tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-52951366901626458112024-03-13T13:51:24.600-04:00Standing in the Wide Open Spaces of God's Gracebecause grace is the most amazing of all.Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00718015627223452730noreply@blogger.comBlogger294125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-57703025643714291822012-06-22T09:56:00.000-04:002012-06-22T09:58:07.920-04:00For Mama<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="color: black;">Two days ago, you marked off yet another anniversary (37), eating at Kim Moon (not Daddy's favorite dish, but rather sushi, which he would have kidded you about), and then listening to a special young lady speak delightfully about her adventures in Haiti as a teacher to missionary children. Living together as Pastor and Pastor's Wife, you and Daddy spent countless hours side by side, snatching these quiet moments at favorite hole-in-the-wall restaurants or coffee shops between the whirlwind business of pastoring. </span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">This morning, I tip-toed out of the house to the deck to breathe in some fresh air and while I drank in life from Scripture, I watched the birds and enjoyed my few flowers that I've miraculously kept alive since Memorial Day weekend. And then I checked my cell phone clock and realized a had a few minutes to soak in some poetry before my to-do list begins clamoring for my attention and the children wake, waiting to be loved on, read to, played with, taken to therapy and the library and a spina bifida family get-together. (Must remember to make those Oreo truffles...)</span></div>
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<span style="color: black;">The book I cracked open this morning is Elizabeth Hun Schmidt's <em>The Poets Laureate Anthology</em>, and the very second poem I read, though "short and sweet," is one I want to share with you, Mama. This is it, isn't it? How life changes? How the journey is now? The poet said, too, that "poetry is about what can't be said," and yes, this is what is hard to explain to those who think everything is over after a year:</span></div>
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<span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><em>Your absence has gone through me</em></span></div>
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<em><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Like thread through a needle.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="color: #134f5c; font-family: Verdana; font-size: large;">Everything I do is stitched with its color.</span></em></div>
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<em><span style="font-family: Verdana; font-size: x-small;">--W.S. Merwin</span></em></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-15217184320607613942012-06-18T20:35:00.001-04:002012-06-18T20:35:12.063-04:00Finally, an update. This one: Pulmonology/Sleep Study<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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It's been nearly a year since I've posted, and my what changes to Blogger since last I logged on! It's so much less complicated than it was at one time. Maybe it will help me be motivated to keep up a little bit more? <br />
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On Memorial Day weekend, Madeline had a sleep study at St. Vincent's in Indy. Since she came off her oxygen last summer, we wanted to make sure that we hadn't jumped the gun. Her surgery to correct her kyphosis (severe scoliosis; hers was in her lower back) showed immediate change in her lung space, and even before we left the hospital, the Little Miss was hanging out at 98-100% oxygen saturation sans O2 support, compared to 88% or so pre-op. <br />
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I wondered how difficult a night it would be now that Madeline is almost 4. Yes, she can talk now (in paragraphs!), but I thought it might bother her more to be messed with. </div>
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But she handled it like an angel! She continually felt where the RT was placing the leads and tape and the wrap, but she chatted up a storm and played with the RT's name tag. (By the way, dear medical friends of mine, when you are in med school of any kind, do they have a special class on offering children name tags to play with and talking about the name tag and the picture and the pins on it? Goodness, the DOCTORS even generously unclip their badges and hand them over when she simply says, "What's that?")<br />
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The night went well. When I said it was time to lie down and sleep, she said, "Okay!" and promptly laid down and was asleep within minutes. I slept soundly until just before the RT came in to wake us to leave at 5:45.<br />
