Spring Chickens!

Lily feeding the chicks when we brought them home

Here are the chicks in their new home in the garage!

It's so much fun to get baby chicks.  We are down to two old hens who don't lay anymore, so we thought it was time for some new ones.  The first time we got chicks, we got all the same kind.  This time, we were a little more adventurous.  We have six babies - the two with the brown feathers are Golden Comets, the same breed we had last time.  The white ones with the orange legs and beaks are Tetra Tints, which I hadn't heard of until we saw them at Tractor Supply, but they're supposed to be white chickens and lay cream-colored eggs.  The ones with the black feet are Rory's pick - they are Silkies.  I can't wait to watch them grow up!  They are small chickens, and lay small eggs, so that should be interesting, but they have fuzzy feathers that look like fur all over the place!  The interesting thing about them is that their skin is black, like their feet and beaks, but these are apparently going to have white feathers.

I forgot how quickly they grow!  The first picture shows them in a galvanized tub in Rory's room.  Well, they soon grew out of that and into a larger plastic bin.  But then they figured out how to get out of there.  One of them even decided to sleep perched on the edge of the bin.  So we decided that it was time for them to move out to the garage.  They're still too little to go outside, but Rory was going to be sleeping with chickens in his bed soon if we didn't do something!  So they're in a wooden pen in the garage with two heat lamps.  It's going to be interesting to figure out how to introduce them to the two older birds, but I guess they will all just have to get along somehow!  We also didn't have a dog last time, as we got Honey about a year after we got the chickens.  So we're trying to convince her that they are feathery puppies.  So far, she's snuffed at them a bit but that's all.  She may make a good chicken dog yet!

A Fluid Life

You can't stop time!

One thing I have learned - things change. All the time. Children grow and become new people on what seems like a daily basis. My little baby girl is now 5 years old, and ready to start kindergarten. Where has the time gone?

Circumstances change, too. Earlier this year my husband changed positions at his job. As a result, his work schedule changed, and this changed the rhythm of our whole home life. Actually, we're still getting adjusted. To add to this, I went back to work part time. Because Hubby is off on Mondays and Tuesdays consistently, I was able to apply to the local school district to substitute teach two days a week. That has really thrown things off!

It has been hard for me to keep things together at home as well as they were before - my menu planning and shopping are sporadic, as are the laundry and housecleaning, and our schedule is a bit of a mess. I am having to plan further ahead for homeschool, because I may or may not be here any given Monday or Tuesday, and Hubby may have to substitute for me while I'm substituting for someone else!

Thankfully, I've noticed once again that God prepares everything in advance. Just about a month before I started subbing, I found a method for helping Rory keep on track with his schoolwork. It is a simple checklist, which includes spaces to write down assignments, chores to be done, and places to go that day. It is easier for Rory, and now Hubby, to see what needs to be done each day. In fact, Lily liked it so much that I had to make her her own version! I had also planned out the subjects for the rest of the school year, to make sure we would be able to finish everything, and had assignments planned for each subject on the days they should be done. It is much simpler to just look at my plans and transfer them to the daily sheet.

Rory has also requested to do his own laundry, on Mondays. He has done laundry before, helping with the regular laundry or washing his blankets, but this is a new step. The good thing is that it frees me up to do laundry less often, as there is less laundry overflowing the laundry sorter!

Assuming I will continue subbing next school year, I am working on a do-able schedule for the fall. One thing that has not worked well is having certain subjects scheduled on days that Hubby is teaching as well as days that I am teaching. Some of them just don't work as well if they're not done consistently with the same person. So I've decided to try a modified "block" schedule for the fall. This year, we worked on short time periods, in the hope that it would keep Rory motivated and help him to keep his attention on his work. And I think it has been beneficial. We will still do that for some subjects, doing them every day, such as math and spelling. However, certain subjects like science or history will probably work better if done in an intense block once a week. So I'll be scheduling those on certain days, trying to put the more adaptable subjects on Monday or Tuesday when either one of us could be teaching. I'll let you know how it goes!

The one thing I have learned from subbing is that I'm so grateful to be able to homeschool my kids!  That little bit of "maybe they'd be better off in school" thought is completely gone, now.  I like working with the kids at school, but I can't imagine sending my kids there every day.  I am so thankful that we have a choice!

As you've probably noticed, this new life of mine makes it difficult for me to find time to write, but I will keep updated as much as possible!  Until next time...

Free Fairy Dress Box Templates from My Memories Suite

Fairy Dress Boxes from My Memories Suite

Note:  This promotion is no longer in effect.  You can still buy the templates for around $1.50 at this link:
http://www.mymemories.com/store/category_search?page=67&search%5Bcategory%5D=129

It has been a while since I reviewed My Memories Suite.  As a My Memories Suite member, I receive e-mails about new products that have come out.  Well, it has been over a year since I started using the software, and they have continued to expand their product.  One of the things they have added recently are three dimensional projects you can print off and put together.  From now until February 11, you can download these Fairy Dress Boxes for free!  There are three separate color schemes:

Black and White

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_1

Green and Purple

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_2

AND:

Pink!

http://www.mymemories.com/store/share_the_memories_kit_3

I'm thinking of Lily's birthday, which is coming up in May - can't you see these as perfect party favors for little girls?  Especially the pinks!  Happy crafting!

