Life on the Hilltop

Fleeting Glimpse of Joy

2012-01-23T10:54:00.007-06:00

There’s a way to wake up and not to live numb. The way to love life is to imagine losing it.

What an amazing idea. What a terrifying, amazing concept. To open the door, just a crack, just a glimpse, just enough to let in a shaft of light. An idea.

Life alone. Without the ones I love. Without the One I love.

To wake up to silence. Alone-ness. No doors closing. No showers running. No dishes left in the kitchen sink. No iron left on the bathroom counter. No ever dwindling pantry stores. No milk jug with less and less in it every day. No garage door opening at 6 every night. No mud tracked in on dirty boots. No pencils and papers laying around messy living rooms at the end of long days.

No more little things, daily rituals; no more. When I think of these things, when I open up that door of 'what could be' just a crack, I am flooded with gratefulness for what is.

The life I have; the noise, the expense, the hassles, the work, the PEOPLE; it is not just what brings me joy. It IS joy. They all are my joy.

When you wake to losing someone, you win love.

When you realize that what you have, you will lose — you win real eyes. You win grateful joy. ~ Ann Voskamp

When I stop to consider this moment, this time in my life, these people that I share it with; it's all temporary. We will all stand before our Creator alone. It is in this realization that true, pure, unadulterated thankfulness lives.

Joy Dare: Days 13-14

2012-01-14T09:51:00.008-06:00

Joy Dare by Ann Voskamp

3 sounds you hear
1. My boys and their dad laughing and working together. It makes my heart happy that my husband and 17 and 20 year old boys are friends and that they are strong of mind and body and can work together.

2. My daughter giggling in the back room with her friend that slept over last night. Praise the Lord for good friends for my children.

3. The sound of the coffee pot on a cold morning.

3 ways you glimpsed the startling grace of God

1. I have a pool! I have wanted a pool for such a long time. I can’t wait to jump into it! (when it warms up a bit!)

2. We’re going here this summer. To the white sandy beaches. I can’t wait to see the sunset over the ocean.

3. One of these men is my father in law and the other is my sister-in-law’s father. Both men spent their lives serving the Lord. Both men could have chosen to use their extreme intelligence to increase their own coffers, but instead chose to work for the Lord as Bible Translators, increasing His kingdom. Examples of what it looks like to be a great man of the Lord are all around me and my family. I am blessed.

For These I Am Grateful. Joy Dare: Day 12

2012-01-12T20:56:00.003-06:00

A warm, happy place on a cold, winter's night.

Violet, who really is the best dog ever.

And a fireplace...that will eventually be fixed and able to handle real flame.

Joy Dare: Days 9-11

2012-01-11T11:28:00.010-06:00

Day 9 - A gift in your hand, A gift you walked by, a gift you sat with.

In my hand? My iPhone. Don’t laugh. It seems somehow irreverent to be so thankful for an iPhone, but seriously, how cool is today’s technology? I read a funny quote yesterday, something like ‘One day, I will tell my grandchildren I am older than the internet and blow their minds’. It’s TRUE! What on earth did we do before there was the Great and Mighty Google?

A gift I walked by? Every day in my new home, I walk by my laundry room. Did you catch that? A laundry ROOM! It’s not a closet off the hallway. It’s its own ROOM! Never in the history of forever has anyone been more grateful for a laundry room, I don’t think. My daughter even made me a sign for my new laundry room and I put a little M&M tin next to it to catch all the loose change.

A gift I sat with? This one is easy. My father in law. Yesterday I took lunch to my in laws. No real reason, just because. My MIL was having a hard day, so I took them some soup and some flowers to brighten up her day. And for a few minutes while my mother in law was out, I chatted with my FIL.

He is quite ill, living with the after-effects of 25 years of brain cancer and the damage the cancer itself and the treatment has caused. He can barely hear you or be heard himself, so those few minutes of quiet I spent with him were sweet. We had a rare moment of communication.

When my first son was born, 20 years ago we gave him the middle name of his grandfather, assuming that this would be the only grandchild he would ever meet. The doctors had not given him long to live. That was 20 years, 10 grandchildren and one great grandchild ago. Every day with my FIL simply being present on this earth, is a gift.

Day 10

A gift that’s sour, A gift that’s sweet, a gift that’s just right.

Sour? Humm. That’s a hard one for me. I don’t like sour. Literally or metaphorically, but I guess without the sour in juxtaposition to the sweet, we would not appreciate how wonderful the sweet really is.

Sweet? Hello? Chocolate! I cannot imagine a life without chocolate.

Just right?
This. This family God gave me. I would have chosen differently, probably. I wanted more children, but God said ‘No. This is just right.' And it is. Just right.

Day 11

Three yellow things that strike you as fresh mercy.

I LOVE yellow!

When we moved into this house I knew I wanted yellow somewhere. Yellow is happy, yellow is bright, yellow is cheery. You can’t be sad in a yellow room. Yellow will not allow sadness. I painted our dining room yellow. It was purple when we bought the house.

This room makes me happy.

We've had a few dreary days here so I picked up some yellow tulips the other day to bring a little cheer to the house. Tulips are my favorite flower and yellow tulips are like sunshine in a vase!

And, of course, the best yellow of all…

Joy Dare; Day 8

2012-01-08T12:03:00.004-06:00

A light that caught you, a reflection that surprised you, a shadow that fell lovely.

The sunrise, new every morning. The reflection of the trees in the still, morning, pool. The shadows falling over the sun-golden field. Gods Beauty. It felt like He did it just for me on this morning.

Lamentations 3: 22-23

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed,
for his compassions never fail.
They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.

Joy Dare: Day 7

2012-01-07T12:18:00.010-06:00

Three Graces From People You Love…

Definition of Grace
A Basic Definition—lexical

The Greek word for grace is caris. Its basic idea is simply “non-meritorious or unearned favor, an unearned gift, a favor or blessings bestowed as a gift, freely and never as merit for work performed.”

Sticking with the traditional definition of ‘Grace’ I’m going to answer today’s Joy Dare with 3 literal gifts I have received from family.

1. After moving into our new and long awaited home, my Sister in Law, Ruthie, gave me this plaque. It sits on my windowsill just above my sink. Every time I see it, I can’t help but hum the old hymn. What a gift. It points me to my Lord with these words…

"Great is Thy faithfulness!" "Great is Thy faithfulness!"
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
All I have needed Thy hand hath provided—
"Great is Thy faithfulness," Lord, unto me!

2. Another ‘house warming’ gift I received was the literal gift of warmth. My sister and her family gave us this fire pit when they came over on Christmas Eve, one week exactly after we’d moved in. They even brought firewood so we could light it right up and enjoy the God-given warmth of fire, and the heart-warmth of family gathered around it.

3. The next Grace I received from people I loved is the gift of laughter from my family. We have some strange and silly traditions in this family.

First, my Mother in Law is quite the jokster. She has bought every family member (and then some!) a gnome. Our gnomes are of the roaming variety. She tends to move them around to odd places when she’s here visiting. Other, younger, members of the family have joined in the game and now my gnome ends up in some very odd palces. This is where I found Harold the Roaming Gnome after my twin nephews left the other day.

(The PukPuk is up at the top of the window. Sorry, not the best shot.)

Second, we have the odd tradition of ‘The Golden PukPuk’ . PukPuk is Iatmul for Crocodile. Iatmul is a language group in Papua New Guinea. My In-Law’s translated the Bible into their laughage. When they came home from New Guinea, they brought several artifacts including many PukPuks. This particular PukPuk was painted gold and somehow finds its way into the newest house in the family. I turned around one day after getting something out of my pantry and lo’ and behold, there was the Golden PukPuk. He was last residing in my Brother-in-Law Eric’s house, so I suspect Eric helped it find its way to my window. It makes me smile every time I see it.

And finally, my other Sister-in-Law Rachel gave me this sign. She bought it a while back and held onto it for a long time in faith that one day I’d have an actual laundry ROOM to put it in. Now I do. I love it. Also, I am really hoping NO ONE takes the sign seriously. That could be awkward.

I love my family. My side, my husband’s side, and those we’ve grafted in. My cup overfloweth.

(January's Joy Dare Daily List)

Day 6, Joy Dare.

2012-01-06T10:26:00.007-06:00

One thing in your bag, your fridge, your heart.

My Bag…

See that green thing in the corner of my bag? That’s my daughter’s epi pen. She’s fatally allergic to all dairy. I carry one and she carries one. There is one in the car, several in the house, one at the church, basically there is one everywhere she spends any time. She is almost 13. She’s only had to have it administered once. She’s had shots of epinephrine several times at the ER when she’s had a reaction but only once did she have to have the epi pen used on her.

I am grateful for that. I remember being completely overwhelmed when I was told my 4th child had an anaphylactic allergy to dairy. I’d already set up how we eat in this family, with the other children, and it involved a LOT of dairy. The panic. How would I feed this child, how would I keep her safe? Dairy is EVERYWHERE. She’ll never have a normal life. You know what? She has a totally normal life. It’s not such a big deal at home anymore. We’ve figured it out. She’s figured it out. I still panic sometimes when she’s in a new environment or away from me for a long period, but I’m learning to leave it with the Lord. Only He can take care of her anyway.

My Fridge…

Well, just the fact that I have two fridges makes me giddy with happiness! We lived in a small space for such a long time. One small fridge, a tiny pantry; so tiny in fact, that Annika pointed out yesterday that the cabinet in my bathroom is as big as our old pantry.

Now I can really stock up. I can have enough food around to not have to go to the grocery every other day (I wish that were an exaggeration, I was literally at the grocery store every other day). There is something that makes me feel a little safe, content, happy, when my pantry and fridge are filled; like I have all that is necessary to provide healthy meals for my family. That is one of the most basic jobs of the mom after-all. Fill their bellies.

My heart…

That’s easy. This is my heart. My family. My children.

It now goes out into the world and walks around. Drives. Rides motorcycles. Works in unsafe environments. Makes choices for itself and how it will live this life God has given it, outside my body.

As Elizabeth Stone so aptly put it… “Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body”

Go here to see January's Daily Joy Dare

1000 Gifts: It begins.

2012-01-05T18:50:00.010-06:00

I know, I know. Have I been living under a rock?

One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp

I am just now getting to this book. To be frank, I don't like self-help style books, Christian or otherwise. They bug me. The whole name of the genre is off. SELF help. If I can do it myself, why do I need your book, or program, or snake oil... (Cynical much, you ask.)

The Ladies Bible Study I'm a part of has chosen this book to study. We are to read one chapter a week and then we are going to discuss it. I snatched up the book when I had a couple of minutes between the chaos and the noise. I am a fast reader; I'll just skim the first chapter. Um, yeah. Those of you who've already read the book can stop laughing now. I got maybe 2 pages in. You cannot skim Ann Voskamp's book. You must absorb it. Her language is poetic, her topics deep. You must slow down and digest every word.

After making it through most of the first chapter I've decided I need to participate. So here we go. Days 1 - 5

1. Three things about yourself you are grateful for.
(ah, starting off with the hardest! YIKES) I guess...that I love fiercely, I feel deeply, and I am working on loving without condition.

2. A gift outside, inside, on a plate.

Outside...

God has given me a new view to gaze upon. I am so terribly thankful.

Inside...

I am so thankful for a new, soft thing for under my feet.

On a plate...

I am grateful for the realization that I am far from perfect and I am so thankful God has given me the ability to laugh at myself.

3. 3 lines you overheard that were grace.

Overheard in the store between a hunched over old man and what was obviously his daughter helping him shop..

"We're going so slowly, I'm sorry it's taking so long."
"Don't worry dad, there is nowhere else I'd rather be." Said as she patted his hand. It brought tears to my eyes. I am thankful love like this still exists and I got to see it in action today.

4. One gift old, new and blue.

This photo contains all of the above. My sweet sister in law popped over today to bring me these blue plates and white and blue frame that she had on display in her old home, but that she has not found a spot for in her new one. She knew I wanted blue plates to put on my newly yellow walls. In the photo is my husband’s grandmother; a lovely woman, now living with the Lord. I am grateful to have married into such an amazing Christian family heritage, and I'm blessed to have sisters in law who are also my friends.

5. Something you're reading, you’re making, you’re seeing.
I'm reading through this One Thousand Gifts book with purposefulness. I WILL learn to be more grateful. I'm making progress. I'm seeing hope.

The Mystery of the Sudsy Septic System

2012-01-04T09:59:00.003-06:00

I got up with Dave this morning to enjoy a cup of coffee before he left for work. I glanced out of my back window while drinking my coffee; I love to do this in the early morning. I am usually greeted with the happy sounds of goats (baby goats even!) frolicking around in the field behind our house, birds chittering and flying about, and Violet running around the yard chasing bunnies. Not so this morning. This morning I was greeted by a sudsy mass seeping out around the cement cover of our septic system. I’m new to this whole septic system business, but I was pretty sure that was not supposed to happen.

Dave left for work, laughing and saying “Have fun with that.” Nice. Such a helper he is. I called the company that is responsible for our septic upkeep. The man I spoke to chuckled and said he’d never seen that before. Really? They’ve been in business for over 30 years! We’ve been the owners of a septic system for less than one month and we’ve already created an anomaly. Super. He said he’d be out to check it sometime this afternoon.

I thought about it and realized the only recent change was new laundry soap. I’d recently purchased some of the ultra concentrated variety. When all the kids got up I asked them if anyone had done laundry the night before. Yes, said Annika. Turns out, she put in 2 caps full instead of the ½ cap full that she should have. Uhh, yeah. I think that’ll do it.

I called the guy back and told him that I don’t think he needed to come out after-all. The suds were dissipating and the problem had been solved. WAY too much ultra concentrated laundry soap (and perhaps a mom that needs to pay more attention! Apparently Annika ALWAYS uses 2 caps full! NO WONDER we’re going through laundry soap so fast!) He chuckled some more and told me to call him back if we have any other problems.

Well, at least I brought a little laughter to someone’s day and I bet the inside of my septic tanks are clean, soft, and smell of lavender.

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T11:01:00.001-06:00

Of Sunrises and Sewer Smells

2011-12-22T08:35:00.010-06:00

I woke up early this morning and made coffee. While the coffee was brewing I looked out my large kitchen window and could hardly stand the beauty outside.

The tall grass in the field behind our house seemed to be made of gold standing there as it was covered in frost with the suns first rays shinning through its blades.

I took my freshly brewed cup of coffee and went and sat out on my back patio, marveling at the beauty that surrounded me. I am so blessed to live in this place.

As the sun made its way over the horizon, the mist started rising up off the ground and the pool. It was a sight to behold.

There was no sound except the birds chattering. It’s so quiet out here. Even Violet seemed to appreciate the majesty of the moment, and just sat and looked, and listened.

I sat for a while, in awe, marveling at God’s creation.

Then I heard a faint sound. A car or truck, perhaps? It got louder and finally, I could tell it was in my driveway. These guys. Here to fix the septic tank. At 8 am. Killing my ambiance.

Now, a mere 30 minutes later I sit in my living room, drinking my coffee to the sounds of men yelling, machinery running, and the smell of sewer in the air.

I could do nothing but laugh at the juxtaposition of these two situations.

I guess a properly working septic system is worth the loss of solitude…and the smell.

Merry Christmas

2011-12-16T15:22:00.003-06:00

We are moving to this house...