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The clean-up process takes awhile. There are so many wires and so much tape and so much gunky stuff (love my technical term?), and Maddy looked a little dazed, like she was wondering why on earth she only had 6 hours of sleep instead of 13. During the clean-up, the RT said she wouldn't be surprised if Maddy would go back to some oxygen at night.</div>
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{{Madeline during the last of the hook-up process}}</div>
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A few days later, we did indeed get a call from the nurse stating that Madeline exhibited mild obstructive and central apnea. They double-booked us for an appointment a week off, and asked us to make an appointment with neurosurgery (which is yet to come).<br />
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Last week, we saw Dr. Akanli, Madeline's pulmonologist and one of our favorite doctors. The little lady is a wealth of knowledge and she thinks outside the box, which I appreciate since Madeline's other factors have to be taken into consideration with any of her breathing issues. She easily includes me in the decision-making process.<br />
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Bad news first, right? (Daddy always asked, "Do you want the good news first or the bad news?" To which I always replied, "Bad. Save the best for last!") Madeline is having quite a few central apneas at night, lasting 15 seconds or so. She is having an average of 40+ brain awakenings per hour (which could contribute to her need for 13 hours of sleep at night). This means her brain wakes, even if she isn't fully awake. She has a base O2 saturation of 95, but frequent dips to 70s (140 or so during the night). <br />
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Good news. There is NO obstructive apnea as originally reported. That means that despite this bump in the road, her <a href="http://carlivia.blogspot.com/2011/03/before-and-after.html" target="_blank">kyphectomy</a> last year really did help her a LOT. On her previous sleep study her base was 88-92, and she'd dip to the 50s, almost all of it obstructive. We are beyond thrilled with the progress.<br />
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The plan: We will see the neurosurgeon in July to check up on Madeline's shunt and Chiari malformation, which is the brainstem being pulled down because of the <a href="http://carlivia.blogspot.com/2008/07/sibling-visit-and-surgery.html" target="_blank">myelomeningocele at birth</a> (the spinal cord and spinal membranes in a sac on the back. If you visit the link, the picture of her sac is halfway down the post). There may be a shunt working intermittently (although we're not really seeing signs of this, as we did before her only <a href="http://carlivia.blogspot.com/2008/11/little-patient.html" target="_blank">revision</a>), or the brainstem may be too compressed (for the life of me, I don't remember the signs from <a href="http://carlivia.blogspot.com/2009/03/maddy-surgery-update-2-plus-pics.html" target="_blank">the last go-'round</a>). Either would probably require surgery. Or it just be a neurological issue.<br />
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Dr. Akanli doesn't feel that O2 is necessary but that C-PAP would give her the support she needs. That in itself is good news. We're willing to do whatever it takes, obviously, but I'm not going to begrudge C-PAP when we've had to deal with huge oxygen tanks in the garage and a squealing and heavy portable tank weighing us down, let alone 75 feet of tubing winding through the house for us to trip over or sweep around. :)<br />
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Thanks for sticking with this post! I'm so happy to actually be posting again that I forgot and gave you every little detail! Thank you for your continued prayers for our little Maddy. She has had such a great year+ since her surgery last March. Besides getting her back straightened and getting off oxygen, she also got her first wheelchair, started preschool, and began talking (as I said...in paragraphs!!!). She is a totally different kid than a year ago, and we're so grateful. Miss Maddy brightens our lives and that of everyone she meets. It's so fun to watch her go wheeling half way across the commons area at church to give someone a hug, and countless people get down on their knees in front of her to chat with her and give her kisses. We see, and you give us joy too.