If you don't have My Memories Suite software, you can buy it here, and if you use my code - STSMMMS61757 - you can get it for $10 off!  Otherwise, enjoy the freebies!

Needle Felting!

I have to share some of my creations with you today.  I have been teaching myself to needle felt.  It is slightly dangerous, especially for us uncoordinated folk, as you are poking rather quickly with very sharp needles into little things that you're holding in your hand, but unless you're Sleeping Beauty, a few poke marks aren't too bad.

I had looked into this craft a little, and gotten a book out of the library, but wasn't sure where to begin. So I did what all people who don't know where to begin get started - I bought a kit.

The kit had needles, a foam block, and felt to make a gnome.  Of course, once I made one gnome, Lily thought we needed a girl gnome too.  So, here they are:

Needle felted gnomes!

Not bad for a first attempt, huh?  Well, I made a tiny turkey and cornucopia for Thanksgiving decorations (which are in the attic with the other decorations so you can't see them now), and then some snowmen for Christmas gifts (which are with their new owners so you can't see them either).  Then, I made an owl for Hubby - he has his Mom's owl collection, and has been adding to it over the years.  I meant to make it for Christmas, but ran out of time, so I made it the other day.

Hubby's needle felted owl

And the back

I made the little nest after the fact.  I don't think snowy owls lay blue eggs, but maybe I'll make a robin sometime.  The last thing I made was a doll, which Lily has claimed.  I guess I need to come up with something to make Rory now!  Lily has already commissioned a boy doll, with longer arms, for herself.

Needle felted doll

Back view of doll

Doll with four year old!

Just so you can get an idea of the size, here's the whole group next to a 28 oz. tomato can.

So, my next question is, do you think anyone would want to buy things like this?  I need a little more practice, but I think they could be cute.  And I'm afraid my house would be taken over eventually, so I'm hoping there are others who would like them?  And if so, what in the world would I charge?  Things to consider, but until then, I'm going to have fun with my new hobby!

Our Crazy Christmas

This Christmas was different.  First of all, you have to know that I have spent the last 44 Christmases in the same house.  Even though I live a day's drive from my home town, I have always managed to be home for Christmas.  My kids have gone to Grandma's house for Christmas all of their lives.  And then there was this year.

Hubby couldn't get the day off.  Or several days around Christmas off.  In 18 years of marriage, this has not happened.  Until this Christmas.

I couldn't spend Christmas without him, even though he was at work for part of it, so we had Christmas at our house this year.  It was different.  We did have cinnamon rolls and cookies (gluten- and dairy-free!), and there were presents under the tree and in the stockings.  But it was much quieter than usual.

The day after Christmas, the kids and I piled ourselves, our luggage, and my family's Christmas presents into the van, and headed off.  Into a snowstorm.  Hmm.  Possibly not the brightest idea ever.

We had been driving for about six hours when we ran into snow.  We were only a couple of hours from our destination, so we stopped for gas, bathrooms, and drinks, and got back onto the road.  For about 20 more minutes, when we slid into the snow at the side and stayed there.  Oops!

To make a long story short, we ended up staying where we were, after being pulled out by a tow truck.  To make a short story long, it was quite the stay!

Where we were was within shouting distance of the Salamanca, NY exit.  And right at that exit is the Seneca hotel and Casino.  Also Burger King, where we ate supper, but then off we went to the hotel.  It was dark by then, and the snow was really coming down.  I was about done for, as far as driving went, and my windshield wipers were not keeping up with the onslaught.  So my sheltered, homeschooled kids and I stayed over night in the casino.

Okay, we weren't in the casino, per se, just in the hotel attached to the casino.  However, when we walked in to register, we walked past a room full of slot machines and other assorted games of chance.  Rory thought we were at a really fancy Chuck E. Cheese, apparently, because he got all excited, pointing and yelling out "Look!  Games!"  I had to explain that we weren't playing those games, and he wouldn't have been allowed to, anyway.

So we went to our room on the 8th floor.  Lily was excited about the view, and the "phone in the potty."  Rory quickly figured out the TV remote, and proceeded to watch cartoons.  He also claimed one of the beds for himself, which resulted in a squabble, but Lily finally resigned herself to sharing the other bed with me.  We had some tea, ate some jellybeans that were left in the room, read some of "A Christmas Carol" and turned off the lights.

Then, Rory said his stomach felt bad and he thought he might throw up, so I took the lid off of the ice bucket and lined it with a plastic bag just in case.  Also made a mental note to avoid taking Rory to Burger King again.  Shut off the lights again.  Well, don't you know that hotel rooms have all sorts of little red lights all over the place?  I'd personally never noticed, but apparently the red lights are scary.  If you're nine.  So, after all the fighting about who got the bed to themselves, we all ended up in one bed so the red lights wouldn't get us.

We had to leave the light on in the bathroom (in case Rory needed to use it), and we closed the heavy blinds so that the lights outside wouldn't keep us awake.  So we were in this kind of half-light, half-dark, red-dotted place.  Everyone finally went to sleep.  I was the first to wake up, having to go to the bathroom, so I managed to extricate myself from the middle of the bed without waking anyone else up.  I figured I'd get dressed and ready, and then wake up the kids.