Tomorrow...

The Saturday before Christmas...

Yes, I am insane, why do you ask?

Merry CrAzY Christmas Everyone!

In the last two weeks… (And this is only the highlights folks.)

2011-11-30T09:23:00.007-06:00

This is the entire crew we had at our family gathering. Everyone except my Father in Law. He was not feeling well and went home. It was interesting feeding this many people but many hands do indeed make light work, and my sister in law who headed it all up is amazing. It was fun.

And now...the reason my hair is falling out and I am bleary-eyed.

1. We were scheduled to close on our house and the one we are buying.

2. We have packed pretty much the entire house and have a stack of boxes almost to the ceiling waiting to be packed with the rest of the stuff.

3. The loan for the people who are buying our place hit a snag.

4. The loan for the people who are buying our place came to a complete halt.

5. My husband had to get involved with their loan guy to get some documents about an easement behind our house (The same easement that was not at all an issue when we bought the house btw) so they could get their loan.

6. We are still waiting on one document from the notoriously slow power company, so they can resume the loan process, and we can resume the loan process on the house we are buying.

7. All the contracts expire Friday. Cut it close much?

8. My Sister was diagnosed with a rare and scary form of peritoneal cancer. Major surgery was scheduled and a LOOOOONNGG recovery assumed.

9. My aunt was diagnosed with a brain tumor and major surgery was scheduled.

10. My uncle (not the one married to the above aunt) had a heart attack.

11. Thanksgiving happened. Much cooking.

12. My sister’s surgery happened and there was NO cancer. Miraculous. Recovery not so long now.

13. My aunts tumor was benign.

14. My uncle only had a ‘small’ heart attack, they got to the hospital in time and he is now home resting comfortably, albeit with a sack full of new medications and a long list of must do’s and must not do’s.

15. I have taken up drinking.

16. Just kidding on that last one.

17. Kinda.

Why I'm twitchy with grey hair.

2011-11-07T06:05:00.001-06:00

I received an email last week saying the college campus one of my sons was on, was on lockdown. I promptly texted my son to see if he was okay.

This is why I have grey hair and a permanent twitch.

Teenagers!

Oh happy day.

2011-11-04T12:00:00.003-06:00

We got some good news on the house front yesterday. I’ll spare you all the details, (you’re welcome) but basically, after some back and forth, we agreed on a revised contract with the sellers on the house we want. They did not come down as far as we were asking, but they came down far enough to make my husband happy. We should close on both houses around the end of November. We may move right away or we may wait a few weeks depending on how long the repairs take.

I am very excited!

We’re going from this little, tiny house…

…to this not so little, tiny house with LAND!

When I stand outside my current house, I can hear the highway. When I stand outside my new house, I can hear the sound of goats and sheep in the field behind the house.

I like the sound of goats and sheep much, much better.

Hahahaha!

2011-10-29T11:34:00.002-05:00

A little funny for your Saturday morning.

Oh the stress of it all!

2011-10-27T13:28:00.005-05:00

Buying and selling a house is a wee bit stressful. So stressful that I have had a flair up of shingles. Seriously? I thought I was handling it all fine, but apparently my body thought otherwise.

Our house sale is moving right along. That's nice. A lovely young couple is buying it. I actually knew him growing up, though not well. His parents are quite a bit older than Dave and I, and their kids (this young man and his older siblings) are younger than us, but not so young as to be the same ages as our children. Even though we all grew up in the same church, we've never run in the same circles.

He is military, and she seems like a sweet young lady. They have one toddler and another on the way (I think. No way am I asking though!)

All things related to the sale are progressing. The house we want to buy? Notsomuch. We got the inspection report yesterday. Seems the septic system is a mess. It's leaking, it's against code, and it even has unresolved violations on file with the city! EEEK! The chimney is also falling in internally, and will need extensive work to make it usable.

So we're re negotiation the contract. We're asking them to significantly lower the price of the house to cover the cost of repairing the fireplace and replacing the septic. There are other small issues; minor drainage issues, windows that have a leaking seal, etc. But we're not really worried about that. It's not a new house, we expected some minor repairs. But replacing a septic? That's major.

The price to fix/replace those two things is huge. If they don't agree to lower the price to cover it, we'll have to walk away. This makes me sad, but I don't want to buy a house and then have to drop huge money to fix it. NOt at the price they're asking.

So...our house could sell by the middle of Nov and we may have no place to live. We may end up staying in our RV until we find something. OH SWEET MERCY I hope that does not happen. But if it does, it does. What can you do?

Buying and selling a house is not for pansies, that's for sure.

Family Photos!

2011-10-18T09:55:00.005-05:00

Last weekend my family and I had our photos taken. It was REALLY time for a family photo.

Misty Colvard Photography did our little photo session. This is a little sneek peek of her work. It was so much fun to have them done. She got some slightly grumpy, I-have-better-things-to-do-than-have-my-photo-taken teenagers to smile and look happy!

This was our last family photo. Holy cow, why do children grow so fast!?

This is one of the photos Misty took. She even got the dog to look alert and interested!

Um, yeah. I think it was time for a new family photo.

I can't wait to see the rest!

If you're anywhere near the Dallas area, give Misty a call! She did a great job! (and I've only seen a sneak peek of our photo session!)

The Number 3 and the Letter H

2011-10-16T15:54:00.008-05:00

Today’s post is brought to you by the number 3 and the letter H.

The number 3 is for how many contracts we’ve had on our house. The first 2 have fallen through due to the inability for the potential buyer to get financing.

We expect to be receiving the 3rd contract Monday or Tuesday.

The letter H is for the Hope we feel that this is the one. That the 3rd time’s the charm. Please, please let the 3rd time be the charm!

The reason we are Holding out such Hope is the other reason this post is being brought to you by the letter H.

House.

This House.

The House with this living room.

The House with this kitchen.

But mostly the House with this backyard.

With this pool in it.

I want this House.

Holding out High Hopes this 3rd contract will be the one so we can get this House.

This post was brought to you by the number 3 and the letter H.

New Shows. What's Worth Your Time?

2011-10-12T09:30:00.006-05:00

Last night Sir D and I watch Last Man Standing on ABC.

Frankly, my expectations were very low. I set the DVR to record most of the new shows that came out this fall. I didn’t even know what most of them were about, but I figured we’d watch the first episode and decide. Well, most of the shows didn’t make the cut. In fact, most of the shows didn’t make it past the first 15 minutes! Sheesh there is a lot of trash out there!

In the first few minutes of Last Man Standing, I was not sure if it was going to make the cut. There was an annoying laugh track in the back ground. I hate that. It’s distracting. But here’s the thing, after the first few minutes, either the laugh track went away or I was laughing so hard I didn’t notice it anymore. Seriously, this show was hilarious! And also it was a little refreshing. The man in this show is not stupid. The show is not all about making the man look stupid! I mean, yeah, there are stereotypes, and they exploit them to get a laugh, but they do it for all the characters, not just the man.

The whole premise is that there is a Mom and Dad and three daughters. One daughter is working as a waitress and has a toddler (a boy) and no husband. The other daughters are in high school, one is sporty and one is very girly. The Dad is a very manly dad who works in a sporting goods store. His daughters are dating girly men who get pedicures, can’t change a tire, etc. The Dad is wondering where all the real men have gone. He starts a Vlog for the sporting goods store (at his boss’s request) but instead of being about the things they sell, it usually ends up being about the girly men.

I hope this show lasts. It’s funny. The family really loves each other. The parents love each other. Yes, they poke fun at stereotypes, but somehow it’s different. I am so tired of watching shows that make strong men look stupid.

This show was just want Sir D and I needed last night. A good, hard laugh!

Christ, the Ferocious Lion

2011-09-30T11:48:00.004-05:00

My son Gunnar has a friend named Bethany who is an incredibly talented artist. She has, at 16, already sold several of her pieces at galleries. She's amazing.

She drew this photo for my son. It's a huge photo. probably 15" by 15".

Gunnar wrote this about the Lion.

For the LORD your God is going with you! He will fight for you against your enemies, and he will give you victory! -Deuteronomy 20:4

In my mind, this is what Christ looks like when he is fighting for us. Not some soft cuddly cat, but a ferocious lion defending His children.

Amazing. Both Gunnar's thoughts and Bethany's art.

I thought you all might like it too.

Some Easy Yummy

2011-09-24T13:28:00.005-05:00

Today I did something I found out about on Pinterest. This is really something blogworthy. Normally, I look at all the crafty things on there and go, "Cool! I'll do that someday!" and of course, never do it.

Today I made these! Okay, I know, it's not that amazing. Baby steps.

I took some eggs, some pre cooked breakfast sausage, and added some onions and salt and pepper. If we didn't have a dairy allergy, I'd add shredded cheese.

You mix it all up and then put them into (WELL OILED) muffin tins. Bake at 350 for 15 to 20 min.

Then pop them out and freeze!

When you're ready for breakfast, pop them into the microwave to defrost and then put it in an English muffin or a bagel and smush them down a bit to break it up. Instant, easy, and cheap Egg and sausage muffins!

See? All that time spent perusing Pinterest was not wasted!

Spinning, Spinning, Spinning.

2011-09-13T16:10:00.005-05:00

School has started here on the Hilltop. We are in full swing. EMT classes, Community College classes, Co op classes, homeschool classes, jobs, youth group and bears OH MY!

Every year, when we start our school it's as if someone picks up the top that is my school and sets it to spinning. We wobble around a bit here and there at first, but eventually we find our pace and things even out.

You'd think that as long as I have been doing this I'd be used to it, but every year is different and every year it seems the schedule gets more and more crazy.

I am no longer in control of the schedule. Bryce is a grown up now. He has his own life and works hard and is taking EMT classes. He comes and goes. Sometimes I remember where he is, sometimes I don't.

Gunnar is taking classes at co op, and the local community college, getting private tutoring and meeting weekly with his Anatomy lab partner. Oh, and he runs his own landscaping business and works afternoons for a local Auto Shop.

They drive themselves and run their own schedules. Sometimes, I have to really think to remember where they are. (Yes, please, I'd love the 'Mother of The Year' award)

It's been 3 weeks and the spinning is starting to level out. It's getting a little easier when I wake up in the morning for me to remember where my boys are.

We're falling into a rhythm. It's a crazy rhythm, but it's a rhythm none the less.

Never Forget, Again.

2011-09-11T09:59:00.003-05:00

***This is a repost from last year. There really is nothing more to say. Every year that goes by more changes, and yet so much more stays the same.***

A few months ago Gunnar and I watched a Nova program about 9/11. This was the first time he’s ever really gotten to see the extent of what happened that horrid day so many years ago. He was just a little boy of 7 when it actually happened. He and the other kids were too young to understand so Dave and I tried to shield them from as much of the media coverage as we could.

But this day, a few months ago, he saw it all. He was very quiet as he watched. At one point during the program they show a single firefighter standing on a giant pile of rubble. The sky was grey from all the dust and this firefighter stood on what was once a building, but was now just a pile of cement and debris. It was as if he was standing on the moon. There was no background noise, which is strange for New York. No cabs driving, no people talking, no horns honking, there was only one sound. An erie, high pitched sound that I didn’t recognize.

Gunnar looked up at me and said “That sound is the alarms on the SCBA tanks the Fireman wear.” That firefighter was standing on who knows how many bodies of his fallen brothers. Their alarms still ringing, and there was nothing he could do but stand and listen.

It made me cry. It still makes me cry just to think of it. It was the most haunting thing I’ve seen in my lifetime.

President Obama, and all other presidents who follow, please, we can NEVER forget. We can never forget, in the name of tolerance, that there is an entire group of zealots out there that wish us all dead. They’d happily give up their own lives to see America destroyed.

Let’s not put politics over America’s safety. Over my children’s safety. I don’t ever want it to be my sons who are standing on a pile of rubble listening to the sounds of their fallen brothers.

“Time is passing. Yet, for the United States of America, there will be no forgetting September the 11th. We will remember every rescuer who died in honor. We will remember every family that lives in grief. We will remember the fire and ash, the last phone calls, the funerals of the children. “
- President George W. Bush, November 11, 2001

Year 15.

2011-09-02T09:12:00.002-05:00

One week into the school year and I can see it’s going to be an interesting one. It’s been a little like Grand Central Station here at Hilltop Academy. Bryce the College Boy is taking EMT classes Monday and Wednesdays, and then he works all day for a Construction Company Tuesday, Thursday, and Friday (and sometimes even Saturday).

Gunnar has classes at the local community college for duel credit on Tuesday and Thursday and he has afternoon co op classes on Thursday. He also works every afternoon (except Thursday when he’s at co op) for a local auto shop. He also runs his own landscaping business which he works on, on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings. (When does he do his homework, you might ask? Excellent question!)

Evelyn has classes on Tuesday and Thursday at our co op, and she does not drive, so I am up at the church where the co op meets twice a week this year.

So far nothing for Annika, but she’s really pushing for voice lessons which will be another thing to add to our calendar. Seriously, I need charts and graphs to keep up with everyone’s whereabouts!

I always feel like a terrible mother when someone asks me where Gunnar is and I have NO idea. He is still under 18. I really should have some idea of where he is. I usually have to think about what day it is and what his normal schedule is and guess. Good thing he’s a good, responsible kid!

I guess this is what homeschooling looks like it the upper grades. No more sitting on the couch together reading books. Or sitting around the table with our paper and pencils. Now our education takes place here, there and everywhere!

I think this new school year, our 15th, is going to be a crazy one. Good. But crazy!

Using My Powers For Good

2011-08-26T08:16:00.005-05:00

Social media is a blessing and a curse. One of the benefits of social media is that the regular guy has a voice. A powerful one. We can put out there, in Cyber Land, a complaint about something and have a real impact on their sales or enact a change in policy. For instance, I have stated several times how chapped I am that the City of Dallas has lowered trash pick up to only once a week. Do you think my bill was cut in half? Um that would be a NO. And when I asked them about getting another can because ours is ALWAYS overflowing now, they said that would be an extra $10 charge. So I'm still on the Bad City Of Dallas bandwagon.

The problem is, often we get wonderful customer service and we don't say anything. We get a company that goes above and beyond and we just move on to the next thing in our day. But I don't think that's fair. If we're going to put our complaints out there in Cyber Land, then we should put our compliments too.

Back in May, I bought this from Christian Book Distributors to help me teach Annika math this year. I bought it back in May because that is when Saxon has their big sale. Once I got it, I stuck it in a box with the rest of the stuff for the next school year and didn't think about it again.

When I pulled that box out to organize and prepare to start school on Monday I realized that Christian Book Distributors had sent me the wrong thing. They sent this...

It had been WAY past their 30 day return policy. I no longer had the paperwork that went with this order. I only had the order # that I got by getting online and going to 'My Account'. This was an expensive item and I really didn't want to buy it twice. How did I not notice 3 months ago it was the wrong product? UGH!

I called CBD and told them they had sent me the wrong product...back in May. The lady I spoke to asked for the order # and told me it would be no problem, they'd send the correct product right out, and I could just stick the wrong product back in the box, affix the return postage sticker to it and send it back. No charge. AND she even asked me when we were starting school and how soon I needed the product so she could be sure to choose the proper shipping to ensure I had it when I needed it.

WOW.

I was so terribly impressed with CBD.

I just thought you all should know.