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-81108786202734899572011-09-13T06:00:00.002-04:002011-09-13T07:46:09.197-04:00Madeline Speaks!Madeline has been making progress in the speech department! And frankly, if you think this one is good, just wait until you see the one coming up later this week! (This was posted on Facebook last week, so to those of you who don't "do" Facebook...you're welcome!)<br /><br /><iframe height="300" src="http://player.vimeo.com/video/28961325?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0" frameborder="0" width="400"></iframe><br /><br /><p><a href="http://vimeo.com/28961325">Untitled</a> from <a href="http://vimeo.com/user8495280">Pam Asbury</a> on <a href="http://vimeo.com/">Vimeo</a>.</p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-59368751060903453652011-09-12T19:18:00.004-04:002011-09-12T19:47:38.454-04:00Riding the busOne of the hardest decisions I had to make regarding Madeline's schooling had to do with transportation. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Bona</span> Vista is about 10 minutes away, if that. I was encouraged by other friends (and really good mamas) to try it. Their experience was that their special needs kids really seemed to like it.<br /><br />I'm very glad for the peace I felt after praying (and worrying, of course, since I am human after all) about this, and a few weeks down the road, I'm so grateful we decided to try it. Madeline did not do well at all the first few times, and I think it was the noise of the bus, since the poor little girl <em>hates</em> loud, unfamiliar noises (and some familiar ones too). It could have been separation, but since she wheeled right into her first day of preschool and hardly glanced my way when I left, I'm not so sure that was it. She was sobbing when I got her off the bus, but after another day or two, the tears subsided and now she smiles when she sees the bus, rides the lift, and sees the few little tykes on the bus.<br /><br />Her bus driver has made the experience easier as well. He's a pastor who has a very kind heart. He checks on the kids in between stops and often tells me what Madeline is doing before I get back to her car seat. Madeline has a very short bus ride, but I often find her sound asleep and she smiles broadly at me when I wake her up.<br /><br />The other benefit to sending Madeline on the bus is that it is so much less a disruption to our school day. It takes about an hour to get her bathed, diapered, dressed, fed, in her wheelchair, bookbag packed, and on the bus. I would take another whole hour or more out of our day to load her with her sisters into the van, drive to school, get everybody out and into school, check in with the teachers and other beautiful children and/or mamas, load back up and come back home, and then do it all again in such a short time.<br /><br /><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ok</span>, all that rambling and finally the pics! (Remember, this is before she got her new chair!)<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gEPXDHmp0E/Tm6WTTHpc4I/AAAAAAAACks/myiGbFgyjzg/s1600/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B008.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651619840690582402" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2gEPXDHmp0E/Tm6WTTHpc4I/AAAAAAAACks/myiGbFgyjzg/s400/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B008.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez8-yt08HnA/Tm6WS1RDs6I/AAAAAAAACkk/wgG9Ychb57k/s1600/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B012.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651619832676987810" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Ez8-yt08HnA/Tm6WS1RDs6I/AAAAAAAACkk/wgG9Ychb57k/s400/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B012.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><br /><br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nuTM2fteg7A/Tm6WSCqd6jI/AAAAAAAACkc/4p1OPFONR8k/s1600/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B013.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651619819093355058" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-nuTM2fteg7A/Tm6WSCqd6jI/AAAAAAAACkc/4p1OPFONR8k/s400/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B013.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ksOzCLsrQE/Tm6WRuY9pkI/AAAAAAAACkU/1meDOMgfzgE/s1600/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B014.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651619813651228226" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7ksOzCLsrQE/Tm6WRuY9pkI/AAAAAAAACkU/1meDOMgfzgE/s400/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B014.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KssnCx5PdOU/Tm6WQ0MsRWI/AAAAAAAACkM/FmFxy2lB7s8/s1600/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B015.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5651619798030501218" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-KssnCx5PdOU/Tm6WQ0MsRWI/AAAAAAAACkM/FmFxy2lB7s8/s400/August%2B26%252C%2B2011%2B015.JPG" /></a> </div></div></div></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-41208563243123035482011-09-06T06:00:00.002-04:002011-09-06T06:00:01.076-04:00First Day of Kindergarten and Third Grade (September 1)<div align="center"><em>I simply couldn't decide which pics to post, so you get them all! :)</em></div>