After I used the potty (without feeling the need to make any phone calls), I moved the ice bucket out of the way to read the alarm clock.  Three o-clock, A.M.  Oh.  I determined that I didn't really need to get up yet, after all, so I got back into bed until morning.

The next morning, we checked out, ran through McDonald's for some drinks and apple slices to accompany the rice cakes and cookies we had in the car, and headed back off down the road.  We got to my mom's house just in time to open presents and rest a little while before heading off to my dad's house for the dinner we had planned to attend there.  Then, back to Mom's.  The next day we exchanged gifts with my sister.  Then on Sunday with my aunts and uncle.  We ended up staying through New Year's Day, as Hubby had to work over night on New Year's Eve anyway, and then headed back home.  We still have Christmas with Hubby's family to look forward to on Monday, and then I think we can get back to normal.  Maybe.  Whatever that is.  Maybe I'd better start planning for Easter.

Conscious Living - Homeschool Edition

This is a sort of continuation of my previous post - A Call to Consciousness.  I've thought more about this in the past week or so.  Partly because we have started school again, and being conscious and present each moment is important for my children and for me.

I've never been too good at multi-tasking.  I know that women are supposed to be better at it, but it just doesn't work well for me.  It tends to lead to "Keys in the Fridge Syndrome (KFS)."  And then I have to waste half a day trying to figure out where I put everything.  So I've found it better to do one thing at a time, and to pay attention while I'm doing it.

One Room School

This is the first year I'm homeschooling both of my kids.  To make it interesting, Rory is in 4th grade, and Lily is in Pre-K.  So, I have to somehow keep my attention on two lessons at once.  But instead of working with both of them at the same time, which doesn't work for ANY of us, I'm pretending we're in an old-fashioned one-room school.

Lily needs one-on-one teaching for most things right now.  She needs to be read to and with, to be helped with her writing and piano practice, and to be given short instructions for everything.  Rory does much better when he can do his work out loud and with someone else.  So, he reads to me, we work on spelling and grammar and math together, and we all do Bible lessons and science projects as a group.

Lily doesn't spend as long on her "schoolwork" as Rory does, and spends part of the day playing by herself, which gives me time to spend with Rory.  Rory has read-alone time, writing time, and piano practice time that he always does by himself, which gives me time to spend with Lily.  I do some of my chores while listening to Rory read his lessons, which helps the time go faster for me!

School time cuts down on "me-time" quite drastically.  I don't have much time to read what I want, to watch TV, or to surf the Web.  Computer time is usually spent working on things for school, Sunday school, or our homeschool support group.  But the things I gain are much more important.  I am getting to really know my children.  I am being molded into a better mom, and a better Christian.  I am trying to live out 1 Corinthians 10:31 - Whether therefore ye eat, or drink, or whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  Because in the end, books and TV and the internet don't really matter, do they?  I think this poem says it all.

Only One LifeBy C.T. Studd (1860-1931)

Two little lines I heard one day, Traveling along life's busy way;
Bringing conviction to my heart, And from my mind would not depart;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Soon will its fleeting hours be done;
Then, in 'that day' my Lord to meet, And stand before His Judgment seat;
Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, the still small voice, Gently pleads for a better choice
Bidding me selfish aims to leave, And to God's holy will to cleave;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, a few brief years, Each with its burdens, hopes, and fears;
Each with its days I must fulfill, living for self or in His will;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

When this bright world would tempt me sore, When Satan would a victory score;
When self would seek to have its way, Then help me Lord with joy to say;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Give me Father, a purpose deep, In joy or sorrow Thy word to keep;
Faithful and true what e'er the strife, Pleasing Thee in my daily life;
Only one life, 'twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Oh let my love with fervor burn, And from the world now let me turn;
Living for Thee, and Thee alone, Bringing Thee pleasure on Thy throne;
Only one life, "twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

Only one life, yes only one, Now let me say, "Thy will be done";
And when at last I'll hear the call, I know I'll say 'twas worth it all";
Only one life,' twill soon be past, Only what's done for Christ will last.

My Home

The dishes may not all be done,

And dirty socks may be in one

Or two spots that they shouldn’t be,

But what is all of that to me

When a little girl has set up Tea?

The garden has a few more weeds

Than probably the produce needs,

And possibly a bug at play,

But they will last another day

When a boy of mine needs to pray.

I’m not a fashion model, and

I don’t wear diamonds on my hand,

Or pretty baubles in my ear,

But I am making time to hear

The trials of my husband dear.

The company that comes to call

May needs look down so not to fall,

And step around a thing or two,

But if they care to kick off shoes,

A listening ear and tea will do.

I’m not a perfect housekeep, or

The type to get it done and more,

Sometimes I find my house, it seems

Much better in my waking dreams,

But home is what the heart esteems.

So I will focus on the best,

A little work, a little rest,

And time for all who come aboard,

Time of prayer to hear my Lord,

And love, the everlasting cord.

Camp Week

Rory spent the last week at Camp Northfield in Massachusetts.  While he was there, Lily and I had "Decorating Camp." 