Oh, and one other little known secret when dealing with CBD. Often if you call them and ask them if they have any coupon codes available currently, they will give you a one time, free shipping code. I've done that several times.

So there you have it. Today I chose to use my social media powers for good. Now if I could just get the City of Dallas to give me another trash can...

Today I Point You Elsewhere

2011-08-24T13:16:00.002-05:00

I posted some homeschool stuff at my homeschool blog today. Because that's what it's for, after all.

GO. Check it out. It's riveting.

The Homeschooling Review

Annnndddd here we go.

2011-08-22T10:59:00.005-05:00

I am getting off the sauce. Yep, I have an addiction, a terrible one. I started drinking when I was very little and it quickly became a 2 or 3 a day habit.

Yep, you guessed it. I am addicted to Diet Coke. Actually, to be more precise, Coke Zero is my drink of choice, but Diet Coke will do in a pinch.

I have known for a while that it was time to quit, but I was avoiding it. I don't think Diet Coke is evil or anything, I just think I was drinking too much of it, and not enough of anything else healthy. Not to mention, I read some things that concerned me about theories on Diet drinks leaching out Vitamin D and Calcium. EVERY time I go to the Doctor I am told I am very low on Vitamin D. It's odd because I take a boat load of Vitamin D and I try to get some sun every day. And yet...low. It makes me wonder if it's the Diet Coke.

Today is day 3 of no soda. I started with the headaches last night. I didn't expect the headaches because I'm not going off caffeine, just the diet drinks. I had a cup of tea instead. It did nothing for the headache. So this should be super fun.

Hi, my name is Tricia and I have a problem...

Finding Joy in the Small Things

2011-08-19T15:44:00.005-05:00

I had to go get a few new keys made last week. Now that all the kids have such busy social lives, I really need for all of them to have a key to the house. No one wants to be locked out when it's 107 outside!

I went to Walmart to do this chore, and I saw this.

It was $4 instead of the .87¢ you pay for a regular key. I bought 3 regular keys and the green one for $4. I love green. Green makes me happy. I spent an extra $3.13 to have a little happy hanging on my keychain.

It makes me smile every time I have to use my keys. I think it was well worth it.

Letting Them Grow Up

2011-08-18T11:20:00.004-05:00

I like that title. It implies that we have a choice. That if we don’t like it, we can somehow stop it. Today is one of those days that I realized that my little boys are not little boys anymore, but men. And pretty darn amazing ones at that.

We got word last night that a missionary family that is good friends of ours was having a problem. Their 3rd son was visiting their 1st son, who is married and living in Alabama. On his way home, 3rd Son’s car died in Eastern LA, about 300 miles away from home. The family has one car already down and does not currently have the funds to fix it. The Wife and Son #4 were planning to drive the 5 hours to go get Son #3 and tow back the broken car on a car dolly attached to their Toyota minivan (currently their only working car).

I told this to Sir D and his immediate response was “Call them and tell them to take the Excursion.” My Excursion is a diesel and is made for towing. A little Toyota minivan is not.

I then called Gunnar. I told him of the situation and he said, “No prob, Mom. Tell Mrs. Missionary that Son #4 and I can do it.”

So my Gunnar, and Son #4 (who is a lifelong friend of Gunnar’s) drove off at 4am to go pick up Son #3 and his car and tow it back home.

The amazing thing to me about this is that Gunnar didn’t hesitate for a second. Even though today is the day he makes the most $. He handed his mowing work off to a friend, and he is missing an afternoon at work at the Auto Shop (the boss was okay with it). All tolled, I think he’s missing out on making about $100 today. $100 he really needs to get his motorbike up and running again and various other things. But he didn’t blink. His friend was in need and he jumped at the chance to help even though it meant lost wages and getting up a 4 am to drive for 10 hours.

It makes a momma proud.

Back to Reality: Or At Least Thinking About Getting Back To Reality

2011-08-16T11:11:00.004-05:00

I just spent a ton of money on books and curriculum. I thought having the kids grow up and start taking classes outside of the house would be less expensive. I don't know why I thought that. I must be delusional.

Two of my kids are taking college classes. DO NOT get me started on the college textbook racket! Last year Gunnar was required to buy a brand new, just published, book for his English 1302 class. They did not crack the spine of that book all year. Not once. Then when we went to sell it back to the bookstore they said they were no longer using that book and would not buy it back. It was like flushing $80 down the toilet! Okay, sorry, I got started.

I also have my Evelyn taking most of her academic classes at the co op so she needs several books. At least they are not college books.

Not to mention my own homeschool curriculum. YIKES!

I two more weeks before school starts around here. Two more weeks.

Goodbye summer.

Colorado, the End

2011-08-15T10:22:00.009-05:00

The last place we stayed in CO was near Creede. I have been forbidden from giving out the actual location of our camping spot by Sir D. He found it by some fluke. I think someone at work told him about it. To say it’s off the beaten path would be an understatement. This is apparently proprietary information that I am not allowed to reveal, lest people start showing up in droves and destroy the solitude.

This was our first foray into “rough camping”. Now to some of you, “rough camping” might mean a tent and sleeping bags and cooking over an open fire. To me, “rough camping” means we have no electricity, and no water or sewer hook ups, and we have to use our generator. I know. I live a charmed life.

Rough camping is a bit tricky when you are used to RVing. You have to really think about what you are going to cook. You can’t really use the crock pot unless you are going to have the generator running all day. We did a fair bit of grilling and I could cook over the stove as it is propane operated.

We can really only go for 3 days “rough camping” because we run out of water in the tanks. But for those 3 days, it is glorious.

This was the road that lead us deep into the mountains to the spot where we camped. I had to get out and take a photo of this sign.

We came from Texas. In Texas if you through a cigarette out of your window, you will start a huge conflagration that could burn down an entire city, it is SO dry. So this made me laugh. It rained at least a few minutes every single day we were in CO. When I took this photo, the sky was full of rain clouds, the ground was wet and muddy, oh yeah, and it was raining! But the fire danger was ‘HIGH’. Methinks they might need to revamp their system for determining the fire threat.

We drove down this road for a while. A very long while. It was muddy in spots, it was bouncy, it was curvy and also a bit scary.

But this is what we saw…

And this was our campsite. It was so beautiful it was almost hard to take it in!

(Yes, that is Violet the Dog in a chair. She has her own camping chair. Violet the Dog also leads a charmed life.)

Seriously, this was the view form the door of the RV. What more could you ask for?

The river that ran through the area was right our our site. You could hear the rushing water all night long.

We had an amazing time at this camping spot. There was no WiFi, no 3G service, and no electricity. We played cards, we talked, we laughed. It was just wonderful. This is a place we will definitely be going back too. I could post about 20 more photos of hte beauty we saw there, but a photo just really does not do it justice.

One morning, I woke up early for some reason (VERY not like me) and went outside. I stoked up the fire (because it was gloriously COLD!) and I sat outside watching the sun coming up over the mountains, listening to the river rush through the campsite and reading my bible.

Wow.

A Little Pretty

2011-08-13T09:57:00.003-05:00

Evelyn made me this for my birthday. She' is a very talented artist. I love it when she creates me a gift.

Homeschool Stuff

2011-08-11T11:18:00.002-05:00

For my homeschooling friends. I have a post up over on my Homeschooling Review Blog about what we are using next year, if you are interested.

Change-Up

2011-08-11T09:33:00.002-05:00

I'm changing up a few things on my Homeschool Review Blog. I'll post my homeschool stuff over there, not just reviews. So if you're interested in what's going on at Hilltop Academy, pop on over!

Colorado Trip Part 2. Sort of.

2011-08-10T12:07:00.017-05:00

I started telling you of our little Colorado adventure in the middle. I don’t know why. That is how my brain works. Haphazardly.

On our way through NM to Colorado, we stopped at Capulin Volcano National Monument.

It’s kinda the first major elevation change we come too. We stopped there 4 years ago on our first trip and took this photo.

This is the one we took this time.

I think maybe we’ve all gotten a little bigger, even those of us who really shouldn’t have gotten any bigger…

Capulin is a nice stop over.

It’s a good place to have a picnic on your travels up to CO. There are some truly amazing vistas from up there.

My advice is to stop before you hit the Rockies and not after. Capulin is very impressive when you are coming up from flat ol’ Texas but after leaving the Rockies…well, notsomuch!

We stayed at an RV park near The Great Sand Dunes National Park. That was our first camping spot in CO. We’ve been there before, so we didn’t spend a great deal of time on the dunes, but the kids went and had a blast. Even the big kids.

This is my two boys and a cousin (sort of, he’s my sister in law’s sisters boy, but we call him cousin. TMI? Sorry.) running down the dunes.

That’s the thing I love about The Dunes. They really are fun for everyone.

Because we’d already been to the Dunes, we didn’t stay long. When everyone was done on The Dunes, we drove to The Colorado Gator Farm. It was something to behold. Think traveling sideshow.

(Annika got a certificate for holding the gator, that the gator bit and left teeth marks in as his official seal. She thought that was pretty darn cool.)

There were gators EVERYWHERE!

I suspect this is the place they send injured gators or gators that have been found and cannot be released back into the wild for whatever reason. I’m not sure I’d go back, it was a little odd, but it was fun doing it once. You can even pay to wrestle a gator if you are so inclined. We were not so inclined. Definitely a fun one-time stop.

Oddly enough, this was my birthday, so I got to spend my birthday at the Great Sand Dunes and the Colorado Gator Farm. Not many people can say that, I suspect.

(The kids realized we didn't have any candles in the RV so they improvised with twisty ties and toothpicks. Pretty resourceful, I'd say!)

Colorado Part 1

2011-08-09T08:30:00.013-05:00

My family has been in CO on vacation with some other family members and some dear friends. Here is the whole group.

Okay, actually, this is the whole group minus me, the frady-cat. I can handle a lot of things but I don't like severe thunderstorms (hay! I'm a Kansas girl, those thunderstorms carry tornadoes and those can kill ya!) and I don't like spiders, I mean really don't like. Like maybe a wee bit phobic, and I don't like heights.
Driving up those mountain passes makes me freak. I have to close my eyes or look at the rock wall on the other side and NOT the sheer drop off. The sheer drop off will make me come unhinged. Because I have the kids in the car, I try not to show that I am panicking. I just act normal and DON'T LOOK. But I don't like it at all! It's funny because Violet knows.

As soon as I start to feel all freaked out she starts whining and she will try to get to the seat I am in and lick me. It's really funny.

I am not in the above picture because where they were can only be accessed by jeeps. Sir D let both of the boys drive up the scary, rocky, muddy, roads.

I'm not sure they've ever been happier.

It took a 5 hour jeep ride to get there and it was harrowing in some spots (I was told by my 12 year old little girl who is braver than me) I stayed back at the lodge doing laundry and sitting here…

…drinking coffee. All in all, not a bad trade off. The jeeps that they rented were from Castle Lakes Campground. If you are into jeeping, motorbike riding, or 4 wheeling, this is your place. It has a lodge, campgrounds, and some cabins. The best thing is that you can drive your vehicle of choice right out of the camping area and up the mountain whether or not it’s street legal. This is a pretty cool thing and hard to find.

Usually you have to trailer your non street legal vehicle to the starting point of the trails. That was a big plus for our crew. It’s a very beautiful spot with some really nice people running it!

Here is another photo of the whole crew. This photo I was in!

This was a lot of fun. It was not as fun for the guys because it was kind of tame. More of a river tour than a rafting trip because it was late in the season, but I liked it. It was a nice introduction to rafting for me. I will definitely do this again!

The Mountain Man Tours in Creed took us on this trip. The guides were good, a little hyper, but I’m thinking it must be hard to do this same trip 2 times a day for weeks and weeks and maintain your enthusiasm. I’m thinking caffeine is the way they make that happen!

While we were on the river, our guide Paul, told us of this lodge in Wagon Wheel Gap that sold pies that are made by the local Mennonite community. On our way out my Sister in Law, Ruth and I ~~made~~ nicely asked our husbands to pull over our giant RV’s so we could buy a pie. They of course, ~~grumbled~~ were happy to do so. That was probably the best berry pie I have ever had. If you’re ever in Wagon Wheel Gap, get yourself some pie!

Change

2011-08-08T13:54:00.003-05:00

I've changed a few things up over here on the Hilltop. If you read through a reader, pop on over and leave a comment. I want to make sure it all looks correct and there is not some crazy photo or banner taking over the place, or some box all off center. So if you could, tell me how it looks, okay?

I changed up the photos of the family, because they are all about 3 feet taller now, and I also changed up the backdrop to freshen it up. I can't tell you how tempted I was to put something snowy on the blog. Summer is killing me. We're about to break the record for the longest string of 100 degree days. Oh Joy.

So, come check out my facelift, this was way more fun to do that the 20 loads of laundry I have to do after out 11 day camping trip to CO!

The Slow Death of Joy

2011-08-02T15:28:00.004-05:00

I read something kind of astounding today. It was not necessarily new information, in fact it was something I’d read countless times, but I’d never quite thought of it in this new way.

It was a daily devotional about Joy. The verse the author of the devotion was expounding on was “Wherever your treasure is, there your heart will also be.” Matthew 6:21. We’ve all read this, we know it. It is right there after the verse about laying up your treasures in heaven and not on earth were they can be destroyed. I thought I was doing that. But what I read in this devotional smacked me right between the eyes.

Ellen Miller, the author of this devotional book, shares the story of her adult son being addicted to Meth and being missing off and on for years. Truly every mother’s worst nightmare. After telling the story of her son’s addiction she says...

“I share my story with you because, like many mothers, my treasure was my children. For many years, I drew my identity, creativity, and self worth from my children’s well-being. My dream of raising healthy, happy children was my energy source. But I’ve learned through this journey that this does not work; I can’t commit my sanity or insanity to my children. My joy must come from knowing that God’s agenda is greater than my own. Thus I reassign him to be my treasure by placing my trust in his promise of grace and mercy. Once I shifted my focus from me to him, I realized I could be joyful and strong regardless of this heartbreaking situation.”

I found this so interesting because for me, joy has been a little elusive of late. I have been trying to find it again. I made ‘joy’ my word for 2011. I was determined. There are many things in my life that are just not fun anymore. My kids are older and don’t want to play cards with me or watch AFV on Friday nights. Homeschooling the Jr. High and High School grades is just not very fun. It is a lot of work, really. My house is so very small and I am finding it quite difficult to function with all these teenagers in such a small house. My visions of working in the kitchen side by side with my daughters, teaching them how to cook and keep house has become a dismal joke in my ‘one butt kitchen’. Having all the boys’ friends over to hang out is a near impossibility considering we have room for 5 people to sit comfortably in our living room. This was not how it was supposed to be. We were not supposed to be still living in this tiny house when the kids got to be this age. This tiny house was a stop-over.

Even after 20 years with the same company, and moving up and up through the ranks, my husband still works very long hours. My college age son is making decisions that I think to be unwise, and yet there is not much I can do about it except watch. My 2nd, almost adult son is never home, and instead is working constantly. A good thing, I suppose, but not quite how I envisioned it. I am finding having teenage daughters a challenge. There are so many hormones flying around my house sometimes I wonder if it should be declared unfit for human inhabitance. Being a woman myself you’d think I’d comprehend what was going on in my daughters’ minds and be able to be understanding and helpful, but frankly, I’m at a loss. One daughter won’t speak except in monosyllabic responses, and the other won’t stop speaking so anyone else can get a word in edgewise. This is not how I thought it would be.