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<br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oNxL0hyU3gw/TmA5LdYoiyI/AAAAAAAACkE/K6FSVuZNuMs/s1600/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B001.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647576801751894818" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-oNxL0hyU3gw/TmA5LdYoiyI/AAAAAAAACkE/K6FSVuZNuMs/s400/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B001.JPG" /></a> <em>Had to point out that small pile on the sidewalk behind Olivia. Guesses anyone? Okay, I'll tell you. That's a mushroom Livy found, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">unbeknownst</span> to me. She got a knife, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">unbeknownst</span> to me, and cut up the mushroom on the sidewalk...<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">unbeknownst</span> to me. :)</em>
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<br /><div><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ILnpuEy4TDk/TmA3gQz-dRI/AAAAAAAACjU/9Nz5MQtq3j4/s1600/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B010.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647574960130913554" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ILnpuEy4TDk/TmA3gQz-dRI/AAAAAAAACjU/9Nz5MQtq3j4/s400/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B010.JPG" /></a>
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<br /><div align="left"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QH_sHsNi8X0/TmAt5Hi2aUI/AAAAAAAACi8/hbIDky8ltfk/s1600/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B009.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647564392023615810" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-QH_sHsNi8X0/TmAt5Hi2aUI/AAAAAAAACi8/hbIDky8ltfk/s400/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B009.JPG" /></a> *<em>Signs from <a href="http://www.howdoesshe.com/she-saved">HowSheDoes</a></em></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<br /></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-42198319927113537622011-09-01T21:02:00.005-04:002011-09-02T07:53:32.843-04:00{this moment} First day of schoolJoining <a href="http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2011/08/this-moment-4.html">SouleMama</a> for {this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
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<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_h2u2netvs/TmAr9PLwmjI/AAAAAAAACik/DpQWJmtlGwo/s1600/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B003.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5647562263770470962" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-H_h2u2netvs/TmAr9PLwmjI/AAAAAAAACik/DpQWJmtlGwo/s400/First%2Bday%2Bof%2Bschool%2B2011%2B003.JPG" /></a>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-51483947268701189912011-08-23T23:06:00.000-04:002011-08-23T23:06:00.564-04:00All about DexTwo weeks ago tomorrow, I received a text from Dex inviting us to his annual cookout at his clinic (<a href="http://www.stepnstonept.com/">Step 'N Stone Physical Therapy Solutions</a>). OF COURSE! Filipino food? Yes, please. Seeing Dex after too long? Never mind the fact that Madeline had to be in school <em>very</em> shortly after the party started, we were going!
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<br />Dex was Madeline's physical therapist from the time she was just a few months old until he stopped doing First Steps to focus on his booming clinic, about a year an a half ago(??). Madeline adored him (the rest of us did too; did I mention he brought us an entire Filipino meal once?), and we were all very sorry to see him go.
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<br />Funny story: On his last visit, Dex told Olivia and Carli the reason he could no longer come to see Madeline is because "your mommy fired me." Doesn't matter how much Dex and I have told them otherwise, they never remember the real reason. As we walked across the lawn to the picnic, Olivia said, "Mommy, why did you fire Dex?"
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<br />So all that to say, here are the pics of Dex and Madeline. I just had to put all three up here to show you Madeline's antics.