Up until last winter, both kids had shared a bedroom, which had last been painted when we were expecting Rory about 10 years ago.  Just after Christmas this year, we finished remodeling the house to provide a separate room for Rory.  Lily inherited the "old" room, complete with nail holes, stickers on the walls, and dark blue curtains with multi-colored stars and moons.  Not too pretty, anymore, and not too girly.  

So while Rory was at camp, Lily and I went shopping for paint, curtains, linens, a new lamp, and a new rug.  Then, we spent the rest of the week transforming her room into a pretty pink and purple princess room!

Click here to see a video of Lily painting!

So, after several very hot, long, and grueling days, here is what we came up with:

The Play Rug

Great place for a tea party!

These pictures were the inspiration for the color scheme

Pretty Princess!

In the closet?

I think it turned out pretty well!  And yes, we had a tea party the very first day.  Decorating Camp was a success!

How to Get it all Done when you're Sick!

Haha!  Maybe you thought I actually had the answer to this.  Nope!  I've had a terrible cold/flu/respiratory infection/crud/whatever you want to call it for about a week and a half, now.  I'll spare you the gory details, but I haven't felt this bad in a really long time.  The good news is, I've been able to stay awake all day since Tuesday.  Believe me, this is reason to celebrate when I think of what was going on before Tuesday.  The thing I noticed was, when you are home all day by yourself with two little kids and can't get off the couch, nothing actually gets done.  Hmmm.  I mean, nobody starved or anything, although I vaguely remember one meal consisting of pickles, crackers, and raisins on the coffee table with a movie.  Poor Hubby ended up having to do three dishwasher loads of dishes on his day off, when it finally came.  So, I thought, there has to be a better way.

The Idea:  Forced Child Labor!  Why didn't I think of this before?  I have an almost-nine year old and a three year old here.  It occurred to me that if this happens again, they need to be ready to take over.

The Plan:  Teach the kids to cook and clean!

Now, I don't want you to think my kids are helpless.  Here is a list of their current skills:

Rory:  Dress self, put clothes in hamper separated by color, make bed, pick up room, vacuum and sweep, wipe dishes, get breakfast (cereal or toast), bathe self, feed dog, cat, chickens, collect eggs, shovel snow, make sandwiches, get mail from box.

Lily:  Dress self, put clothes somewhere, get in bed, play in room, look cute, wipe 2 dishes, eat breakfast, sit in bathtub, feed dog, cat, self, get things out of pantry and refrigerator, get mail from box.

So, I have once again set up a daily schedule (I know, I know, but I try at least!).  This time, it includes time for me to actually spend teaching each kid to do housework and cooking.  We've been doing it since Tuesday, yes, the day I could actually stay awake, and it's amazing what you can accomplish in 3 days!  Lily has learned how to make her bed and clean her room with only verbal directions from me, and Rory has learned how to completely clean off the dinner table and wash the dishes.  Lily has helped me make quesadillas and egg drop soup,  and Rory made tacos with just a little help (he later claimed that he can make anything, as long as he has a recipe, ingredients, and a mom!)  We also managed to keep the living room cleaned up, get our regular school work done, and make and paint a volcano - and I'm still not feeling quite as good as normal.  We did skip a couple outings that we usually have during the week, but I think we've done pretty well, all told.  I still have to figure in the laundry, though.

Maybe if I don't get sick again for another two years or so, things will go better!

Happy New Year!

Here we are.  It's 2012.  Yes, I know it has been for five days now, but this is my first post for the year.

This is also my first post since I took a holiday two months ago.  It has been a rather busy two months, so I'm glad that I had decided to take a break.  The holidays are always busy, of course, and this year we added to the general chaos by including a house remodel.

I'm happy to report that we have two new rooms in our home.  The first one, and the most important, is Rory's own bedroom!  The poor kid has had to share a room with his baby sister for 3 1/2 years now, and finally has his own space again.  He is one happy little boy!  We're still trying to organize his multitude of "stuff," but little by little we'll get it done.  We're trying to bring things in in a purposeful way, and making sure everything has a place, rather than just stuffing it all in.

The other room is a combination piano room and office.  It sports a new desk which actually has room for the printer on top, and a keyboard tray, cabinet for the computer, and hanging file drawer.  My plan is to step up my piano teaching schedule, so this will be very helpful.

My favorite change (other than the computer desk) is that we now have a lovely bamboo floor in place of the really disgusting carpet that had been in the living room (the area's former use) since we bought the house.

My second favorite change is that the new living room is accessible from the kitchen.  It has been nice to be able to talk to Hubby while I cook dinner or clean up afterward, rather than having to stop what I'm doing and running to the other room to ask him something.  It's also a little easier to keep track of the kids.  Especially since I can be pretty sure that Rory is in his new room!

Lily is getting used to having her own room now.  She was a little upset for the first couple nights, because she missed her big brother.  She's starting to enjoy having her own space to do things, though, so I think she'll come around.  She's been spending a lot of time bothering Rory in his room, though.

We haven't gotten a lot of school done the last couple of days, but I think that taking this time to get things organized will be worth it in the end.  Every time we get a little corner cleaned out, I feel like I can breathe a little better.

So, I'm ready to begin the new year with a new slate.  How about you?