I have decided that idealism and unrealistic expectations are the death of joy. I have killed my own joy slowly over the years by hanging on to the unrealistic ‘Perfect Christian Homeschooling Family’ vision, made possible by my own idealism.

I like very much how Mrs. Miller ended her daily devotion; “Of course, reassigning your treasure may not be easy. My only helpful tip: it’s easier to let go of something once you recognize it wasn’t yours in the first place.”

So I guess I should now go about the process of reassigning my joy. I’m not sure what this process will look like or even how to go about it, really, but I know I’ve got to try. You hear of so many amazing Christian people who have been through unparalleled adversity talking about having joy despite their circumstances. How did they do it? My husband is gone too much, my house is too small and my teenagers are driving me batty. I’ve let this kill my joy? What a wimp I am. The greats of the faith like Corrie Ten Boom, Detrick Bonhoffer , and Mother Theresa, must be shaking their heads in heaven at my milquetoast disposition.

They say the first step to recovery is recognizing you have a problem, right?

Newly 17

2011-07-05T09:35:00.005-05:00

My Gunnar. He was just the cutest baby. He was fat and happy. He didn't crawl until he was 10 months old and he didn't walk until he was 15 months old. I had to carry him everywhere! He was 20lbs at 4 months, so that was no easy task!

It did not take him long at all to realize his preferred method of transportation was wheels.

And as soon as he could he went for the real thing. A gas powered engine. Gunnar loves a gas powered engine. I believe if I counted I would come up with at least 6 or 7 items in his possession with a gas powered engine.

So it should be no surprise that this day has come. This day where my newly 17 year old son buys a motorcycle.

And yet, this vision of that squishy little smily baby riding off on a motorcycle is one I don't think a mother is ever quite ready for.

Drive slowly, baby!

Blue

2011-07-01T15:14:00.004-05:00

My Ev is on the blue teem this year at church camp. This is how she choose to show her solidarity.

Blue hair.

Oh boy.

(How cute is that???)

Church

2011-06-26T08:59:00.003-05:00

Some days I feel like I'm drowning in an ocean of Religion, and yet I'm so thirsty for encouragement.

That just does not seem right.

It's Getting Busy Up There!

2011-06-03T12:27:00.005-05:00

While we were in Arkansas at Millwood State Park, camping with family and friends, I saw something. Something I could not get out of my mind. For most of our party, what we saw was just an odd spectacle that we joked about around the campfire. But for me, it was something else. See, I’m a writer. Now don’t get me wrong, I don’t have any books published (YET!) but I have the mind of a writer. I see something like this…

...and I can't let it go! These are literally rail cars that someone put a front door on the short side, and a back door on the back side, and an air conditioner window unit in a cut out hole, and that’s it! They built a wooden structure over the top of them, kind of like a carport and called it done. I didn’t even see any windows! And it sent my mind racing. Who are the people who live there? What led them there? How did they get to a point in their lives where they decided a railcar was a good place to life? What happened to them? What’s their story?

And that’s why I can’t let it go. The question ‘What’s their story?’ I can’t very well knock on the door of one of those railcars (even the nicely panted red one with the floral wreath on it), and ask, so I have to make it up.

All week since we’ve been home a story has been unfolding in my mind about a young woman who finds herself living in a rail car apartment. Over the week the whole story has materialized. Beginning, middle and end. Plot, characters, storyline, it’s all there. I’ve written down the details of my story and maybe one day when things slow down a bit, I’ll actually get to write it. But for now, this lady (who already has a name) has joined all the other characters sitting in a little waiting room in my mind, waiting for me to tell their story. It’s getting busy up there!

A Quiet Dignity

2011-05-02T09:57:00.001-05:00

Osama bin Laden was an evil man, there is no doubt of that. He had evil in his heart and he did evil deeds. He killed American lives by the thousands and proudly bragged about it, looking for ways to continue killing ‘The Great Satan’. It is good that he is dead. It is good that he will kill no more. However, to celebrate a man’s death, an evil man’s eternal damnation, feels wrong.

America should be proud. We should be relieved. We should be well pleased with our remarkable Military. But we should not gloat. We should not sing and dance in the streets, shouting “USA! USA!” We should have a quiet dignity. Our military men, those enigmatic Navy Seals, did their job and they did it well, and they should be praised and given the highest honors for a job well done. But we should not revel in an evil man's demise.

If we sing and dance and gloat and revel, how are we any different than the evil that we are trying to overcome? Do we not remember the anger, the fury, that was stirred up in the American heart at the images of the Battle of Mogadishu when the desecrated corpse of U.S. Staff Sgt. William David Cleveland was dragged through the streets of Mogadishu? Or when the servicemen involved in the ill fated rescue mission of the Iranian Hostages were drug through the streets of Tehran during massive street protests?

I realize that we are not dragging the body of Osama bin Laden through the streets, but perhaps a little more restraint is called for. Let us not become that which we are fighting against. We are Americans. We are better than this. Be proud. Be grateful. Say thank you to our service men and women, and then employ a quiet dignity.

Sometimes, You Win.

2011-04-21T12:48:00.004-05:00

We've been having a little trouble with sneakiness from our almost 14 year old daughter. Nothing big, just sneaking stuff into bed after bed time and texting when she is not supposed to be. We've had some 'talking too's' and taking stuff away etc, but when Dave found Ev writing in her notebook (that she passes back and forth with a friend) and listening to her ipod LONG after she'd been sent to bed, again, we knew it was time for something different. Dave told her she had to write a report for him on how sneakiness effects trust in a relationship. I think she got it.

Report for dad:

Recently I have been charged with the task of writing a report about how ‘sneakiness effects trust in a relationship’, because I have been caught in such an act. So this is my payment for my disobedience. Enjoy.

Obedience has always been a problem for me. It is, likely for other people as well, but only my obedience /disobedience applies (directly) to me. For some people obedience may be harder than for others, for various reasons. But we all know we should obey, one way or another. The way we act on that thought shows if we really care that we need to obey, shows self-control, if we want to do what’s right and be who God wants us to be. I have definitely learned that I need to obey and should work harder at it because God wants us to obey because Jesus first obeyed him. I will tell you a story to prove it (sadly this is a true story).

Once upon a time, there was a girl who got into bed one night, and laid there for a moment. She decided she would not be able to fall asleep for at least the next hour (Which was probably not true, she didn’t even try; this is where it all went wrong…), so she took out the notebook that she and her friend shared and started writing. No more than about 20 minutes later, her father walks in, takes the notebook, and says “You’re not doing this right. Then she went to bed.

And her father was absolutely right. This girl knew when her parents told her to go to bed, she should do it right away, not piddle around and write in notebooks. She learned that the way she acts affects the trust in the relationship she has with her parents, and God. She learned that she needs to obey her parents because Jesus first obeyed God, in dying for our sins. If she is striving to be in the image of Jesus, then she needs to do as He did, and obey. So she will work hard every day to do what her parents say, and become exactly who God wants her to be.

P.S. She also learned that writing a paper on the subject of disobedience is a good way to learn the lesson, even if it is a punishment.

Sorry dad.

Love you,
Ev



And sometimes...you get a win.

My Spot

2011-04-18T16:51:00.006-05:00

This was my spot last weekend.

Well, there and here...

While I was there, I watched this...
Yes, that is two grown men pulling another grown man in a kayak while laughing hysterically.

And this is what happens when an man sized boy tries to lay on a hammock strung up by a 12 year old girl. This also made me laugh uproariously.

And this made me sing the nursery rhyme Rub a Dub Dub, Three Men in a Tub.
And this made me smile. I will try to picture this lovely view when those two take to bickering again.

The Year Spring Break Died

2011-03-16T08:55:00.004-06:00

We didn’t go on a camping trip this Spring Break for the first time in years. It feels weird to be home over Spring Break. We didn’t go for a couple of reasons. One, the Fireman in Training does not get Spring Break. Apparently, they over at the Fire Academy don’t think it’s important. Apparently, they think they are preparing these young men for ‘real life’ where there is no Spring Break. Rude.

And son number two, is busy working like a little bee. He had several jobs lined up this week and he really didn’t want to miss them. He would miss out on literally hundreds of dollars if he went with us. That reminds me, I’ve got to talk to the boss about a raise. My 16 year old son makes WAY more that I do!

Another reason we didn’t go camping is that our camping buddies (Dave’s Brother and his wife) went and left the country for spring break! They choose, instead of RVing with us, to go to the beautiful beaches of Panama, where my sister in law spent some of her youth as a missionary kid. Well. Rude again! Really, I mean, who picks the beaches of Panama over the Texas Hill Country…oh, yeah, never-mind.

We did try to find someone else to go with us, but we were unable. So it would have just been Dave and I and the girls. For us the whole point of camping is the family togetherness. Since it would have only been half of our family, it just seemed like we should stay home.

Oh, and also, I had the flu. Which kicked my butt! Even if we’d planned something, I would have been hard pressed to do anything or go anywhere. I couldn’t make it up the stairs without sounding like I was about to cough up a lung. (Pretty word picture, no?)

Interestingly, the Fireman in Training also got the flu. He sat in class all day Thursday feeling worse and worse and worse. He came home, crashed on the couch and didn’t move. For three hours. Finally I went over and felt his head. Wow. He had a temp of 104. I knew there was no way he was going to Fire Academy the next day, so I took him down to the CareNow. If you miss a day at Fire Academy, you must have a note and of course it was long after 5 so CareNow was our only option. I must say, that internet check in is the way to go. We waited an hour at home, they called, we went in and waited 5 minutes in the waiting room.

Once there, the guy who saw us, a paramedic, talked to Bryce about Fire Academy, apparently he went to the same one. They talked shop while we waited for the official results to come back on the flu test. Sure enough, Type A Flu. The guy asked Bryce if he’d been in class today. Bryce said yes, he did his PT’s and felt okay, but as the day wore on, he got worse and worse and worse. The guy said, “Congratulations, you probably gave half your class the flu, because it’s highly contagious at this stage, and because you have to take a doctor’s note in, they are all going to know exactly who gave it to them!” then he laughed. Fun for Bryce.

We went back home with Tamiflu, codeine cough medicine, and orders to rest, drink lots of fluid and stay out of school until Monday. I clarified this. It was Thursday night. I’d had this flu for a week already and if I had to do PT’s right then, I’d probably lie down and die. (Of course, that’s the case when I don’t have the flu, but I digress.)

Well, that doc was right. Bryce came home Thursday night and went straight to bed. He slept on and off all day Friday. Saturday he puttered around the house. Sunday he was fine. FINE I tell you. Tamiflu is magic. And so is a 19 year old immune system.

He went back to Fire Academy on Monday morning, right as rain. He did the PT’s with no problem. The Chief even said to feel free to slow down and not push too hard. He didn’t want to set him back. The idea is to get stronger not sicker. But Bryce did fine. He was a little weak but he still managed to do everything required of him in PT’s. Amazing.

Now it’s Wednesday. I am still coughing, and Bryce is climbing ladders, running, carrying heavy hoses, and all manner of other Firemanly activities. Ahh, to be young.

Enjoy the rest of your spring break! And may it be more eventful and healthier than mine!

The List

2011-03-10T08:12:00.006-06:00

Today I shall write in list format. Sometimes, it's best not to reach too high.

1. My youngest daughter turnes 12 in exactly one week. I love her to death. She has a lot of words. A. LOT. OF. WORDS.

2. Evelyn is entering an art competition. She is an amazing artist. This is an official art competition held by a city nearby. With adults.

3. Gunnar does this...

Often. It makes a momma nervous. He wants to buy a street bike. This makes a momma really nervous.

4. Bryce does this now.

Yes, that's my firstborn driving a fire truck. I'm sorry, lets pause a minute and contemplate that statement. My child. Driving. The Fire truck. Do you know what that means? Shortly, they will expect him to do stuff like run into burning buildings, and stand out on the interstate at accident sites...all stuff I've spent the majority of my life teaching him NOT to do. This all feels very wrong.

And yet, look. My baby's driving the fire truck!

5. I had the flu last week, for the first time in years. It was unpleasant. I wish to not repeat that experience. The flu kicked my butt.

6. We are in the process of selling our house. This is not a fun exercise. Turns out, when one sells a house, one has to occasionally show it. To strangers. And it needs to be clean. CLEAN!!!

7. It is very difficult to keep a house clean with this many people in it. And momma has the flu.

8. The guy at the junk yard where Gunnar went to get a part for his truck yesterday told him he thought it was great to see a young man doing something productive and working with his hands. I believe his exact words were... "Better to be working on stuff than smoking stuff." Well said, Junk Yard Man. Well said.

9. Dave got a new truck. It's a company truck, so technically it's not his. But he loves it anyway. It's a giant white Ford. It's manly. We now own 4 Fords. How strange is that?

10. I have a kid in Fire Academy. And another taking college classes. And another entering adult art shows....and a baby turning 12. Dude.

My Precious

2011-02-10T16:57:00.005-06:00

For my 20th anniversary, Dave got me this...

Or, more accurately, Dave said, "You know that book reading thing you wanted? Go ahead and buy it." To which I replied, "You know those car parts you wanted to make the car have more power and be louder and more manly? Go ahead and buy those."

Hey, we've been married for 20 years. It's a good system.

Then I went here and bought this adorable case to keep My Precious safe.

I may never surface. I love My Precious. And the biggest perk? My Precious has an inner illumination that allows me to read while Dave drives at night in my powerful, loud, and manly car.

Go Cheese Team!

2011-02-07T07:59:00.003-06:00

This is how Annika, my left handed, dyslexic child showed her team spirit...with a backward 'G'. I haven't laughed that hard in a long time!

And Ev, while not so much a football fan, and really not much of a Green Bay fan, IS a big fan of cheese! One of her cousins doctored this photo of her for the big game. Ev spent most of the evening cheering on the 'Cheese Team'.

Happy Monday!

20 years!

2011-02-01T14:27:00.006-06:00

20 years ago today, I said "I Do." It was bar none, the best decision I've ever made. But it's strange, because I'm only 29 and I am sure I did not marry at 9, so how does that work? Weird.

And, in case you were wondering, those are sleeves, not wings. It was 1991, what can I say?

A Little Jane

2011-01-27T12:36:00.005-06:00

I seem to be on a Bronte kick. It all started when someone recommended the book Jane by April Linder to me. I read it rather quickly. I liked it fairly well. It is classified as a young adult fiction, I think, but I'd rate it as a pg 13. I don't think I'd let my young teen daughter read it, but for an adult book, it's pretty clean.

After I finished that book it dawned on me that, while I've seen several movie adaptations, I've never actually read the classic! So I hopped my happy little self on down to the library and got the original Jane Eyre. Um, WOW. How did I make it to the ripe old age of 29 (shut up), having never read Jane Eyre? Well, of course, now that I've read the book, I need to watch the movie again to see how it compares.

I found this version it Costco and snapped it up. Honestly, it's my favorite version. I think Ciaran Hinds makes the best Mr. Rochester. But, well, Masterpiece Theater did make a newer version recently so of course I had to request that from my library. That guy is way too young and handsome to be Mr. Rochester, but overall it's nicely done.

Then someone told me about this book, Romancing Miss Bronte! That is now next on my 'to be read' list.