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<br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGxgVFRRjqg/TlRXMtxy22I/AAAAAAAACic/6rWsn0yxe9M/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B104.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644232108960570210" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hGxgVFRRjqg/TlRXMtxy22I/AAAAAAAACic/6rWsn0yxe9M/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B104.JPG" /></a>
<br /><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sniClPjyR_o/TlRXLzEHCKI/AAAAAAAACiU/iY2zyouYpOA/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B105.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644232093199698082" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-sniClPjyR_o/TlRXLzEHCKI/AAAAAAAACiU/iY2zyouYpOA/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B105.JPG" /></a>
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<br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RDVhkim-yvQ/TlRXLe-134I/AAAAAAAACiM/OxoHIeqVktE/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B106.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644232087808892802" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RDVhkim-yvQ/TlRXLe-134I/AAAAAAAACiM/OxoHIeqVktE/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B106.JPG" /></a></div>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-3666688756266541772011-08-17T06:00:00.001-04:002011-08-17T06:00:10.146-04:00Madeline's First Day of School**<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_QbVbOmTCyE/TkshKS707rI/AAAAAAAAChs/l46zv1wJv3U/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B100.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 385px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641639418976857778" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-_QbVbOmTCyE/TkshKS707rI/AAAAAAAAChs/l46zv1wJv3U/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B100.JPG" /></a>
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<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qQExqqN458/TksfW3AsddI/AAAAAAAAChc/Y23RFZOPB_Q/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B099.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641637435796125138" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--qQExqqN458/TksfW3AsddI/AAAAAAAAChc/Y23RFZOPB_Q/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B099.JPG" /></a>
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<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GCDtdWWilCA/TksfVs29kmI/AAAAAAAAChM/ma_4fu3fuEk/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B101.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641637415891079778" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-GCDtdWWilCA/TksfVs29kmI/AAAAAAAAChM/ma_4fu3fuEk/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B101.JPG" /></a>
<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvyEISy5jAw/Tkse2QxJzWI/AAAAAAAACgc/rBeWBX5huzs/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B107.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641636875774578018" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qvyEISy5jAw/Tkse2QxJzWI/AAAAAAAACgc/rBeWBX5huzs/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B107.JPG" /></a>
<br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o1gW4jZycTE/Tkse1-89_pI/AAAAAAAACgU/cjwNXPgr6bA/s1600/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B108.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5641636870992297618" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-o1gW4jZycTE/Tkse1-89_pI/AAAAAAAACgU/cjwNXPgr6bA/s400/August%2B12%252C%2B2011%2B108.JPG" /></a>
<br /><div>**And no, I didn't cry. Madeline did a great job on her first day of school. She wheeled in there like she owned the place, and didn't fuss at all when I left. </div>
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<br /><div>For those who may have missed it, for now, preschool is how she is getting her needed therapies, since she has aged out of First Steps. She's growing up!</div>
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<br /><div>By the way, you can see a bit of Annie, Maddy's little friend who also has spina bifida and a plethora of lots of other serious issues. She's a precious little girl and I'm thrilled she's in Madeline's class. Besides Annie and Maddy, there are three other little ones in the class, and I had met or knew of two of the others. It made me happy. :)</div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
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<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-75898086806477674632011-08-09T06:00:00.003-04:002011-08-09T06:00:13.101-04:00I Can't Help It; It Makes Me Happy!<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SoTeW1X67kc/TkBbySSyiNI/AAAAAAAACgM/aEe8kblUzQ8/s1600/2011-08-08_16-34-14_422.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 226px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638607652930095314" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-SoTeW1X67kc/TkBbySSyiNI/AAAAAAAACgM/aEe8kblUzQ8/s400/2011-08-08_16-34-14_422.jpg" /></a>