"Stuff"

 ¹⁹Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal:

 ²⁰But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal:

 ²¹For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 

 Matthew 6:19-21

These verses have been floating through my mind this week.  We were very fortunate that Hurricane Irene fizzled out before it got to us.  We had a lot of rain, and the electricity was out for a few hours, but that was about it.  We had spent time on Saturday making sure everything was up off the floor in the basement, and thought we had done a pretty good job, but the huge amount of rain combined with the lack of electricity to run the sump pump resulted in about a foot of water down there.  It was mostly gone by Monday, and the floor is relatively dry, now, though the pump is still pumping water out of the pipes around our house four days later.  


When we went downstairs on Monday, we realized that some of the things which got damaged included old school papers, Mikes baseball cards, and photos.  After Mike and I filled up a garbage can and started a burning pile, I spent about eight hours drying out photos, and at times I really wondered what the point of it all was.  I almost gave up and threw them all out a few times, but I was kind of on autopilot by then and couldn't stop.  Besides, there were photos of cute little Rory (from about 2 months to 3 years old), and pictures of people who are no longer with us, like Mike's grandmother.


But all of this got me thinking.  There are so many things we store up.  Especially us - we seem to have an attic, a basement, and a garage full of stuff.  Many of them are "treasures" or memories, some are things we "might need someday."  But what use are they, really?


Another thing I spent quite a bit of time on this week was changing our internet security program.  The one we had was expiring, and I wanted something that was cheaper (i.e. free!), because I wasn't all that pleased with the first one, anyway.  So, I switched to one we had years ago and which got good reviews.  The problem was, I didn't think to uninstall the other one first.  This made the new one rather useless.  I ended up having to uninstall both, and then re-install the one I wanted.  Yes, rather time-consuming.  Then, I spent time looking into generators and back-up sump pumps.  We have a battery-operated back-up, but it is too weak to do much good. 


So, I'm wondering.  Is all the "stuff" we have worth the time it takes to deal with it?  I guess that has to be answered on a thing-by-thing basis, but it gives me a criteria to work with.  Of course, we're dealing with the "stuff" of four people, not just me, so the answer may be different for everyone.  The other thing I'm wondering is how much these earthly treasures are keeping me from storing up treasures in Heaven?  It seems that anything that uses time, money, attention, or space that should be devoted to God's plan is stealing from my heavenly treasure chest, and keeping my heart bound to the earth.  


To all those affected by Hurricane Irene, our hearts and prayers are with you!

Are You Prepared?

This is turning out to be quite the week in this part of the woods. We live in "upstate" New York, and are experiencing some pretty strange things. Earlier this week, we had an earthquake. Okay, it wasn't big, but I have lived here almost 20 years, and have never experienced one before. Apparently it was a shock from the one in Virginia. Now, we are bracing for Hurricane Irene. Can you believe it? A Hurricane in New York?

Well, having never experienced a hurricane before, I checked out the preparedness list on the Weather Channel. And I've determined that we are unlikely to be as prepared as they recommend. I can make sure we have batteries for the flashlights and water in the bathtub. I can get some non-perishable food. I doubt we will get the windows all boarded up, seeing as I don't think we have that much wood laying around. We don't have a generator, so we will expect to have water in our basement without the sump pump being able to pump it out. Some things may just have to be dealt with. Then, I remember seeing pictures of houses completely destroyed by hurricanes, so I wonder if we'll have anything left.

It's really easy to get into a panic when facing the unknown. I can worry about all of my stuff getting damaged. I can worry about someone getting hurt. In my mind's eye I can see us crouching down in the middle of the house, waiting for days until someone gets us out, or trying to cut a hole to the roof like people did during Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans. But all of this worry is not going to change what will happen.

The truth is, no one knows what will happen. Our area is not used to hurricanes, and most people are being taken by surprise. Most of us will be under-prepared if it hits hard here. But are we ever really prepared? Do we ever really know what will happen tomorrow, or even today? Not really. There is always a possibility that something could happen to our stuff or our house, or even ourselves. We need to be prepared every day of our lives.

As a Christian, being prepared is not so much about boarding up your windows and putting water in your bathtub as it is about opening your heart and putting your life in God's hands. Remember that God is truly in control, and He has numbered your days. We don't really "own" anything here on Earth, but are storing up treasures in Heaven, and those treasures are based on the good that we do, not the goods that we have. I don't know what will happen tomorrow, but I believe that God will make sure we are taken care of, as He always has. "I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me." Philippians 4:13.

I'm a Domestic Engineer, Okay?

Robin:  Domestic Engineer

I've held several jobs over the years.  Some, I've gotten paid for.  At this point, aside from the pittance I've made writing in various places (not enough to get a check, yet!), I'm considered unemployed.  As the at-home person in our family, I do a lot of the financial legwork on things, like calling about bills, taking care of banking, etcetera.  The thing is, I don't actually HAVE any money.  According to all of these important people, I  am worthless.  I have no job, no income, no title.  I may just as well not exist.

I know this is not true, but it's hard to remember that when you're mumbling to yet another person "I'm a homemaker" or "I'm a stay-at-home mom" or even worse, "I don't have a job."  These positions are not considered worthwhile in our culture.  I have to quickly say "But my husband has a job."  At which point I need to give information about him, as he is obviously the important one.

