporary grave marker for us until we can afford to buy a permanent one. Like I said, they are the salt of the earth. Everyone should have family as wonderful as mine. I hope that you all do!

Hyperactivity and ADD

Yep! That's just about what it like to be me. :p

From CrazyJo's NEW blog...

Which L.M. Montgomery Heroine are You?

Making A List...

Today is washing, packing, and vehicle repair day! Aren't you excited for me? Live in fear. I'm in hyperactivity overdrive. I might just show up at your place to clean and pack for you if I run out of stuff to do here!

Tomorrow our family will be packed like sardines in our over-sized and ancient gas-hogging van (I LOVE that thing!) and traveling to visit my family whom we haven't seen since Samuel's funeral. We are something beyond excited today! I miss my family terribly. Daddy is the king of cornball jokes. I could listen to his stories forever and still want more. He is the true Southern gentleman and one of my great heroes in life. My stepmother is lovely and charming inside and out. She is the sort of person I have always wanted to be. My sister is the last word in cute and fun! She can make me laugh so hard it hurts. No wonder her daughter is so adorable! She is just taking after my sister! My brother, the firefighter, is one of the manliest men you will ever meet. His wife is just hilarious and his children are adorable. I miss these people!

My little guys are watching "Jimmy Neutron: Boy Genius" for what must be the millionth time. I think I'm starting to relate to Sheen a little too well. Anyone else ever have that problem? Just in case you are wondering (and I cannot imagine why you would be), they are watching the movie while bouncing on my workout ball and playing with a very noisy toy laser gun. Happy chaos! I just LOVE it!

Eaglewood and I are SUPPOSED to make time to go and see "Three" tonight. I do hope we can squeeze it in. Eaglewood is just about the biggest Ted Dekker fan in the world and I would hate for him to miss the opening night of the movie! Going out to a movie would break our long-standing tradition of only going out on really weird and extremely frugal dates, but I am willing to make the sacrifice! ;) I hope to see you there! Just be looking for a couple of oddballs in an antiquated gray van!

I am also supposed to be finishing up my mental junk food reading and preparing my brain to resume homeschooling on Monday. I've enjoyed my vacation, but my stack of unfinished non-fiction reading is starting to make me feel guilty. :( I think the children may actually be looking forward to returning to our routine. Ditto approached me of his own accord to talk over some changes to his personal learning schedule. Aren't teens great?

Well, that's my list. I'm not checking it twice, though, as I don't want to stand still that long!

Howdy!

I'm back!

Well, actually.... I haven't been anywhere. I've just been taking care of the important things in life like chasing and hugging rambunctious little boys, tweaking my workout routine, spending time with my husband and planning a trip to visit my family this weekend. I've also gotten hooked on coffee. Again. I'm thinking that hyperactive people probably don't really need caffeine, but I'm also thinking I don't really care...

My little guy has had me laughing already today. We've decided not to restart our school routine until Monday. Life is good. I hope all is well with you, too!