How I hid an icecream cone

the kids were in bed so I headed out for a diet vanilla coke (for me – my drug of choice), and T wanted an icecream cone. T was in bed watching TV so I wondered how I could get the cone past the kids bedroom without them seeing it – knowing it would cause a great disturbance. SO, I put a large plastic cup over it – and viola – no one suspected a thing!

First swim lessons

Tonight the boys and I had our first swim lessons ever!  And I’m rejoicing that Sammy did great without me with him!  I could just see the wailing begin…my Sammy has moments he is not happy to be without Mom.  In fact he tells me we can never live far apart when he is older!  So I introduced him to his swim teacher and proceeded to walk over to Saw Wayne’s group – without narry a tug on my swim suit!   While Sammy was in his group, I would occassionaly look that way – but not to often as to cause him to regress!

Saw Wayne was another story – actually, he was being himself.  I think in the deeper water he was frightened a bit.  We haven’t been in a pool together and when Tony took him out like an “alligator” into deeper water at Lake Gladewater, he reacted the same way.  But you never know when he’s going to finally crack a smile…and he did when he “practiced” jumping off the side of the pool to “get” his Momma!  This finally became a wonderful game for us – and he also began crawling back out of the pool like the instructor wanted them to learn.   He like “jump” so much, I almost sensed a small break down about to occur when we had to return to the shallow water for a game – but I gave the promise “We’ll be back tomorrow for more jumping!”  So tonight he was able to tell me his favorite part about swim lessons was blowing bubbles and “jump!” 

And boy, did that pool feel good on a hot day!

Reading block

Several weeks ago I perused some Christian fiction in the 1/2 price book store.  I had read Plain and Simple, a woman’s journey of her experience of living with the Amish.  I can appreciate their simple life.  SO, when I ran across Covenant  by Beverly Lewis in the book store, I thought I would continue my reading (this is fiction) about the Amish.  It was a slow start, but it does pick up!  So much so that when it ended I was quickly seeking out the library for the 2nd book – Betrayal - where it was checked out and a hold was placed by a 2nd person!  Fortunately our church library had it and I made a special trip from “Egypt to the Promised Land” just for it!

So now I’ve been ferouciously reading since this past Thursday.  But now I’ve got readers block.   I can almost not bring myself to continue reading for fear of what is about to happen to this courting couple!  I can see the train wreck ahead and I am “devistated!”  About like I was when I rented “Nights In Rodanthe” and could NOT BELIEVE the ending!  Just could not!  I don’t watch tear-jerker movies - but that one came out of nowhere! 

So here I am – it’s my reading time.  Do I dare?  There’s several books in this series, with the last title Revelation.  It better take care of the train wreck that’s about to happen!

**Update:  I DID take my time to read – and finished!  And I was right about the train wreck! UGH!  So impatient me looked up the remaining books in the series to read the synopsis!  I’ll be back up at the church library this week  

However, I must get back to my homeschool reading of Charlotte Mason, of which I’ve equally enjoyed as well in doses.  I simply must have a fiction book to escape to and sometimes the captivating ones are so hard to find!

Growing and Going!

My sweet Sammy turned 5 in early July, during my blog rest.  Here are some wonderful photos of him since then.

Sammy riding his bike for 1st time at the park

Earlier this year we were offered a new-to-us bike without training wheels and I passed.  Guess I was having a brain freeze!  When he gets going strong on this one (which won’t be long), we’ll need another!

I was thinking about Sammy’s birthday party this year and how he melted since the family had come over after lunch on the following Sunday.  And how I wanted his 5th birthday to be perfect…and it wasn’t!  Then I remembered the melt-down I had at my 5 year old party when I couldn’t break the pinata open and my Mom had to take me inside the house for a talk!  So before Sammy’s BD, I had told Tony I thought a perfect gift from him would be a fishing pole and to take him on his first bank fish trip.  They ended up at a friends pond with Uncle Johnny – it couldn’t have been more perfect!  And he caught 5 fish!!  It was a great time for them all.