<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-18561742944868333212011-08-05T12:52:00.003-04:002011-08-05T12:57:04.270-04:00{this moment} Olivia, First Thing in the Morning<em><a href="http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2011/08/this-moment.html">Joining SouleMama in {this moment} </a>- A Friday ritual. A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.</em><br /><br /><br /><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5awJt1nZD38/TjwgcwkYrBI/AAAAAAAACf8/VpACMLSUuxI/s1600/August%2B5%252C%2B2011%2B017.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5637416512006958098" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-5awJt1nZD38/TjwgcwkYrBI/AAAAAAAACf8/VpACMLSUuxI/s400/August%2B5%252C%2B2011%2B017.JPG" /></a>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-86905653845384075492011-08-03T10:35:00.004-04:002011-08-03T10:40:47.961-04:00Walter de la Mare's "Some One"Ambleside Online's poet pick for Year 2, Term 1, is Walter de la Mare. I have selected "Some One" as a starting point for recitation, since it is simple enough that Olivia will enjoy learning it with us during circle time.<br /><br />I have made up a <a href="https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0YDQ0DNEZODMTBlYjBkODMtNzlmMC00ZDI0LWEyYzItZTVlZDEyYmM3YzM0&sort=name&layout=list&num=50">simple printable of "Some One." </a>You are welcome to use/change it however you wish. Enjoy...<br /><br /><br />Or copy and past this into your browser: https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B0YDQ0DNEZODMTBlYjBkODMtNzlmMC00ZDI0LWEyYzItZTVlZDEyYmM3YzM0&sort=name&layout=list&num=50Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-6302156475471965312011-08-02T14:02:00.004-04:002011-08-02T14:52:51.890-04:0014 Years and Counting!Yesterday, Glen and I celebrated 14 years of marriage. I know this may shock you, because I look like I couldn't possibly be a day over 25. (Ha!) I was married at the tender age of 18 (and a half, but who's counting?). I'm ever so grateful God chose Glen to be my partner in this journey called life. I find it amazing to see God at work in our family, through the joyous and the stressful days, knowing we can depend on Him for His wisdom and leadership through the next 14 years and beyond.<br /><br />Last evening, my lovely friend Diana <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Metz</span> kept the girls (even Madeline for a few hours!) while Glen and I went to Outback for supper (forgot to use our <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">gift card</span>, if you can believe that!), relaxed and enjoyed our evening (mostly) kid-free. This morning <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carli</span> and Olivia were so excited to share their "project"...a wedding anniversary cake, complete with hand-drawn cake toppers. They were also eager for us to open generously decorated cards and bookmarks. I already have dates and names on the back so that I will always remember. They made our day for sure, and chocolate cake for lunch was a special treat! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Mmmm</span>...<br /><br /><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--EbuMWlSkqM/TjhDu3-1WuI/AAAAAAAACfs/qrsv6Paa6lI/s1600/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B020.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 392px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636329406234712802" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--EbuMWlSkqM/TjhDu3-1WuI/AAAAAAAACfs/qrsv6Paa6lI/s400/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B020.JPG" /></a> <br /><div><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcJYQxQcto8/Tjg8VnM-avI/AAAAAAAACfU/jYTxu5LQHl4/s1600/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B021.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636321275652500210" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-mcJYQxQcto8/Tjg8VnM-avI/AAAAAAAACfU/jYTxu5LQHl4/s400/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B021.JPG" /></a><br /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IVVC8IG6kP0/Tjg8VcvUgyI/AAAAAAAACfM/t0yAFG26rnE/s1600/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B022.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636321272843764514" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IVVC8IG6kP0/Tjg8VcvUgyI/AAAAAAAACfM/t0yAFG26rnE/s400/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B022.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifyJ1XUbFnU/Tjg8Um3UZGI/AAAAAAAACfE/7t_aMN7C-OQ/s1600/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B023.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5636321258381796450" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifyJ1XUbFnU/Tjg8Um3UZGI/AAAAAAAACfE/7t_aMN7C-OQ/s400/August%2B2%252C%2B2011%2B023.JPG" /></a> Thank you, Diana, and thank you, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carli</span> and Olivia. You made our day extra-special! Thanks for helping us celebrate!</div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-48780635005049837402011-07-28T09:19:00.003-04:002011-07-28T09:22:00.647-04:00WonderMaps--Chance to WIN!Having spent this week pulling all the pieces together for our upcoming homeschool year, I know how valuable WonderMaps would be for me. I spent a lot of time looking up medieval maps, partly so I know what I'm talking about, and partly because Carli loves mapwork.