So, I've decided to promote myself.  I thought of all the things I do at home.  They are things that someone else would have to do, if I didn't.  If I were not here, my family would have to hire a cook, house cleaner, child care provider, school teacher, piano teacher, chauffeur, financial planner, personal secretary, gardener, animal caretaker, nurse, librarian, and laundress.  This is just to get the basics done, and doesn't include the "extras" like snuggling, playing games, and making chocolate chip cookies with a three year old (next on my agenda!).  Now, I'm not saying that my husband wouldn't be able to do any of these things.  Of course, he would, but that would pretty much give him two full time jobs, wouldn't it?  I know there are plenty of men and women who are in this position.  My mom did it all for us, and I'm so grateful for all that she did.  But can anyone say that their "paying" job is more important than the things they do for their own family?  Probably not.

I've decided that my new title is "Domestic Engineer."  I am basically in charge of everything that goes on in the home.  Now, this is not to say that I am above my husband's authority, here.  I believe that these are things he expects of me, and needs me to take care of.  Now, if I could only figure out how to pull a paycheck, I'd be all set!

To Everything There Is A Season...

And a time for every purpose under Heaven...

So says the song, and the chapter in Ecclesiastes.  I am having a hard time remembering that when it says, for example, "A time to be born, and a time to die," it does not mean you have to do both at the same time.  I have been struggling with so many things, lately, from how to find time to write, to how to keep my house clean, to how to teach my kids, to how to put in a zipper (but that's another story!).  It seems as there is never enough time to do it all.  If I write an article, it usually means that I have stayed up far too late, and/or neglected other things in my life.  Actually, if I stay up too late, I neglect things the next day because I am too tired to do them!  So, I'm having to learn about life's seasons, and I'm trying to decipher which season I am in, now.

As I look back, I realize that my life has been broken into sections, or seasons.  I also realize that things have happened in just that order for a reason.  I can see God's hand guiding me, and giving and withholding things as needed.  At the time, this was frustrating.  I especially think of the time it took us to have our two children.  It seemed like we had to wait forever, wondering if we would ever conceive.  But, as I think of other things that were going on at that time, I have to marvel at God's timing.

When we were trying to have Rory, I was working a somewhat physically demanding job which required driving all over the county and lugging musical instruments around, including a very heavy keyboard.  This was a part-time music therapy position, which was combined with a part-time case manager position.  I was also training for my black belt in Tae Kwon Do, after taking classes for ten years.  I don't know why I thought this was the best time to be pregnant, but God obviously had better plans than I.  First, the music therapy position was eliminated because of lack of funding.  I was upset!  How could they do that?  But, it turned me into a full-time case manager, a much less strenuous job.  Then, shortly after I earned my black belt, we found out we were expecting.  I was able to keep attending TKD classes until I was about seven months along, and was still able to teach the "pee-wee" class, but was not worried about training hard, and was allowed to modify anything I had to because of my pregnancy.  Did God know what he was doing?  Of course!  Looking back, I can see how everything fell into place so that Rory was born exactly when he should have been.

Fast forward a few years, and we were again trying to conceive.  Just as we started, we had a major structural problem with our house, which necessitated months of repair and construction.  I was getting so impatient that we didn't seem able to have another child!  But, the major construction was finished just before Lily was born, giving us an extra room just when we needed it.  I was able to give up my babysitting job, which was helping to pay for the work.  Rory was finishing Pre-K then, and started kindergarten a few months later.  As we got to the end of the first grading period, we realized that the local school was not working out for him.  I found out that he wasn't required to attend kindergarten, so we pulled him out.  That began our foray into homeschooling.  If I hadn't had a small infant at that time, I probably would have gone back to work when he started school, and we would have had a hard time making a decision like that.

So, here I am, trying to fit too many things into too small a space again.  (Okay, that's probably a metaphor born from sitting here at my messy desk, but it works!).  My challenge, now, is to recognize which season I am in, and stop fretting about the other things.  I have to remember that God knows my needs, and my family's needs, and even my friend's and acquaintance's needs, and He knows how they all fit together.  I can only see my little slice of the pie, and I'm a bit puzzled about the filling at the moment.  So, I'm reminding myself to give it to God, and let Him take care of piecing the puzzle together.  I know that everything will get done in His time.

Open Spaces

Country Roads

I grew up in the country.  My husband calls it "Farmland USA."  My house was on a corner of my grandparents' 50-acre farm.  It wasn't a working farm when I was growing up, but the barn still stood, and the fields and woods were there.  I remember spending a lot of time just wandering around, or sitting by myself in the middle of a field, or under a tree, or poking around in the barn.  As I got older, my sister and I would take what we called a "block walk."  It didn't matter that the block went approximately six miles.  No one worried if we were out of sight for a while.  We were country kids, and they knew we'd be back eventually, no worse off than when we left, aside from a possible sunburn or bug bite.  

I loved the time alone.  I was, and still am, a "thinker," and I needed time with my thoughts.  I don't remember ever being afraid.  Our family wasn't rich, but I don't remember feeling deprived.  I had the whole world.  

I now live in a small house on a half-acre lot.  It is more than a lot of people have.  Behind our house is a large hill.  There is another house on top of the hill, but we can only see it in the winter when there are no leaves on the trees.  There are houses on either side of ours.  There is no house directly across the street...we are looking into someone's back yard.  Our neighbors are all friendly, and we don't really bother each other.  But it is small.  And closed.  And sometimes I want to be able to walk without stopping to turn around at the end of the lot.  I want to wander in the woods, and sit in the field.  