I have 5 million other things to be doing. This is not the best time for my little foray into the Bronte sisters. Yet here I am!

I will leave you with this, my favorite quote from Jane Eyre...

Laws and principals are not for the times where there is no temptation: they are for moments such as this, when body and soul rise in mutiny against their rigor; stringent are they; inviolate they shall be. If at my individual convenience I might break them, what would be their worth? They have a worth- so I have always believed; and if I cannot believe it now it is because I am insane-quite insane: with my veins running fire, and my heart beating faster than I can count its throbs. Preconceived opinions, forgone determinations, are all I have at this hour to stand by: there I plant my foot.

I think Charlotte Bronte could teach us all a thing or two.

Teetering

2011-01-18T10:17:00.007-06:00

So, can you stand one more ‘woe is me, my children are growing up’ post? No. Okay, I promise, I’ll keep it light.

Bryce started EMT/Fire Academy yesterday. By the end of May he’ll be completely certified and ready to hire on to a department. Which is weird because he’s only 5. He’s still just a cute little blond thing wearing Osh Kosh overalls and playing on a fire engine…

Sigh, I guess that was a while ago.

Gunnar is swift on his heels. His classes at the community college started today and the minute he turns 18, he’ll be at the EMT/Fire Academy as well.

This is a fun and exciting stage for a momma to watch. It’s hard and bittersweet to watch your babies grow up, but it’s also exciting. They both stand there with their feet on the edge, their wings fully outstretched, their bodies teetering, any minute now they’ll sail off from my nest. I can’t go with them, I can only watch. Do momma birds get to yell directions from the nest? I shall have to research this.

I couldn’t be prouder of my boys. Really. I suppose if they have to grow up into men, they are at least doing a good job of it. I hear all the time of their hard work, their willingness to help, their kindness to others, and occasionally their inclination to do donuts in the church parking lot late at night. But we’ll forgive that last part.

Finding Joy

2011-01-13T12:46:00.002-06:00

I am weary of being frugal. I am weary of being cautious. I am weary of being sensible. I am weary of hearing ‘wait’ and ‘not yet’ and ‘maybe, someday’. I want my someday now.

Is that selfishness speaking? Possibly. Probably.

I don’t feel my motives are selfish, or not wholly so anyway.

And yet things don’t change. Things never change.

I can try. I can push. I can endeavor to make something happen under my own power. But that never ends well.

So I wait, and I watch, and I see others prosper and I try not to grow too discouraged.

Then I feel guilty because so many have it so much worse than I do. And yet I whine about my misfortune. Ungrateful wretch that I am, I want more.

It’s ironic that the word I chose for 2011 (Or should I say, chose me?) is Joy. I don’t feel joyful. It is beginning to dawn on my dim mind, that joy is not a feeling, or not always. Joy is a choice, and one often made in spite of feelings.

I have a lot to learn this year.

WholeHeart Mother Conference

2011-01-05T12:28:00.000-06:00

I heart Sally!

Adios 2010!

2010-12-31T14:16:00.007-06:00

This is how we ended 2010.

2010, I've had just about enough of you. Don't let the door hit ya on the way out!

The best gift...

2010-12-27T09:18:00.006-06:00

Yes, yes we did.

Why? You ask. I have no idea. I think I experience some sort of seizure or brain injury and it momentarily altered my personality, and I bought rodents.

The girls were completely shocked.

The thing is, I wanted an electronics-free Christmas. I am tired of buying things that need to be monitored. Everything in this house hooks up to the internet and the internet is a wonderful thing, but it requires some attention. It's a bit like a dark alley, you can't just let kids wander down it willy-nilly. You must be in attendance. I am tired of wandering down the dark alley with my children.

So this Christmas? No electronics.

We got stuff for our sons' trucks that they needed. Mats, new seats, and the like. This was Dave's department. I bought Dave some part for the car. I have no idea what it is. He sent me the link, I ordered it. Romantic, no?

And the girls got rodents.

I think I like my gift the best. A new necklace...sort of. I am not a real jewelry person. I don't wear much. My wedding ring is just a simple band. Anything more and I catch it on stuff. I normally wear a simple, gold, cross neckless. I have for years. That's it in the jewelry department.

When I turned 16 my aunt and uncle (who I lived with) bought me a ruby and diamond stud set of earrings. I loved those earrings. Wore them for years. Well, a few years ago, I lost one. I was very, very sad. The other one sat, sad and lonely, in my jewelry box.

This year, for Christmas, Dave took that sad, lonely, earring and had it made into a pendant for me to wear on my necklace. I LOVE it! It's simple, I can leave it on all the time, and best of all, it has a history and a story.

So? What was your favorite gift this year?

Merry Christmas!

2010-12-23T17:00:00.002-06:00

Waiting...and Growing Up

2010-12-11T12:00:00.004-06:00

Last night Dave and I and the girls went to a Life Group Christmas party. We are not actually part of a Life Group but we are friends with most of the people in the group so were invited. We had a wonderful time. We ate, we laughed, we talked, we sang, we played games we had a wonderful time.

We are considering joining the group. There are a few things holding me back. One is that despite my best efforts to the contrary, it seems there is something going on every night of the week for at least one member of the family. It’s not like when the kids were little and I was in control of all schedules and I could make sure we were at home more than we were not. Now the kids are bigger, one even an adult, and they make their own schedules. There is the nights Dave has to work late, and my bible study, and the youth group meeting, and the college bible study, and AWANA, and then the social events that are associated with each of those groups. As it stands there is one night a week we are all home. I don’t like that.

And yet, that seems to be the way it is. The kids are older. They are not even going to live here for much longer. It’s hard to imagine. So we improvise, and we make due, and we adjust.

Take Advent for instance. Advent is very important to me. We have always done Advent. Every night for 4 weeks leading up to Christmas we eat a nice dinner together, we light the candles, we read the scripture and we talk. We’ve read the Jotham’s Journey books, we’ve read other devotionals we’ve done Proclamation Ornaments, we’ve done it various ways but the idea is the same. Every night, together, studying God’s word and waiting on Jesus’ birthday.

Last year was a horrid disappointment. I tried to make it mandatory that he kids be home for dinner. It’s only 4 weeks. It didn’t work. I was disappointed and frustrated and the kids were annoyed. It’s not like they are out on the town. They have legitimate, important things to do. They are developing their own lives. I can’t make it like it was. I have to change too.

So this year, we’ve done Advent scripture and candle lighting with whoever is here for dinner. The mandatory event is Sunday lunch. There have been days of Advent this year where we’ve not done it at all in the evenings and instead the girls and I will do it at lunch during our homeschool time. It’s kinda sad, but it’s much less stressful and harmonious to the changing family dynamic. The kids are growing up and changing and I can’t stop it, so I guess I’m going to have to grow and change with them.

(My adorable children, before they went and grew up)

Elves!

2010-11-30T10:24:00.002-06:00

I spent a ridiculous amount of time yesterday elfing my family. Then we laughed our heads off. Seriously, this is an addictive activity!

And now the kids...

Christmas Photo Attempt, Revisited.

2010-11-28T11:10:00.004-06:00

Once again, I decided to attempt an impromptu Christmas Photo. We were camping over Thanksgiving this year and the surroundings were unique and beautiful. THE SWAMP! How can you not love that?? I mean, who else would have a Christmas photo taken in the swamp. Well, except those who actually live in the swamp.

So I decided to line up the crew, including the dog this year, and get that photo! Yeah, that never works. One problem was that, well, we were camping so we looked a mess! No one has any nice clothes, and the kids were a bit dirty, I mean, we were camping in the swamp after-all!

So...here goes.

Smile, Everyone! Wait, where's Annika?

There she is! Wow, that hair's a mess!

Um, Annika, what's with that face?

Annika, look at the camera!

Really, Gunnar?

And again with the goofy face, Gunnar.

Nice trash can.

Evelyn! And I don't really want to send out a Christmas card featuring Violet's bottom!

Gunnar again with the Stink-eye.

And this is what happens when you tell him to stop with the stink-eye.

I guess this one's not bad.

Why did I decide to do this again?

Dangerous.

2010-11-21T16:51:00.009-06:00

This afternoon after church, Dave and I and the girls did something very, very dangerous. We went to the local SPCA.

We had some time to kill and we thought the girls would enjoy it. We didn't tell them where we were going, but right before we pulled in the parking lot we told them that the place where we were going was a LOOK ONLY place. That we were, under NO CIRCUMSTANCES, shopping. We WOULD NOT be going home with anything.

Once that was firmly established, we pulled in the SPCA parking lot. There was squealing.

Um, maybe this was not such a good idea...

Oh no...

NONONONO!

You'll be happy to know that we did not leave with any 4 legged friends. I was proud of the girls, I know they wanted to ask about 4 million times if they could take one home, but they didn't.

One day, maybe, if we ever move to a bigger place we may get a puppy. I think Violet needs a puppy.

Right now she does not other dogs, and I think if we got a puppy that would help her. She needs a 4 legged friend.

But for now, in our little place Violet is enough. BUt look at that face! If you live anywhere near DFW, this little doll could be yours. She's at the Industrial BLVD SPCA right now....

So...Blogging...

2010-11-20T12:11:00.004-06:00

The blog's been kinda quiet lately. It's not for lack of stuff to say. I have much to say. Much I would like to share, but, well, I have all these internet savvy kids now and they're not so happy about me blogging about them.

I mean, yeah, they're okay with me sharing some stuff, like last night Ev and her cousin Kaarin went to the opening of Harry Potter. They made these shirts with tape and bleach water in a spray bottle. Cool huh? Bryce and Gunnar took them. It was a blast.

But when I started this blog I had younger kids and I could share the joys and frustrations of parenting. I can't really share the frustrations anymore. They don't like that. So it feels kinda fake sometimes. Raising teens can be extremely rewarding and extremely frustrating. I love them, they are funny and I enjoy their personalities and being around them, but why, WHY can they not clean their rooms? WHY? And the amount of food that is consumed in this house could feed a small third world country! And I have to go buy it all and bring it home and put it away. That, in and of itself, is a full time job. WHEW!

And watching them on their path to adulthood can be excruciating. They have to make their own decisions. I may be sure what's best, and I can guide, but sometimes I just have to stand back and watch them fail. Even when I knew it was coming. I had to just watch. That is hard. I don't like that. I'd like to share that, what it's like, how to handle it, but it's not really fair to my kids to smear their issues all over the internet.

So the blog's quiet, and not quite equitable. So, I guess, when you read here about all our joys and fun and success and happiness, assume that we're a normal family, just like yours and we have just as much frustration, and yes, they are turning my hair gray. I just don't write about it.

I think this may be my new favorite quote...

2010-11-10T22:14:00.001-06:00

Wit makes its own welcome, and levels all distinctions. No dignity, no learning, no force of character, can make any stand against good wit.
- Ralph Waldo Emerson

Halloween '10

2010-11-01T10:20:00.006-06:00

Here we are, all decked out for Halloween.

Can you guess what Dave is? He's a Chilean Miner. Not so PC I don't imagine, but it sure was funny! I'm a Gypsy, Ev is a cowgirl and Annika is the Pink Panther.

Bryce was supposed to play in a soccer game that night but it got canceled so he was a dejected soccer player, and not by choice. It's kinda sad when your kids outgrow Halloween.

Here is Gunnar's last year. He dressed the same and he was not around at photo taking time. Both of my boys spent all day at the Church setting up and taking down the Trunk or Treat. I have pretty amazing, hardworking boys.

I know that many Christians do not like to celebrate Halloween and I totally respect that. But I LOVE how so many churches are finding a way to redeem the holiday. In our area the streets are nearly empty and the churches are full. Never does our church look more like our community than Halloween night. We live in a very diverse community; white, black, hispanic, Asian... and on and on. But our church is mostly white. On Halloween I look around and the parking lot is packed with all different colors. This makes me happy.

People come from the community because they know it's a save place. Hopefully while they are there they are seeing that we Christians are just regular people who love the Lord. Maybe when times get tough in their own lives they'll remember the hope they heard about when they were visiting my church, or just the friendly,loving people they met there and they'll come back to see what it's all about.

Some things are better left to the professionals.

2010-10-25T21:57:00.003-05:00

I thought you all might enjoy my very sad attempt at cute Halloween nails. Yeah, I look like a crazed Cincinnati Bangles fan.

You'll be happy to know that shortly after this photo was taken, I took it off. I think I'm going to have to leave nail designing to the professionals.

Pumpkin Chip Cookies

2010-10-19T13:15:00.001-05:00

My friend Heidi posted about these cookies. I made them recently. I am supposed to be on a diet. It was an unwise decision.

Honestly, I'm not a huge pumpkin fan so I thought I'd be okay. Well. I ate one and that was it. They are really yummy! THey just taste so Fallish!

Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chip Cookies

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups butter
2 cups brown sugar
1 cup sugar
1 15 oz. can pumpkin
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
4 cups flour
2 cups quick-cooking oats
2 tsp. baking soda
2 tsp. cinnamon
1 tsp. salt
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate morsels
1 Cup Pecans (optional)

Directions:
Cream butter and sugars.
Beat in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.
Combine the flour, oats, soda, cinnamon, and salt~ gradually add to creamed mixture.
Stir in morsels.
Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto ungreased baking sheets.

Bake at 350 for 12 minutes.
Makes: 10 dozen.

On the Road Again...

2010-10-06T08:56:00.005-05:00

We will very soon be going here...

...where the pretty is. And where the leaves are changing. And the cool breezes blow.

Sigh.

It will be lovely. All the family will be together and we have a bonus kid coming. We'll bring the dog, we will meet up with other family and friends, we'll roast marshmallows and sit by the fire.

We'll drink warm coffee in the crisp morning air.

I love camping.

Free Diamond Earrings!

2010-09-27T08:08:00.005-05:00

Okay, yeah, not real diamond earrings, but hey who has to know that??

I'm not a huge jewelry person. Truthfully, I only wear a small gold cross necklace and a wedding band. I don't even wear my diamond engagement ring because it catches on stuff. I'm a pretty simple person.

However I do have a couple of daughters one of which is definitely a jewelry person. So when I heard about FREE diamond earrings I was all in!

All you have to do is go to DiamondEarrings.org, sign up, blog about it, and pay a small ($3.77) shipping fee and there ya go!

Enjoy!

A Change is Coming

2010-09-24T08:01:00.004-05:00

Once school starts around here things get a little disjointed. I seem to be constantly flitting from one thing to another and not really landing on any one thing.

Little algebra help here, little science help here, what's an adverb, you ask? video's about the American Revolution, Vikings, co op classes...and the list goes on.

My kids are older now, I don't really sit down with them and 'teach' them much anymore. They read through their required books and I'm around to help. It's nice, but different. I am reading Jane Austen's Emma to the girls. That's fun.

And the schedule of things is different. It used to be that we all got up and we all ate breakfast and we all started school. We did so much of it together that we really all were on the same page all day. Sometimes the older boys would do something and I'd work with the younger girls. That was how we did it for years.

Now? Not so much.

I'm not sure when the change happened. Maybe when Bryce started taking duel credit classes at the community college. That was probably the beginning of the change.