Sammy caught a fish!

 At times I’ve referred to him as my refining fire!  I’m so grateful for the extra time with him as we homeschool so that I can know him better.  He is a delightful child and I thank the Lord for the blessing to be his Momma!

Fantastic!

What a great day we’ve had!  We’ve done the following:

Worshipped with other Believers

Kids played on the CLEANED water slide while Tony cooked fish and I read my book

We had fresh fried fish for dinner! Yum!

Dad took Sammy’s training wheels off and we practiced a bit

Napped – and I got to read with a small nap!

Snack time

Boys did a white crayon on white paper drawing and then water colored – they were declared “Masterpieces” and are hanging on the fridge

Dad left for baseball practice.  Yes.  Practice with a bat, ball and running involved.  The “police” are playing against the “firemen” again this month for a benefit. 

Boys picked up their room and put their clothes away SO THAT

We could go see dad practice, do some more bike riding for Sammy to practice and go to the spray park.

Sammy did FANTASTIC riding without his training wheels.  We kept practicing until he could go farther without my help - and then kaboom!  He fell – got a bad scrape on his hand.  That ended bike riding for today!  What was so cool was that before Sammy would head off on his bike he would say “God is with me.”  We also said a prayer telling Him thankyou for our bike and give me courage to ride (without the training wheels).  Isn’t that great?

Playing in the spray park caused his bo-bo to sting, so we packed up as Dad was heading out.  SO, we thought Sammy definately needed a DQ icecream for doing such a great job and trying without training wheels!  So we packed up and headed to DQ where dad and I enjoyed watching the boys eat their icecream and we enjoyed dinner (promising “girl soup” (Campbell Disney soup) to the boys when we got home.   What is it about DQ’s Tacos that are so good???

It’s been a fantastic day!  And I’m so proud of my Sammy!

Moppin’ Monday

Earlier this year I laid out a schedule for me to get a few cleaning things done each day. This worked for a bit, but then somehow….somethin’ happened; I’m not so sure what. So then my house wasn’t getting cleaned. Really. Before family came over for whatever, I’d do a “I can live with this and not be embarassed cleaning.”

So I decided to press my Heavenly Father about the issue of mopping.  That’s right.  I talked to Him about WHEN to mop my kitchen floor.  It was beginning to get a second film on it.  When Chad was living with us I told him “If you’re gonna come to the kitchen table – be sure to wear your shoes!” 

So I offered up to him my schedule of cleaning, which I don’t think I had done.  “Father, when do we get to mop?  If I’m to go by my schedule, this just ain’t gettin’ done!”  Mopping was scheduled on Friday along with trash take-out.  Somehow, for the past SEVERAL months, I just don’t get around to moppin’ on Fridays.  Back in my work-away-from-home days, I considered Friday a day of play – even though I was still working!  I’ve carried that theory on into my work-at-home schedule.  Friday’s are for fun.  Isn’t that what “F” stands for?? 

So, He quickly answered – Mop on Monday.  Change sheets (which had been on Monday) on Friday.  That was  His answer.  That simple.  Really.

And it worked!  I got to mop last Monday and I am pumped about moppin’ again tomorrow!  And this time it won’t take me but a bit, since last Monday I had to do some prep work to get the really stuck-on stuff up.  Yes.  It was that bad.

But what was funny about last week, was that although my cleaning got done, I somehow didn’t start a load of clothes everyday.  So I was stuck this weekend (with a little help from husband – who had his own task of installing a new garbage disposal and cleaning up the nasty waterslide from all the rain we’d had) washing clothes and hope to be done and everything in it’s place by tomorrow morning. 

The other interesting thing about this whole cleaning issue has been my continued questioning of Father about when I get to do my household work AND homeschool.  How does that go together?  Well, I’m trustin’ Him to make it happen!

Velvet Ants and Lizards

Well, my last post was when our baseball player headed back to Oklahoma b/c of an injury.  We have moved on, but still speak fondly of “our Chad.”  It has made going to the baseball games not as important, but we still try to get there since Daddy is there doing security. 