I took the kids to a park, today.  It is much larger than our yard.  There are swings and slides and a pirate ship to climb on.  There were lots of kids there, because it is just starting to feel like spring here, and today was a beautiful sunny day.  There are walkways going every direction, and there is a fancy pond with two waterfalls and a bridge.  It is not a field or a woods, but it is big.  You can walk without stopping for quite a ways.  We walked, we ran, we looked at the pond, and played on the swings and the slides.  We didn't want to leave.  I am the parent, and I had to make us go home when it was supper time.  I felt like hiding in the pirate ship like Rory did, so I didn't have to get into the van and drive away.  But I am the parent.  Lily kept asking to go back.  I said, sure, we could go back again many times.  After all, it is just spring, and we can go in the summer and fall.  She meant now.  No, not now.  Another day.  

So, we are home.  We snuggled on the couch and read books.  The kids are in bed.  It is cozy, here.  The puppy and the cat and the chickens are here.  My piano and books are here.  But sometimes I miss the open spaces, and the feeling of belonging to a place.  I can't let the kids go far without watching them.  You never know what could happen these days.  But I wonder how much they are missing by being so closely observed.  They are still young, and Lily is too little to be running around by herself, but Rory is about as old as I was when I would spend time just wandering.  I know he feels the loss, even if it's something he has never known.  He feels a pull toward the open spaces.  The time alone with his thoughts.  I hope he can find it somehow, even if he can't walk very far without turning around.  

Days Like This

Have you ever had "one of those days?"  This was one.  All of my great plans from yesterday went kaput.  Mike had to go to work early this morning, and was running late, so he couldn't take the dog out before he went.  I wasn't up yet, so he left her in the crate.  By the time I got up and got to her, she had two huge piles of poop, and had saturated her bed with urine.  She had also sat in the poop.  So I washed the dog, washed the crate, and put the bed and towels in the washing machine.  Then, Lily was up wanting her oatmeal, so I made that, and the kids and I started cleaning the house.  We got the living room cleaned and part of the playroom, and it was time to go to homeschool co-op.  On the way there, I noticed that the gas light was on in the van.  Then, I heard a beep which I realized was my cell phone losing battery power.  I shut the cell phone off, and prayed all the way to the gas station after co-op.  We did get to the gas station, and just got to the bank in time to cash my paycheck so I can get some groceries this weekend.  We went home, and got supper, and then Rory couldn't find his shirt for AWANA.  We finally found it when I remembered I had a pile of clothes which needed to be put away on the cedar chest at the end of the bed.  The whole thing makes me want to scream!

I'd like to blame a lot of things for creating this havoc, but I unfortunately have to take most of the credit, myself.  I woke up when Mike was getting ready for work, but it was more comfortable to stay in bed, so I did.  As a result, the puppy got worried about being left in her crate, and I fell back to sleep and slept too late.  I missed my quiet time with God, because by the time I got myself together, everything was already in full swing.  The house is a complete wreck because I have done a good job of ignoring it for the past week or so.  Having everyone sick was part of the problem, but I could have done more to get things back in order when we started feeling better.  If I had gotten gas yesterday when we were out, instead of waiting until today, we wouldn't have had that worry.  If I had shut my cell off when I got home last time, it wouldn't have run down.  I had managed to have Rory get his bag ready for AWANA this morning, but didn't think anything at all of his shirt.  Said shirt should have been hung up in his closet, anyway, instead of on my chest!  It would have been if I had put the laundry away, instead of piling it up all over the place.

I am so tired of living like this.  The Proverbs 31 woman is hiding her eyes, I am sure!  I know there has to be a better way.  I don't think my family and I were created to live in chaos all of the time.  I am praying that I find the way out of this mess, for me and my family.  My husband was so happy to see the living room clean when he got home.  I want to give that to him every day, not once in a while.  It would be great if he was also greeted with a clean rest of the house!  Even my clean desk is sporting a pile of papers.

I know that my heart has a part in all of this.  As I was thinking of ways to fix my problem, I could feel my spirit fighting against my own ideas.  It was like a physical pulling in my chest, with a voice in my head shouting "no!" like a two-year-old.  I have to get into a routine.  I don't know why this is such a hard thing for me, but I can feel myself rebelling against the very thought.  I guess I have some soul-searching to do, here.  There is that old saying "Where there's a will, there's a way."  I'm afraid in this case, my will is getting IN the way.  I am thinking of the words of Jesus, when he was asking if he could get out of going to the cross.  He ended his plea with a resigned "not my will, by thine be done."  This has to be my new prayer.  I am certain that the disarray in my life is not from God, as he is the God of order, not confusion.  The disorder and mess has to be coming from another source.  One of my friends has a tag on her phone that says "let go n/ let God" whenever she sends a text.  I have to remember this.  Also, the words of Scarlett O'Hara - "Tomorrow is another day!"

So, tomorrow is Saturday.  Baseball and piano lessons, then family night with pizza.  Starting with quiet time!  With God's help, I can.

Cooking with Kids

Rolling in the dough!