<br /><br />Here is an awesome giveaway... http://homeschoolgiveaways.com/2011/07/giveaway-wondermaps/#comment-6763<br /><br />I'd say I hope you win, but really, I just hope I do! :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-7978968531020278032011-07-27T06:00:00.004-04:002011-07-27T06:00:07.735-04:00Can't Get Much Better than FREEOne of my favorite aspects of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ambleside</span> Online is that it uses many texts that are now public domain and can be found as online texts for free. Yes, I still love the feel of a book in my hand (and sometimes even the smell. I'm strange, but at least I know Kirsten is there with me!). But we still have way too many books to chose from both here and at the library if we need a feel-a-real-book fix, and we do...often.<br /><br /><p align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=000000&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=youresomespec-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=B004HFS6Z0" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p><br /><div align="left"><br />There were a few books I found cheaply on <a href="http://www.amazon.com/">Amazon</a>, <a href="http://www.abebooks.com/?cm_mmc=ggl-_-US_AbeBooks_Brand-_-Mispellings-_-abibooks&gclid=COj0m8KeoKoCFQEKKgodUHwLVA"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">AbeBooks</span></a>, or <a href="http://www.half.ebay.com/">Half</a>, and I bought them since they were ones I thought we would enjoy having in our hot little hands. But Glen bought me a Kindle for my graduation a couple years ago, and I really enjoy the feel of <strong><em>it</em></strong> in my hot little hands too. I love how easy it is to throw in my purse and have whatever book I'm in the mood for at my disposal.<br /><br />All that being said, there are some incredible sites out there that have <strong><em>FREE</em></strong> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">eBooks</span>, many of which I can transfer to my Kindle. The ones I can't transfer can be read from my laptop and often can be printed and put in a notebook.<br /><br />Here are my favorite <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">eBook</span> sites:<br />:: <a href="http://books.google.com/books?hl=en">Google Books</a><br />:: <a href="http://www.gutenberg.org/catalog/">Project Gutenberg</a><br />:: <a href="http://www.mainlesson.com/">Baldwin Online Children's Literature Project</a> (There are a lot of free ones here, but some to pay for too, so make sure you know what you're clicking on!)<br />:: <a href="http://www.manybooks.net/"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">ManyBooks</span>.net</a></div>:: <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Kindle-eBooks/b/ref=sa_menu_kbo3?ie=UTF8&node=1286228011">Amazon Kindle Store</a> You can get <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/feature.html/ref=sa_menu_karl3?ie=UTF8&docId=1000493771">a free Kindle <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">ap</span> for your PC </a>(or practically any other electronic device) too!<br /><br /><br />I've recently discovered a couple sites for free audio books as well! I love to have my (<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-error">ok</span>, Glen's) MP3 on while I'm cleaning. I load audio books from our library site, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">podcasts</span>, whatever, and clean/cook/fold laundry and feel like I'm not doing anything quite so mundane. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carli</span> may use audio books from these sites to "read" from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Ambleside</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">Online's</span> Free Reading list, though I'm still enjoying the stage where I read most of her literature to her since I enjoy it so much.<br /><br /><br />Anyway, the sites:<br /><br /><br />:: <a href="http://www.archive.org/details/librivoxaudio"><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Librivox</span></a><br />:: <a href="http://www.booksshouldbefree.com/">Books Should Be Free</a> (Amen!)<br /><br /><br />What are your favorite sites for free resources?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-54353743332520431192011-07-26T06:00:00.004-04:002011-07-26T06:00:06.323-04:00Big-Girl Bed<div align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdeWAXYiFyc/TiX4wLYq2sI/AAAAAAAACew/Y7prt9rvP2E/s1600/July%2B2011%2B053%2B1.jpg"><em><span style="color:#000000;"></span></em><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631180415670344386" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-DdeWAXYiFyc/TiX4wLYq2sI/AAAAAAAACew/Y7prt9rvP2E/s400/July%2B2011%2B053%2B1.jpg" /></a></div><br /><div align="center"><em>(I have no idea why this picture turned out pink, but take a look at that smile, would you?)