I’ve been busy with all-things boys.  Our recent excursions to Elder Park (Kilgore) and our walk down the street to the pond has netted us some wonderful experiences with nature.  My favorite being the turtles and dragon flies.  However, Saturday I got to see the MOST HILARIOUS sight!  My Sammy chasing a lizard – Sammy finally won and caught him, but he gave such a good chase!  I have never seen a lizard run so fast!  Sammy had the pleasure of continuing our walk around Elder lake with him.  He tried to make a few escapes, but without success.  In fact, I could have sworn he was dead – but he was only playing “possum”, my guess, in hopes that Sammy would put him down.  He made it past the trail marker into the forest on our last leg of the trail.  Sammy was sad, but I assured him that Mr. Lizard would be quite content among the forest creatures.

Yesterday our neighbors came to play and the boys were ferouciously stepping on a huge black and red ant.  So last night I had plans for Sammy to try to draw his first nature experience as we talked about the many animals, creatures, or trees we’d talked about.  (Yesterday we took a good look at a 6 ft. pine tree and engaged our sight, touch and smell!).  So we decided to look up on the internet what the red and black ant was.  And to our delight we found out it is a Velvet ant, which, actually isn’t an ant at all, but a wingless wasp that can deal a mighty sting!  So I wrote down it’s name, scientific name and pertinent facts that Sammy was later able to answer questions about.  Then I set my computer on the table so he could look at it and try to draw it.  I could tell he didn’t know quite where to start, so I guided him through the parts of the “ant” and he did a splendid job!  When I figure out how to scan, I hope to post it.

This experience gave me much encouragement.  Despite the fact that the other day I had to “pull teeth” to get Sammy to recognize the letter S!!! 

I remember when I was at seminary that I had this “feeling” that I would some day do something great – beyond myself.  I thought perhaps it would come as I served as my church’s prayer ministry coordinator – a position I dearly enjoyed and whole-heartedly devoted myself to.  Yet, after leaving the position to come home to raise Sammy, I wondered if  I had achieved anything “special.” 

As Father  “side-swiped” me several months ago with the idea of homeschooling, I have embraced it.  Where there was a “wall”, I allowed Him to place a “door” for me to crack open and gently consider the possibility.  It has been a wonderful thought process.  Although my Love probably still thinks I’m crazy (his immediate response), he whole-heartedly supports me in this. 

So it dawned on me last night after doing some reading in A Pocketful of Pinecones.  After I’d gone to bed and was praying/thinking, I realized after my drawing experience with Sammy that he had my undivided attention.  He was in a classroom of 1:1.  Not 1:20.  This was exciting to me! 

I know full well it will not be easy.  But I am delighted at my Heavenly Father’s idea for me to homeschool.  When I sensed he was leading in this direction, I told my analytical self that it mattered not the pros and cons, although I have discussed, read and prayed about those things.  But what mattered was that I was obedient to whatever He was asking of me. 

I look forward to recording the journey.  And of soon introducing our “school mascot” and his name!

He tends his flock like shepherd

He gathers the lambs in his arms

And carries them close to his heart

He gently leads those that have young.

Isaiah 40:11

Sad Stones

We are all some sad Stones.  Our Chad, ET Pumpjacks baseball player, was injured early in the Friday night game.  Because of his injury, we knew it was possible that he would be leaving us.  And he is.  Tomorrow.  Fortunately his injury will heal in time to play in the fall.  But we are sad to lose our Chad.  It was a great leap of faith for me to have a player in our home since I’m a SAHM.  But he has been our prayer.  What I was afraid of getting was a baseball jock.  What we got was a nice young man.  God answered our prayer. 

So I’m off to bed to hopefully find some good rest and my happy face for in the morning.  My little boys are going to need a Momma with a good game tomorrow to work through their sadness.  They have considered him their Big Brother.  He has been so kind to them.