This morning, for instance, I get up with Dave at 7:30. Okay, I should rephrase that. Dave got up WAY before 7:30, but I got up to say goodbye to him when he left at 7:30. I go downstairs to check on the rest of the crew. Bryce is already gone as I expected. He's working this semester and saving up for Fire Academy which starts in the spring. His job starts at 7 am and it's about an hour away, so he's long gone with just the lingering smell of coffee to hint at his earlier presence.

Gunnar's the wild card. He has some Tue/Thurs duel credit classes, and he has a landscaping business, and he has a few co op classes and a few classes for me. Other than Tue/Thursday, I am never really sure where he is or what he is doing. I know he tells me, but honestly, unless I write it down it leaks out of my ears. I have been known to text him several times a day 'Where R U?" I'm sure that's annoying.

Today I got up, said goodbye to Dave and let the dog out only to find Gunnar and his partner already out in the neighborhood working. They have several jobs today so I guess they are getting started early. He also has homework to get done for his various classes. It's not unusual to get up and see he's already gone, hard at work. It's also not unusual for him to come lumbering out of his room at 10 am, and surprise me because I thought he was gone working.

It's a strange thing these teenage years. My boys have a lot of freedom because I trust them. I know they are where they say they are (if I can only remember) and doing what they say they are doing. I know they are staying on top of their school, well the one who is still in school.

So, often it is just me and the girls here at home doing school. And at 13 and 11 with the exception of math, they don't really need that much help from me. I'm just here to supervise, check over, and encourage.

This really is going to come to and end some day, isn't it? Some day I may have to decide what I am going to do when I grow up. Some day, my kids really will be on their own. I see it right over the horizon. I'm not sure I like it.

Good Help is Hard to Find

2010-09-15T14:53:00.005-05:00

Gunnar got a call a few days ago from a gentleman in our church who owns a parcel of land nearby. He needed some one to come mow it.

Gunnar is the go-to mower guy. He asked the gentleman what equipment he needed to bring to do the job. The gentleman said he had all the equipment on site, he just needed the body to do it.

I got this photo from Gunnar this morning. This is an air conditioned tractor mower. I'm pretty sure Gunnar is never going to want to mow my lawn with the sad ol' push mower again.

Never Forget

2010-09-11T08:06:00.007-05:00

A few months ago Gunnar and I watched a Nova program about 9/11. This was the first time he’s ever really gotten to see the extent of what happened that horrid day so many years ago. He was just a little boy of 7 when it actually happened. He and the other kids were too young to understand so Dave and I tried to shield them from as much of the media coverage as we could.

But this day, a few months ago, he saw it all. He was very quiet as he watched. At one point during the program they show a single firefighter standing on a giant pile of rubble. The sky was grey from all the dust and this firefighter stood on what was once a building, but was now just a pile of cement and debris. It was as if he was standing on the moon. There was no background noise, which is strange for New York. No cabs driving, no people talking, no horns honking, there was only one sound. An erie, high pitched sound that I didn’t recognize.

Gunnar looked up at me and said “That sound is the alarms on the SCBA tanks the Fireman wear.” That firefighter was standing on who knows how many bodies of his fallen brothers. Their alarms still ringing, and there was nothing he could do but stand and listen.

It made me cry. It still makes me cry just to think of it. It was the most haunting thing I’ve seen in my lifetime.

Educating Children is the Parent’s Responsibility

2010-09-03T09:31:00.005-05:00

Did that title catch your attention? I thought it might. I believe it with all my heart. God gave you your children, you alone will have to answer for how they are educated and trained. It’s YOUR responsibility, from teaching them to say ‘mama’ to teaching them quantum mechanics. (Does that even exist? I don’t know.)

But here’s the kicker. While it is the parent’s responsibility, nowhere in the Bible does it say. “Thou Parents ONLY shall teach their children’. We all need help. We all rely on others around us to help. We all part out some part of our children’s education. Either in the form of Sunday School, or Grandma teaching little Suzy how to sew, or math classes at a co op, all the way to sending out kids to school for all their academics. There is no one right way for everyone.

I have many friends who have their children in public or private schools. They feel strongly this is what the Lord would have them do. I homeschool my children. I feel strongly that this is what the Lord would have me do. The two do not have to be mutually exclusive! The Holy Spirit guided my family to this way of life for a reason, as did he lead my friends to theirs for a reason.

Why must we argue about that? Why must we think our way superior; the only right way? How arrogant! How unhelpful to the body of Christ! How disappointing to God. I know people who send their kids to Public School and think that is the only right way. They believe that by homeschooling or private schooling, we are not taking God’s Word to be salt and light seriously. I know homeschoolers that think it’s nothing short of a sin to send one’s offspring off to the evil government schools.

I’m going to be honest with you. Homeschooling has some downfalls. It’s not perfect. My kids are missing things. It’s hard. Someday I want to give up. I also know that public schools have their downfalls. It is not a perfect option. It is hard. I know many parents who wish they could change something about their public school. Private schools have their issues too. I know parents who wish they could change things about their children’s private school. This side of eternity, no option is perfect.

Here’s the thing…can’t we have a little grace for each other? You send your kid to public school and I’m going to support you and applaud you for all you do in the school and for the teachers. You send your kid to private school and I’m going to support you and listen to you and be proud of you for all you do for the students and teachers. And I’m going to homeschool my kids and you can support me.

Arrogance never builds up. It only tears down. The Holy Spirit can lead my family one way and your family the other, and both can be right. That’s how God works.

'Fall'

2010-09-01T08:06:00.005-05:00

I know I should really finish my Colorado Vacation stories. That was not hte end. There were several other blog worthy events that happened. The thing is, it makes me a little melancholy to think about it all. That was vacation, and it was cool and pretty. Now, it's school and hot and ugly.

Texas in September. Its a hard time. We're so stinkin' sick of the heat and humidity. School has started, people are calling it 'Fall' but really, there's no change. It's still hot and humid, the only difference is that you can't spend all day at the pool anymore.

And speaking of school. Annika is taking a quilting class at our homeschool co op this year. These are the fabrics she picked. Her theme is apples and polka dots. I can't wait to see the finished product!

The yellow fabric is the main fabric.

I better wrap this up now, I have these kids, and they need to be 'educated' and since it's 'Fall' I guess I should get to it.

Our Crazy Colorado Trip, Part 2

2010-08-19T10:20:00.012-05:00

Once we got our tires replaced and had a little fun at the Cadillac Ranch, we headed off into the great blue yonder yet again. The first several hours were sort of boring because, well, it looked like this…

…for hours.

We played games, we switched off kids, we listened to Car Talk and Lake Woebegone podcasts. We are really klassy travelers.

Finally we started to see this out the window…

I must have taken 600 photos of this! We went a different way this time, going up into Albuquerque and then north to Durango. We saw a storm come through, it was just truly amazing.

When we left Tx, this was the temp.

When we were just barely north of Albuquerque, this was the temp.

It was glorious!

However, now that we were inching up on two full days of travel we were all getting a wee bit tired of being in the car. One can only listen to so much Lake Woebegone before even Garrison Keillor's voice becomes grating.

We were close to our next spot. It was a little known state park in Northern New Mexico I’d found online. WE were on track to pull in and get set up before dark and then have some dinner and enjoy the beautiful view the park promised in the photos online.

We found the park. We pull in and Dan comments on the fact that the bikes that were on a rack attached to our bumper seemed to be listing. We’d just gone over a gravel road that was not exactly smooth and they’d bounced around quite a bit. So before we go find the park host to get checked in and find our spots we check it out.

Huh.

Turns out, the weld that Dave’s friend did to attach the bike rack held very nicely. The bumper however, did not. The bumper was peeling off the camper! Sheesh! What next?

Dave, Dan and Gunnar got out the straps and strapped down the bumper so it would not come off the camper (See? Klassy!) and we took the bikes off and stuck them in the back of Dan’s truck. (Noticing a theme here? If we’d not been traveling up there with Dan and Ruth, we’d probably still be stuck in New Mexico!).

Once we got the bumper situation temporarily fixed we went in search of the park host. The Park Host was nowhere to be found. We did find out, however that this was not the section of the park we were after. Not to big of a deal though, we were in the right State Park, right?

Wrong.

We drove all over that stupid state park, washboard dirt roads and all with our bumper attached by straps. We drove to the marina, over the dam (That was scary!) back to the highway, around the lake, back over some dirt roads, through a creek. Yeah, in the dark, towing campers, we forded a creek! It was getting darker and darker and we were getting nowhere fast. We got out of the cars several times and conferred. Dan and Ruth had a GPS and at one point in our search for the park, the GPS had us in the lake! It was at this point we knew we were in trouble.

No one was going to say it, but we really needed a plan B. We drove around some more, coming up on a dark and scary looking, very narrow bridge. No…wait…it’s not a bridge. It’s the DAM! We drove around for three hours on back roads, dirt roads, over creeks, around a lake and ended up right back where we were!!!! I’m sure it has an official name, but we’ve taken to calling it The Damn Dam. It seemed fitting.

My Sister in Law, Ruth, who was about as sick of the car as I was, suggest we go back to an RV park we’d seen on one of the many roads we’d been on that night. We all heartily agreed.

We made our way to the RV Park, plugged in, fed the kids and then went to bed. What a day! We were in the car for 16 hours!!! We started the day in Amarillo at a tire shop and ended it driving aimlessly around a lake for 3 hours. Oh, My Heavens! What’s next???

On a happy note, all was not lost. We woke up to an amazing view we’d not been able to see in the dark the night before. We had a leisurely breakfast in the cool New Mexico morning overlooking an amazing view.

This was what we drove into. A dumpy little RV Park...

I had woken up early and stepped out of the camper just in time to see the canyon wall across the river lit up by the sun. It was the most brilliant orange I’d ever seen. It was such a nice treat to wake up to see a little bit of God’s majesty in a yucky ol’ RV park. It was a little gift we’d not expected.

Tomorrow, we’d head to our destination in Colorado, with (Please God!) no more catastrophes!

Our Crazy Colorado Trip, Part 1

2010-08-16T12:58:00.017-05:00

Family vacations are always something to write about with this family. I don’t know why, but they never seem to go off without a hitch. There are hitches. Many hitches.

We left Dallas happily enough. We were leaving the 100 degree temps to go to the mountains where the temps don’t get above 80, what’s not to like?

Our plan was to get from Dallas to Amarillo on the first day, we were not leaving Dallas till 1pm, but it’s only a 6 hour drive so that should work.

We met up with Dave's brother Dan outside Ft. Worth. We were off! Two giant trucks pulling two giant RV’s heading for the mountains. Life was grand, the skies were blue, and all was well with the world…until the first blow out.

We suddenly hear Dan hollering over the walkie. “Pull over…something…tire…bad…” it was hard to hear.

So over we pulled.

Nice.

We got it taken care of and only lost about a half hour of travel time, there was much laughter about how this seems to happen on every trip, but still spirits were up, we were heading to the mountains after-all!

We hopped back in the car and headed out again. We’d gone about 4 hours so far but we were in the middle of W Texas and it all starts to look the same out the window after a while.

Within about 10 minutes…

Yes, again.

This one was trickier. The blow out was more severe, causing some damage to the underside of the camper, and our spare was already in use. We were pleased to find that Dan’s RV spare fit our RV, so after much taking off and putting on of tires in the HEAT of W Texas, we were on the road again. We were somewhat less jovial now. It was readily apparent to Dave and I that we needed to replace all the tires. We’d had one blowout on a previous trip and Dan mentioned that usually when one goes they all go. We decided not to replace them all though because they were not that old and seemed to have much tread left on them. It was a strategic and informed decision. And also the wrong one.

We began making phone calls to find a tire place in Amarillo that would still be open when we got there. We also began praying that no more tires would go out on either camper seeing as we had no more spares and were here in the middle of Nowhere Texas...

…for the next several hours.

The last few hours to Amarillo was a bit more somber. It would be really bad if another tire went. We were praying against that. Finally, about 2 hours later than we expected, we pulled in to the RV park. We were unable to find a tire place open at 9pm, but we were told if we got there when the place opened, they’d help up first.

I started my first official day of vacation getting up at 7am, sans coffee, to take our house-on-wheels to the shop. This did not bode well.

We got to the tire place, unhooked our house and left it there. We drove around Amarillo at 7 am aimless for a while. Well, not really aimless. Dave was looking for a car wash and I was looking for any place that sold coffee. We found the car wash and then, mercifully, Dave took me through the drive through at Whataburger for coffee. I think, maybe, possibly, my attitude may have been suffering.

We headed back to the tire place to find our house had been repaired. We tried not to think about the fact that we could have had our friendly neighborhood mechanic and friend, Carlin, replace them for half the price if we’d done it before we left. As we all know, hindsight is 20/20.

After we got the wheels on our house-on-wheels back on we called Dan to tell them we were ready to go. I tried really hard not to think about the fact that they had been enjoying a nice leisurely morning, undoubtedly with lots of coffee, while we ran around Amarillo.

We met up with Dan and family, at the Cadillac Ranch, just down the road from the RV park we’d stayed at.

We did our first official act of tourism that day.

The rest of the drive to CO went off without a hitch. Gunnar even got to drive the rig for a while into barren flats of W Texas.

Sadly that was not the end of the catastrophes for us…

Go Here for Part 2...

The Tale of Three RV's

2010-08-14T14:34:00.004-05:00

I finally have my beloved computer back. She has more memory and fewer glitches. I have missed her terribly!

After I get caught up on the five million things I have not been able to do without my computer, I'll tell you the stories. The stories of two blowouts, a near collision, a dead battery and spewing oil. Oh, and mountains. How I miss the mountains!

I need a post vacation vacation.

2010-08-04T10:34:00.005-05:00

We returned from the Mountains on Sunday. I have been buried under the laundry pile since.

It was everything you'd expect from a Hilltop Family vacation. We had two blowouts on the RV 10 minutes apart, the battery in our Excursion died, the bike rack ripped off the bumper of the RV though not while on the highway thank goodness, we got so lost looking for our of the campsites that we drove around for 3 hours until the GPS had us in the lake, and we gave up and went to an RV park, and last but not least, we developed an oil leak that caused my Excursion to spew a fine mist of oil all over the front and sides of the pull behind RV all the way home.

And finally, to add insult to injury, we left CO and it was 60 degrees. When we arrived in Dallas it was 107.

But somehow, we still managed to have a wonderful time!

My computer is in the shop, because we've not spent enough money on repairs so you'll have to wait a bit for the full story and photos.

He remembers that we are dust.

2010-07-17T04:45:00.003-05:00

Psalm 103 is one of my favorite Psalms. I love all of it, but for some reason verses 13 and 14 have always resonated with me.

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

We humans put so much on ourselves. We expect so much from each other and from ourselves. We should be always bettering ourselves; we should be always aiming for perfection, though we know it’s unattainable. I know what the perfect ‘me’ looks like. She’s a loving wife that gets up before or at least with her husband to make coffee and breakfast and send him happily off to work. She’s a hardworking homemaker who keeps the laundry machines running and the clothes ironed and put away. She’s a mom who makes a healthy and yet tasty meals for her children. Her house is always clean and tidy, ever ready for someone who might drop by.

She is the perfect mom who is patient and always at the ready with a soft answer and encouragement. She is a homeschool mom who knows just what and how her kids need to learn, and who never gets exasperated with learning setbacks. This perfect wife/homemaker/homeschool mom would also never be swayed by parenting or homeschooling fads but would know just what the Lord would have her do at any given time.