Cooking with kids is always an adventure.  I am blessed with two kids who really love to cook.  Lily's favorite thing to make is tortillas, seconded by bread.  She really loves to help me cook anything, and will pull a chair up to the counter any time she sees me getting food out.  She loves the processes of kneading, rolling, and shaping dough.  She also loves eating the results!

Artistic Presentation

Rory is the resident presentation expert.  While most of us would simply put the food on a plate, Rory's is always arranged.  This is his version of a fruit salad, shaped like a face!  As you can see, he also likes to be stylish while cooking, wearing Dad's apron and chef's hat.

Mix it up!

Rory is also the family chemist.  He loves mixing things together to see what they will become.  This has produced some interesting recipes, including "Italian Cereal," which basically includes every kind of cereal in the cupboard mixed together, as well as various other ingredients such as nuts and crackers.  In the recipe section of this blog, you can find Rory's recipes for Black Bean Soup and Liquid Ice, both developed by Rory, himself.


Cooking with kids is not always easy.  It is generally time consuming and messy, but it is definitely worth all of the trouble.  The sense of accomplishment they feel when they can tell Dad "I made this!" is worth all of the clean houses in the world.  As parents, we are required to train our children.  We should really be working ourselves out of a job!  Time spent teaching our kids to feed themselves will never be wasted, and the time we get to spend side by side with our kids, working together, is priceless.

Monday Morning Musings

Happy Monday, everyone!  I am up before the kids, so I'm enjoying a little quiet time before the day gets into full swing.  Last week was a hard, busy one for our family.  First of all, the kids and I all got sick.  We must have had the flu, because it hit full force and all of a sudden.  Rory didn't get out of bed at all on Tuesday, except to use the bathroom.  If you know Rory, you will realize how scary that was to watch!  He never lays down for that long.  I got sick at the same time, and then Lily started feeling bad, too.  Mike took the day off work on Wednesday so that I could rest.  That was a big help!  I wasn't well, but I'm sure I would have been worse without the extra sleep.  We are still all coughing and sneezing a bit, but the fevers and aches seem to be gone.

During all of this, Friday night was the AWANA Pinewood Derby.  If you don't know what this is, I will enlighten you.  It is a car race.  The kids get these little blocks of wood, and they have to make them into little wooden cars (about 5" long).  Then, on the night of the derby, a big track is set up.  Four cars race at a time, and each car races four times.  The track works by gravity.  It is raised at the starting end, and then swoops down to the finish.  There is a trigger mechanism which lets all four cars go at the same time, and an electronic eye at the other end which records the time for each car as it goes underneath.  Rory won two of his races, and came in 2nd on two more.  At the end of all of these races (there were about 40!), they find the cars with the four fastest scores, and they race for the trophies.  My goodness!  It was quite the big deal!  There were also prizes for design, and there were some really inventive cars.  Rory's favorite had Lego's mounted to the top.  Well, Rory didn't win a trophy, so he was a bit disappointed.  However, we went to McDonalds afterwards, which cheered him right up.

After the late night Friday, we all had to get up early on Saturday to go to the first day of Baseball!  Luckily it was relatively warm outside.  Rory was happy to find that he head the same coach as last year.  He really liked her!  They got their schedules, did some warm-ups, and played one "game" with each kid getting up to hit once.  Then it was over.  It was much too short for Rory.  He was having a good time.  Well, this is just the beginning.  We will be spending every Saturday there for the next three months!

Yesterday was church.  Mike went to Sunday School, but I let the kids sleep in so that they could get through church okay.  Lily still had a little trouble.  She just wasn't feeling well, yet.  I went out last night to get some groceries.

Today, it's drizzly outside.  We are staying home!  Hopefully we can all get better before the next whirlwind arrives.  We also have a bit of schoolwork to catch up on, since we missed a few days last week.  I'm relieved.  I have to submit my 3rd quarter report to the school with Rory's progress on Friday, so I need the time to get caught up.  I also need to get started on Lily's and my Easter dresses.  So, everyone have a great Monday!

The Home Keeper's Journal

In my kitchen this week …. I'm trying to keep my head above water (or dirty dishes).  Also trying to use up those leftovers - fewer leftovers in the fridge = less having to dump moldy food (my most despised job!)

Service is/is not something that is on my mind very much because … I have really not been focusing on service, lately.  This is a good reminder that I need to.  My focus has been drawn to crises and my own problems, but I need to start looking outside myself again.

There are times when my service seems ….. useless.  I can't tell if I am actually helping people or not.

I know I serve others when I ….. am seeing what others need, and am joyfully extending myself to help them.

My service to others is most like Jesus when …. It is done with no thought of myself.

Johnny Cash - Five Feet High And Rising

This about sums it up.  I'm up early after a late night of shoveling muck, bailing water, and trying to move everything to high ground.  We had a huge amount of rain which, combined with the melting snow, ended up in our basement.  The sump pumps are working, but weren't quite enough for the deluge last night.  On a good note, we got the basement cleaned a little more.  Lots of bags of garbage and soaked cardboard boxes went out the door.  On a bad note, I didn't want to be doing it at midnight.  I praise God that he prompted me to check on the basement before I went to bed.  The water was just starting to come in, then.  It would have been SO much worse to have noticed it after the fact.

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