I’ve been sad for Chad regarding his injury and shared Jeremiah 29:11 with him this evening.  On the way home I was reminded of my fav scripture (mind has lost the address)…. that ALL things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.  May God be glorified in the midst of our trials and sadness.

Let the wild rumpus begin!

My kids dearly enjoy the book Where the Wild Things Are.   Some time ago when Saw Wayne was younger, I heard Sammy tell him “I’ll eat you up I love you so, Saw Wayne!”  So when the kids and I joined our ML group for the Lunch Bunch on Thursday at our local DQ, that is EXACTLY what that play room was like!  The Wild Rumpus had begun!  We had a great time and it was good to have intermittent conversations with my ML friends.

That afternoon, some sort of wild rumpus begin with my sinuses and Friday night I was in a full-blown sinus infection.  Sleeping (or not..) Friday night, I felt like a vice was on my head.  I am rarely, rarely, ever, ever sick.  Rarely. Ever.  But I have NEVER had a sinus headache like this one.  I could not find my “fun drops” that have a variety of homeopathic remedies the boys and I both use that are mixed by my dear Judy – who has no title, but essentially serves as our homeopathic/natural health practitioner.  But I couldn’t find my fun drops, which had helped one might with a minor sinus headache.  So until I found them, Father instructed me to put lavendar oil along my sinus cavities and then Arnica Cream on top of that.  This was SO HELPFUL.  SO HELPFUL.  Did I say it was SO HELPFUL?  I would wake up every 2 hours or less and do it again.  On one of those times, I was about to go to the car to check for my fun drops….and then decided to check the couch – and viola!  FUN DROPS!  So going to bed, I put one drop in my mouth every 5 minutes for 25 total minutes.  The next day after talking to Judy, I purchased some Nux Vomica and put that with Stramonium, which began to lessen the tension in my head – basically, my head began to relax.  Today I’ve added Ipecac, because yesterday evening I began coughing and weezing, with a tightness in my chest that is scarry when I try to lay down.  I’ve also tried a combo of 1 T. molasses, 1 T. Honey, squirt from 1/4 fresh lemon, pinch of chunk sea salt, and this helped as well until I could get to the Ipecac.  However, now I cannot find my Lavendar since Saturday morning.  Nowhere.  Looked everywhere.  Should have been sitting with my arnica cream – not there.   Bizarre.  He has a purpose, but I’d REALLY like my Lavendar back!

So to survive  thrive this evening with Tony gone to baseball security, I’m on the back patio these last 30 minutes before bedtime watching the boys play on the water slide.  My water bill should be quite interesting this month, but some things are necessary and worth paying for!

A good reason to visit Nacogdoches

I finally was given a great reason to head down to Nacogdoches, Texas – The Texas Blueberry Festival!  Me and the kids, along with my Mom, loaded up this morning and headed South.  My first stop (after 2 potty breaks for Sammy!) was the Sunshine Mart (hoping for a potty break myself).  This was where my college friend, Tracie and I, would purchase our fountain drinks and toodle-do around town.  No potty break there as their toilet was stopped up…I think I’ll pass.  So I was glad to see this after we finally parked…

A welcomed sight...

We made our way to the festival and found the LONG, yet quick moving line, for the fresh blueberries.  (I’ll post pick of blueberries later -they are lovely!). 

A kind man took our photo – Sammy already looks worn out from standing in line for the blueberries – he won’t be sad tomorrow when he has some with his cereal for breakfast!

We were glad to have our MeMe along with us!

I was blessed to run into a Mother’s League member I’ve missed seeing lately – Elizabeth.  What a joy to see her!  And I’m jealous, she is FROM Nacogodoches! 

We drove through the college campus – it has changed so much.  What a fun time that was for me attending college at SFA.  I hope to go back when we can walk through campus. 

The boys and I finished out our day in the back yard with the water slide.  The boys were excited I chose to join them in the pool part to cool off.  Tony had a successful day fishing with a buddy and is off to baseball security.  The kids are now asleep and I’m headed to bed to take in the last hour of  Lonesome Dove. 

Cooling off at the end of the day