Just imagine? Food always cooked and on the table when it’s supposed to be. Clothes ironed and ready for a busy husband to put on when he wakes up and heads out the door. A surety of thought when parenting and educational decisions need to be made. A made bed. Every day.

And yet…

As a father has compassion on his children,
so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him;
for he knows how we are formed,
he remembers that we are dust.

He, the one I need to please the most, remembers that I am dust. He knows how I am formed. He knows how my joints ache and my thoughts can be confused. He is compassionate. Surely we, who are so much less than Him, can offer that same compassion to ourselves and those around us.

13

2010-07-16T01:20:00.005-05:00

I have set this post to post at exactly 1:20 am. At this very moment I will have 3 teenagers. Oh my stars!

Today is my Eve's birthday. My first daughter. I was so surprised when the sonogram tech told me it was a girl. After 2 boys and my husband being one of 4 boys I really thought I'd be the mom of only boys. So skeptical was I, we painted the room green and stuck with a pretty gender neutral nursery.

Well that tech was right. Exactly 13 years ago today God gave me my first daughter.

She was different from the boys from the beginning. She was a mama's girl. She liked to be held, she liked to be cuddled and she liked to have her way!

She did not like elevators, water, being without her blanket or being left with anyone other than mom. Even dad.

She spoke in sentences at 12 months old. She taught herself to read at 4. She's the best speller in the house, bar none, and she's a pretty darn good writer too.

I think God for the gift of this daughter 13 years ago. What would I do without her?

Pretty, here I come!

2010-07-14T12:48:00.000-05:00

In approximately one week my family, sans the adult child, will be going to this place. This place where all the pretty and the cool and the mountains live. I love this place.

I have much to do to prepare for this trip and only one week left to do it in. But I will keep looking at this photo and remind myself that it is all worth it.

The post in which she brags.

2010-07-12T08:46:00.005-05:00

In a few days, we will be once again hopping in the ol' RV and heading for Colorado. This year though, it's a little bittersweet. This year, for the first time ever, we're going on a family vacation without all of the family. Will will be staying home. He's got a real 9-5 job this summer. In fact, I must take a moment to brag.

His Uncle's word got him the job. In this economy a teenagers your only hope is nepotism! He is working for the same large company, but in a completely different division. He does not ever see his uncle. Both Uncle and Will try to be careful not to discuss their relationship.

Well, it seems things are tight with this company as with all companies and they laid off all their summer hires...except Will. He is the only summer hire they kept. They laid off people hired before him and they even laid off one of the bosses kid.(higher up in the company than Uncle)

Will's foreman told him, when Will asked who he had to thank for keeping his job, that he (the foreman) asked to keep him. He had to do a little convincing, but he was able to swing it. He said Will's a good worker and a quick learner.

I am beyond proud. You put your heart and soul into raising your kids and you pray you are preparing them for the real world. You pray that you're not forgetting anything, you pray that you're not majoring on the minors and leaving something important out. You pray you're doing it right.

I know I can't take credit for the man Will's becoming. If I did that I'd have to take responsibility for all his mistakes too! ;) But, to see those small moments where what you've worked so hard to teach them, benefits them. Those moments are golden.

Thank you for indulging in my proud mama moment.

Teenage Driver Number 2

2010-07-06T12:51:00.016-05:00

Yesterday was Bob's birthday. He is 16. He is now out driving my car. Without me.

It's amazing how fast this time comes around. He was just a baby. See? Isn't he cute?

That was taken yesterday! Yesterday, I tell you! And now he looks WAY more like the man in that photo than the baby.

I feel so blessed to have Bob. He is a hard worker, and an all around helpful young man. I could go on and on about what a wonderful kid he is. How he's been running his own, very successful landscaping business for years, owining all his own tools and hiring his friends as contract labor.

How he bought his own truck, with his own money before he was even old enough to drive it.

How he's overcome his dyslexia to the point that he tested high enough on the entrance test at the local community college in the Fall to take College English. How he's actively persuing training for the carreer he wants when he graduates (Fireman)

How he's a man of God and leader among his peers. Sometimes I can't believe that God has blessed me with such amazing sons (his brother's has a similar list of accomplishments, but his birthday is a few weeks away, more on that later!)

Whoever said, in regards to raising children, that the days are long and the years are short knew their stuff.

And now...this. It happened overnight.

God Bless America

2010-07-03T16:30:00.003-05:00

We on this continent should never forget that men first crossed the Atlantic not to find soil for their ploughs but to secure liberty for their souls. ~Robert J. McCracken

Happy 4th, my American friends.

Chaos

2010-06-28T12:17:00.005-05:00

I've had lots of things going through my mind lately. Lots going on here on the Hilltop. When am I going to get it through my head that summer does NOT equal calm? It did when they were all elementary age. Now summer just means a different kind of chaos.

So to stick with the theme of summer chaos...here's a very chaotic post.

1. Gunnar and Ev went to church camp two weeks ago. Gunnar had fun. Ev did not. I would not go back to jr high for all the tea in China. Jr high girls are mean. Even church girls. It's made Dave and I seriously rethink the whole youth group thing. The boys love it and it has served them well. So far, Ev's not having the same experience. This makes me sad.

2. VBS was last week. Only one of my children is of the age that is eligible for VBS. Wow. When did that happen? Gunnar and Ev worked in VBS. They did awesome. They're awesome kids.

3. Bryce is working full-time pulling wires for an electric/construction company. He is also house sitting for the summer. Oddly enough, he still comes home...at dinnertime.

4. Gunnar took the motorcycle training course this past weekend. When he goes in next week to get his drivers license, he can also get his motorcycle license. This was his dad's idea.

5. I am looking for a company that sells anti-anxiety meds by the case.

6. The instructor said he is a very talented motorcycle rider. He will be fine. She said he's a natural. Of course, I knew that. He's been on a motorcycle since he was old enough to walk. Only he was on the track or out in a field. Now he will be riding in Dallas Fort Worth. In Traffic. With all the 5 trillion other crazy people who live here.

7. I wonder where I can also by chocolate by the case...or chocolate covered anti-anxiety meds.

Father's Day

2010-06-21T09:05:00.010-05:00

Yesterday we went to my sister in law's house for Father's Day. My mother in law, who is a very brave soul, wanted to try a family photo. I do not have a copy of the entire family because my nice, expensive, super-duper camera was too complicated for me to figure out how to work the timer. sigh. I guess I'm going to have to read the manual after-all.

I was, however able to get a few shots of all the kids and men.

But really, the fun is in the attempts. What is it with this crazy family that can't ever be serious for a photo?

Here's try 1.

Not bad! Is it possible we got the boys photo in the first try? Wait? Where are the little boys? Darn-it!

Here's try 2.

Well, we got the little boys, but the dog came too and ran through the photo at just the wrong time, getting everyone's attention.

Here's try 3.

Then they all start laughing...

Here's try 4.

And then someone says something else funny (or toots, if I know this crew!).

Try 5.

Finally! A WIN!

The Grandparents with the grandkids. I love this one!

And then there's this one. This is what Father's Day is all about.

A man and his sons.

I hope you had a blessed Father's Day.

A New Day

2010-06-14T16:52:00.003-05:00

Today, Will went off to his first real, big boy, 8 to 5 job. Bob and Eve went off to Church camp for a week, and Ann went to a friends house.

It was weird.

It was quiet.

I took a nap in the living room accidentally.

Strange days.

End of School Vacation Celebration

2010-06-09T18:43:00.010-05:00

We took the family, packed up the RV and headed to the lake.

It was H O T! The first 100 degree day we had happened while we were camping. Figures. However, we had fun anyway.

Sir D in vacation mode!

On the lake.

This is where the kids spent much of the weekend.

Even the sisters got along while on the canoe.

And this is what we did when it got too darn hot outside. We hid in the RV, waiting for the sun go down, and played cards and napped.

This was the view from our campsite.

Sunset over the lake. Now THAT's the way to start summer!!!

Cleaning off the Shelves

2010-05-26T11:14:00.016-05:00

It's that time of year, the time when the momma has to clean off her homeschooling shelves to make room (and a little $!) for next years stuff. If you see something you're interested in, give me a shout! ( HilltopLife@gmail.com )

Auralog Tell Me More Spanish, levels 1-5, Homeschool Version

New. Box opened but product never used.

Relails for $299.99

$100

SALE PENDING

Memoria Press Latina Christiana I

Latina Christiana I Set includes:

1 Teacher text,

*2 Student Texts,

5 DVD instructions set

*Flashcard Set

Pronunciation CD.

Retails new for $97.90

*The student books have writing in pen and pencil on the first 11 pages

*The flashcards have been punched out for the first 3 lessons. They are in a stack. There may be a few missing, but I think most of them are there.

All About Spelling Level 1

Starter kit including Letter tile/magnets & Phonogram CD

Teacher book

Student Book

Hardback level 1 Reader

New never used, However, letter tiles have been cut up and affixed to magnets already.

Retail $76.85

$35

All About Spelling Level 2

Teacher Book

Student book

Hardback Level 2 Reader

New, never used

Retail $59.90

$30

All About Spelling Level 3

Teacher Book

Student Book

New, Never used

Retails $39.95

$25

All About Spelling Level 4

Teacher Book

Student Book

New, never used

Retails $39.95

$25

SOLD!

Prairie Primer by Margie Gery
New condition

Retail $50

$35

SOLD!

One Year Adventure Novel

Complete High School English course

New unused in box

Retails $224

$125

SALE PENDING

Saxon Algebra ½ 3rd Edition Homeschool Kit INCLUDING DIVE CD

This Kit Includes:

· Saxon Math Textbook, 463 pages

· Saxon Tests Booklet

· Saxon Answer Key

· DIVE CD-ROM

Retails $83.30

$55

Saxon Algebra ½ 3rd edition Solutions Manual

This does not come with the homeschool packet and had to be purchased separately. It has every problem in the book worked out, not just answered.

Retail $23.40

$15
(Pictured above)

Saxon Algebra ½ 3rd edition textbook

I was teaching two children so I have and extra textbook.

$10
(Pictured Above)

ARTistic Pursuits, Grades 4 - 6, The Elements of Art and Composition 2ND EDITION

New condition

Retail $42.95

$20

SPEARS ART STUDIO K-8 CHRISTIAN ART CURRICULUM, A TEACHER'S MANUAL
CD-Rom in PDF

Retail $39.95

$15

Done with Lost

2010-05-24T15:30:00.004-05:00

Shannon, this is for you...

My son and his friend attended a Lost watch party and I think they felt the same way you do about the ending.

Graduation

2010-05-17T16:22:00.018-05:00

I graduated my first child this weekend. It is hard to believe. When I started homeschooling him, that little blond headed, blue eyed bundle of mischief, 2010 seemed like an eternity away. But it flew by.

I have so many thoughts flying around in my head about this milestone. How blessed I've been to be able to homeschool, chief among them. Truly. Some days were hard, yes. Some days I wanted to throw in the towel. Some days I really did wonder why I was doing this weird thing called homeschooling. I wondered why God called me to this thing. But then I got to this point. And I heard these things from my boy. And I realized that his childhood is over. He is going out into the world now.

18 years seems like an eternity looking forward. But when looking back, it seems like a vapor.

Hearing 'Thank you for being kind and patient with me, Mom. I couldn't have asked for anything better' is the closest thing to 'well done, good and faithful servant' I'll hear this side of eternity, I think.

.................................................................

Here are a few highlights from Graduation day.

Here is my boy and his graduation cake.

This is the table we had set up for him. It's basically a photo of him doing one of his favorite things, like firefighting or motorcycle riding, or bicycling, or playing soccer and then an item to go along with it, like his riding boots, or firefighting helmet or his bicycle gloves, you get the idea.

These are the boys that graduated together.

I think they're pretty excited. I think they're ready to face the world!

But the question is...

Is the world ready for them?

(Watch this till the end when they walk out. Don't worry, it's short.)

My Joy

2010-05-09T10:43:00.004-05:00

Happy Mother's Day!

I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.
3 John 1:4

The Bridge

2010-05-08T09:15:00.008-05:00

I would like you you to imagine for a minute that every day, when your child went off to school, they had to travel over a bridge. And not just any bridge, this is a very narrow bridge, a bridge with no handrails to hold onto, and it is barely wide enough for one person. If your child were to fall off this bridge, they would land on the rocks below. IT would mean a certain and painful death.

For the first many years of your child’s life, you simply carried them across this bridge. It was too terrifying to do anything else, but eventually your child became too big and you had to let them walk. You always walked with them, you held their hand, you steadied them when necessary. As your child got even older, occasionally there were times when you had to let them cross the bridge alone. You waited, at the edge of the bridge, praying, waiting for them to cross to safety and you breathed a sigh of relief and sent up a prayer of praise every time they made it. You live in fear though, because you know there will come a day when your child will have to traverse this bridge alone, completely alone, without your input at all. You will not always be there to tell them where to step how fast or slow to walk, they will be on their own. You hope and pray that you have taught them how to do it safely.

This is the life of a family with fatal food allergies. Food cannot be avoided, it is required to sustain life, but for a child with an anaphylactic food allergy, every bite is potentially life threatening. Every time that child is out of your sight, you worry, are they going to eat something? Will they be able to read all the labels properly? Is today the day I get that call from a friend’s house?

The places that should be the safest for a child are often the most dangerous. Church for instance is one of the scariest places for our family. As a pre schooler and elementary student church has always been the most dangerous place for Ann. Everywhere you look there is food. It’s being served for snacks or being used as object lessons. It seemed for years she had to be removed from the classroom so often due to the presence of some type of dairy, that we simply stopped taking her. She came with us. It’s hard to explain to a child why God made them like this, and because of their allergy they cannot attend Sunday School like the other children. Or why every treat at church for doing well is a pizza party or an ice cream social, that she can not only, not imbibe in, but she cannot be in the room at all. Food allergies can be a very isolating illness.

Statistics have shown that the second most likely time for a child to die of anaphylaxis is the teen years (the first being the initial anaphylactic reaction) The reason for this is because the child is beginning to take responsibility for their own allergy and they are becoming more independent from mom. The child forgets to read a label, or decides to ‘risk it’ when out with friends at the hamburger joint, thinking surely the buns are dairy free…

We are told, in the Bible, not to worry. For the parents of a child with a fatal food allergy this is a tall order. It is something we must work at daily, trusting God daily, hourly, for our child’s safety.

This next week is Food Allergy Awareness Week. That is why I write this today. We don’t talk about Ann’s allergy a lot, because it is not all of who she is. She is so much more that ‘the girl with the diary allergy’ I don’t want it to define her. But it is just something that has become part of our family. It’s is interwoven in our daily lives. It dictates how we school, church, vacation, spend our free time. It is our life. But I understand it is not YOUR life. It is hard for someone who does not live with anaphylaxis to understand.

Over the next week, Food Allergy Awareness Week, I will write out a little bit of our daily lives. How we live this life. How we’ve succeeded and how we’ve failed. Because Ann’s not the only little kid out there with a potential ticking time bomb inside her and I’m not the only mommy trying to keep her child safe. There are a lot of us out there. Over this next week, I’m going to tell our story.

Lemonade

2010-05-03T16:36:00.006-05:00

Thanks to the Michelle's great idea, I have 12 pints of fresh squeezed lemonade and iced tea in my fridge.

Taste like summer!

(In the interest of full disclosure. My jars are not that cute, I borrowed that photo from The Internet (thank you, Internet!).

Wow.

2010-05-01T10:10:00.005-05:00

I just can't believe that this baby....

Turned into this man.

When did that happen? How did the time fly so fast?

And in a few short weeks, two to be exact, he's going to graduate from High School.

There are so many things to do; presentations to be done, pictures to be ordered, announcements to be sent out, reception to plan, and the list goes on. I'm pretty busy these days getting ready, but every once in a while it hits me. My baby. My first. My guinea pig, he's a man.

Wow. Just...wow.

Really? Really?

2010-04-28T21:36:00.002-05:00

FWPD Officer Charged With Possessing Marijuana

Looks like the police need some police to police themselves.

I Hear Loud Drunk People

2010-04-26T10:31:00.006-05:00

Sarah and I decided it was time for our annual or by-annual or tri-annual, (or as often as our husbands will allow) hotel weekend getaway. It is a glorious time where we bring all kinds of snacky foods and our favorite pj’s and head for the hotel. The plan is to make it the whole weekend without leaving the hotel room. We watch movies, we read, we talk, we sleep, it’s glorious.

Our weekend started off nicely. We went by Whole Foods and got lots of yummy foods and most of them were healthy and even those that weren’t, were still organic, so you know, less guilt! And as a side, those were the best tasting organic peanut butter and chocolate chip cookies EVER!

Our first day passes gloriously uneventful. We ate, we talked, we watched movies, we serupticiously watched the social interaction going at the pool below us, it was heavenly. We eventually got tired of all the relaxing and headed to bed. Because I had had coffee later than usual and because I’m not 20 anymore (darn-it!) I couldn’t sleep. I lay in bed awake for about half an hour. Right as I was about to drift off, I was startled by sudden loud voices. Many, loud voices. They were getting off the elevators, loudly, at 1 am. I waited for them to make it down the hall to their rooms so I could try to get over the shot of adrenalin their jarring voices shot into my system, and go back to sleep.

The voices continued. Loudly. I waited. Finally, they started moving from the elevators. I listened as their voices got even louder as they passed right in front of my door. They were so loud it was as if they were standing at the end of my bed! Then, much to my horror, I heard a door crash open then close, the very next door.
“You’ve GOT to be kidding me” I mumbled. If it were possible, they were even louder in the next room! I laid there for a while, hoping they would settle down and go to bed. Um, no. After listening for a while and counting voices, at least 7, I was pretty sure they were not going to bed anytime soon.

As I listened to their conversation, and it was not eavesdropping because the people in China could hear their conversation, I got more and more irritated. Also, I learned quite a few new words. And I had to control my overpowering urge to go over there and box their ears or wash their mouths out or send those boys to a corner! Sheesh! Do they kiss their momma’s with that mouth??

Finally, I could not take it anymore. I got up and turned on the lamp. Sarah was also now awake. She made it longer than I did due to her earplugs, but eventually the noise of these partiers penetrated even Sarah’s super strength ear plugs.

I called down to the front desk. I told them of our partying neighbors and asked if there was something they could do. They said they’d send up security.

We waited and finally security knocked on the partier’s door. Security had to knock twice to be heard over all the ruckus. Finally we heard the partiers responding to the security guard. We didn’t hear the security guard because he was speaking in normal, 1 am tones, the partiers were still speaking in ‘we’re at the Club!’ tones.

We heard the door shut and the slight ding of the elevator telling us the security guy left. We heard great guffawing from the room next door, then we did NOT hear quite.

I called back down to the front desk to tell them their ‘talking too’ had not worked. The front desk offered to move us. Fabulous. Just what I wanted to do, gather up all my stuff and wander around the hotel at 1 am. But it was very clear to Sarah and I that these people were completely trashed and being quite was a physical impossibility at this point. We had two options, to wait till they drank themselves into a stupor, or move. We chose the latter.

We packed up our stuff, threw on our robes and slippers and were just about to head out the door when we heard their door open and the ruckus spill out into the hall. Should we go out there? Should we wait? They’re pretty darn drunk, and they’ll know it was us that complained. We decided to wait. Well after several minutes they didn’t move so we called down to security again to escort us to the next room.

As soon as security got off the elevator, it got quiet again. It seemed they had gone back into the room. The security guy walked us down two floors to our next room. Now let me mentioned that this security guy did not inspire confidence. To start off with, I was bigger than him. He was this little slip of a guy, he smelled of alcohol himself and he was unarmed. Seriously, I’m more menacing than this guy. But at least he had a walkie so he could call down for help if the need were to arise.

We stepped off the elevator and once we were in the foyer, we heard the elevator doors to the next elevator come open. It was an elevator full of our partiers! Seems they were moving their party to another room. Kind of them I guess, but still they were so loud they could wake the dead. I looked at them, 8 people, 6 guys and 2 girls. 20 something. They halted in their steps when they saw us. It was obvious what was going on. They did not get off the elevator.

Sarah, the wee security guard and I made it to our room and the guard said goodnight. We put down our bags and were about to hop into bed when we heard it…AGAIN! The partiers other room was, wait for it…in the room next door.

“I don’t think so!”

I am sorry to say, 1 am Trish appeared. She is very grumpy, impatient, and irritable. Just ask Dave. “I am going to ask them what room they’re in so we can move again to somewhere they’re NOT” I say.

“um, are you sure that’s a good idea?” says sensible Sarah. “Maybe we should call the security guard again.

“Yeah, I don’t think so, what help is he, he does not even have a gun. I’m better armed that that guy.”

So I swing open the door, surprising the 20 something partiers (and Sarah, I think). They all stop in their tracks. They had a giant cooler full of what I can only assume is more beer on a luggage trolley. They had the door next to us open and half of them were already in the room.

“Excuse me” I say in a 1 am Trish tone. “Could you tell me what rooms you all are in so we can move elsewhere? I don't mean to kill your fun, but we need to get some sleep.”

“Um” says the drunk guy spokesman, “No…ma’am, we’re all quiet now. Really” large hand gesticulations, and beer sloshing out of the can, “you won’t hear from ush no more, we’re all done making noish” slur slur, slosh, slosh.

Whatever. I try again, speaking in clear even tones as to a very small child. Keep in mind all the other drunk guys are standing there, unmoving, staring like a deer in headlights.

“Is. That. Your. Room?”

“yesh”

“Are. You. Staying. In. That. Room?”

“yesh”

“Thank you, that’s all I need to know. Enjoy your evening, gentleman.” And I shut the door. Sarah looked a bit astounded because 1 am Trish is much more daring and confrontational that daytime Trish.

We call down and to the astonishment of the front desk, asked to be moved, again.

Once the manager came up, and heard the ruckus emanating from our next door neighbors she understood. She explained to us that there was a wedding party there and they were part of the wedding party. They had several rooms in the hotel. The manager assured us that none of the wedding party was on floor 3. They moved us to floor 3.

Sarah and I finally fell into an exhausted sleep at 2 am.

We slept in till almost 11 the next morning. When we woke up, we joked about how our partiers must be feeling this morning. They were probably still in their beds holding their heads in pain!

We opened our window to resume or pool-people watching. Lo and Behold, our drinkers were at the pool! How was that possible? I had not had a drop of alcohol and I felt like I had a hangover from all the middle of the night hiking! And these guys were down at the pool, drinking, laughing, yelling. Wow, they must be professional drinkers!

We stood and stared, and pointed and talked, trying to decide if these really were our midnight partiers, how was it possible? Then, much to our shock, one of them looks right at us and waves! THEY COULD SEE US!!! I was certain the windows were tinted, but apparently the sun was just right to allow them to see us. We waved back and then quickly moved away from the window. Then we fell on the bed and laughed our heads off!

I am happy to report that we did not run into the 20 something partiers again, of course that might be because we did not leave the confines of the hotel room till checkout time the next day. But that was by design, not because we were scared of the crazy drunk people. Really!

Tim does it again.

2010-04-14T15:19:00.002-05:00

I don't care who you are, that was a solid performance. Even his critics must agree.

Well Done TIM!

The Gala and Boy #2.

2010-04-10T09:48:00.012-05:00

This is Bob and his date, B. B is the sister of Will date, S. I loved B's outfit! So her, with those boots. Adorable! See how they're all matchy-matchy! Bob even had a corsage made with red ribbon. And yes, if you look off to the left, that is Will being a spaz in the background.

This photo cracks me up. I hope they'll always be friends no matter where life takes them. If that is so, then I will feel like I have done my job well.

Such handsome young men. Where'd my little boys go....sniff, sniff.

Here's the formal, parents-with-graduate photo. Sir D and Will look lovely!

And now the silly photos begin. I love these boys. They are so funny!

Here is Will's group of friends from the co op and from his youth group. A parent couldn't ask for a better crowd for her teenager to run with. I love these kids.

This is so funny. They look like vampires with their collars up like that!

And here we have Bob breaking a long held tradition of NON dancers in the family. The tradition has gone back generations. WEll done, Bob. WEll done!

Mr. Sir

2010-04-06T09:15:00.007-05:00

This year, for Ann’s birthday, we decided to have a camping party. Ann very much wanted to invite 20 of her closest friends and have them all come camping with us. Because I am sane, I told her NO WAY. But I did tell her she could invite 15 of her closest friends to come spend some time with us at a campsite during the day. So the idea for Ann’s camping party was born.

We immediately made reservations at Cedar Hill State Park. When the day came, Sir D got up early and went down to the park to pick out the campsites that would best suite our purpose, i.e., near the playground where there is room to run and 15 screaming girls would not be out of the ordinary.

That evening we were to meet D and R at the park to let the camping weekend begin. Lo and behold, when we get there we are told that not only do we not have any reserved sites, but we don’t even have any reservations at all. WHAT?

In the interest of keeping this a novella and not a complete novel, let’s just say that Sir D spoke to them and a solution was found. They put us in a part of the park that was closed for the off season. We got a complete section of the park to ourselves. Bliss. Screaming girls will disturb no one now!

Friday rolls around and the party begins. We picked up all the girls at the house and ferried them all into the park. We had egg toss, egg relay races, egg sprints, murder in the dark, assassin, capture the flag, sardines (sorry parents for the chigger bites. It was not my idea to hide in the creek bed!), decorate your own cupcakes, and I don’t even remember what else. We did not, however, roast marshmallows as I decided 15 girls wielding long sticks with hot melting marshmallow on one end, over an open flame, seemed a bad idea.

When the party was over and everyone was sufficiently sugared up, we hopped in the car to go back up to the entrance to the park for the girls to meet their parents. We waited on the ‘exit’ side of the parking lot. There were already a few parents there waiting and they told me that the park was not making them pay to come into the parking lot to pick up their kids. I was happy to hear this because I didn’t really want to walk all the kids up to the entrance because it was dark up there, and frankly, I was tired! So we waited for the parents to come.

The parking lot is just about empty. The only people coming and going at this point were the parents picking up their children. I would say it was a quiet night, but there were 15 sugared up pre teen girls there so quiet is not the right adjective.

Once most of the kids were gone, I notice Robin and Tara driving up. I waved at them and they made their way in to where we are. Without thinking of the severe consequences that awaited them, they drove 20 feet the wrong way, into the ‘out’ side of the parking lot. They had not even parked their cars before lights were flashing. The Park Ranger/Warden Guy was waiting. We shall heretofore call him…Mr. Sir (Thank you David for the Holes reference!)

Mr. Sir walked up to Robin’s car and demanded ‘license and registration’. He then made his way to Tara’s car. Tara had gotten out of her car at this point. Mr. Sir walked up to her and said, in a rather unkind tone, “What kind of crazy driving is that? Do you even know how to drive? Are you even old enough to drive?”

Tara stood there, eyes wide, shocked. She was waiting for him to laugh and indicate he was joking. He did not laugh. Tara did not respond. She simply handed him her license. He then told her in the same tone to, “Get back in your car.”

Mr. Sir went to his truck, lights still flashing like this is some kind of drug bust, and began to run their information.

Sir D walked up to the open window of the truck to see if he could help out. He talked to Mr. Sir in kind even tones asking him if he was really going to ticket these ladies. He explained that they were there only to pick up their children that had been at his daughter’s birthday party.

Mr. Sir said they had violated traffic laws. Sir D agreed but pointed out that it was a PARKING LOT and it was empty save their own children. Mr. Sir said that laws were laws and there were consequences for breaking them. Dave agreed but suggested there was also a place for grace when mistakes were made. Dave also mentioned that these two ladies did not have State park passes and perhaps he was putting his park in a bad light. Maybe this was not the impression he wanted to leave of his park on these ladies. Mr. Sir asked if Dave was threatening him. Mr. Sir apparently did not appreciate Sir D's input and told him to go back to his car.

We waited around long enough to see Mr. Sir get out of his truck, walk up to Tara’s car and gruffly tell her to ‘come with me!’ Once Mr. Sir had both Robin and Tara standing on front of Robin’s car Sir D decided we’d better leave. He was concerned that Mr. Sir would write them a ticket just to spite Sir D if we were standing there watching.

Once Sir D and I left, Robin and Tara were left alone in a dark and empty parking lot with Mr. Sir and his silent sidekick. Mr. Sir stood there in front of Robin’s car and harangued the two ladies for several minutes about traffic laws and obedience, and driving skills or lack thereof. Then, he made these ladies walk a good 30 yards away from, and out of sight of their cars holding their young children, to the entrance of the park. He pointed at the ‘Do Not Enter’ sign and asked them if they could read it. When they responded in the affirmative, he made them both read it out loud to him. The then harangued and harassed them some more, all the while their children are sitting unattended in a dark parking lot wondering what happened to their mothers who were taken away by an angry, gun tottin’ Game Warden.

Before he would tell them where their fate rests concerning the $500 ticket, he first demanded to know who ‘that man’ was who threatened him. Once he found that information out, he told Robin and Tara he would write them a warning. They would not have to pay, or show up in any court, but it would go on their record. The then told them that if they wadded it up and threw it on the ground he’d ticket them for littering. Because we know how homeschooling mom’s are prone to littering.

For the rest of our stay at Cedar Hill State park, the warden and/or his sidekick drove by our campsite often. They told us to move cars out of other campsites parking spaces nearby, even though we’d paid to have the extra cars enter the park and that entire side of the park WAS CLOSED except for us! We were told that we had not paid for the last night of our stay, and that we had 30 minutes to get out or pay up. We had been told no less than 3 times when we checked in that we were paid in full. To put it bluntly, the State Park staff harassed us because Dave stood up for Tara and Robin.

This man, Mr. Sir, was on a power trip the likes of which I’ve only seen on sitcoms. Dave was able to ascertain his full name and badge #. He also was able to get his supervisors name and that of his supervisor’s supervisor.

The man was a bully, plain and simple, but he picked the wrong guy to try to intimidate. The way Robin and Tara were treated, and requiring them to leave their children unattended for at least 15 minutes in a dark empty parking lot, is simply unacceptable. Not mention the way he spoke to them! Dave felt certain that if he could have recorded the way Mr. Sir spoke to Tara and Robin, Mr. Sir would be out of a job. Sadly, Sir D does not yet have and iphone.

As the great Lord Acton said, “Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely.”
I think this may be the case with Mr. Sir, but worry not campers. Mr. Sir’s days as a bully are numbered.

He picked on the wrong guy!