</em></div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">We finally have a bed set up for Madeline in the girls' room! <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carli</span> and Olivia were both in their own rooms at four months, but with Madeline, it's obviously been a bit different. For one thing, SPACE! Our third bedroom is our school/play room without a lot of extra room for a crib/pack-n-play or a bed. The girls' room is already wall-to-wall furniture. And too, even when we did try out the pack-n-play in another room, she always ended up back on a pallet on our floor when she was sick...and she just sort-of stayed! :)<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fKhyjTjjCsY/TiX4vtnSspI/AAAAAAAACeo/dKHIR8iGanY/s1600/July%2B2011%2B055.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631180407678612114" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-fKhyjTjjCsY/TiX4vtnSspI/AAAAAAAACeo/dKHIR8iGanY/s400/July%2B2011%2B055.JPG" /></a>The first night was not the proverbial walk in the park. She was so excited (?) and kept sitting up and laughing and being all-around silly. Then she cried when we left and turned the lights out (even though she always slept with them off before). <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carli</span> and Olivia were very frustrated with her laughing/crying because they wanted to go to sleep. I finally laid her on my bed and she was out like a light....so we moved her back to her bed when we were ready to hit the hay ourselves. In the middle of the night, the girls woke us up because Madeline was crying again, so it was back to the pallet.<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cW89g4cPEc0/TiX4vfdZGDI/AAAAAAAACeg/XGpS41eMsqI/s1600/July%2B2011%2B058.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631180403878991922" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cW89g4cPEc0/TiX4vfdZGDI/AAAAAAAACeg/XGpS41eMsqI/s400/July%2B2011%2B058.JPG" /></a>The next night was ever so much better. I put Madeline to bed earlier than the other girls, sang to her, kissed her, talked sweet nothings to her, and then I laid her down, turned on <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">KLOVE</span> (Christian radio station), turned out the light and walked out. She protested for a few minutes and I ignored her (*sniff*), but she quieted down quickly and for the next 20 minutes or so, every time I'd peek through the door, there she was, sitting up and staring back at me. I didn't say anything to her, just smiled and went about with whatever I was doing. Sure enough, it wasn't long before she was sound asleep...and she slept for 15 hours. (She had a little cold, and was probably worn out from the night before!)<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9d4ton4kHk/TiX4vH2589I/AAAAAAAACeY/mcR-Sspvdv0/s1600/July%2B2011%2B059.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631180397543551954" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Y9d4ton4kHk/TiX4vH2589I/AAAAAAAACeY/mcR-Sspvdv0/s400/July%2B2011%2B059.JPG" /></a> <br /><div><em>Ready for bedtime prayers with Mommy and Daddy</em></div></div></div><br /></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-67032068314753330302011-07-25T06:00:00.004-04:002011-07-25T06:00:03.759-04:00Flipping Through and Laughing Out Loud<p align="center"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0310319943/ref=as_li_ss_il?ie=UTF8&tag=youresomespec-20&linkCode=as2&camp=217145&creative=399369&creativeASIN=0310319943"><img border="0" src="http://ws.assoc-amazon.com/widgets/q?_encoding=UTF8&Format=_SL160_&ASIN=0310319943&MarketPlace=US&ID=AsinImage&WS=1&tag=youresomespec-20&ServiceVersion=20070822" /></a></p><br /><div align="left"><br />My lovely boss Ginger (with <a href="http://digitalsermontranscription.com/default.aspx">Digital Sermon Transcription</a>, if you're interested) frequently <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Facebooks</span> links to <a href="http://www.jonacuff.com/blog/">Jonathan Acuff's blog</a>, and I have laughed out loud so many times reading it because he <em>knows! </em>Take, for instance, his latest "Stuff Christians Like" post: <a href="http://www.jonacuff.com/stuffchristianslike/2011/07/saying-goodbye-to-vacation-bible-school/">Saying Goodbye to Vacation Bible School</a>. We've all been there. Yep, it's fun while it lasts, but seriously, could you do that every night of your life? (This year the week of <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">VBS</span> turned out to be my first week of work filling in for Matt here at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">IWU</span>-<span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Kokomo's</span> front desk, so I missed all the "fun," but I certainly remember how utterly drained and exhausted I was at the end of those two hours!) </div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Anyway, I requested Acuff's <em>Stuff Christians Like </em>from <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">Interlibrary</span> Loan, and I picked it up today on the way to work. Flipping through it and reading only the headings made me laugh out loud and cause the laughing-tears start to slide down my face! If you've grown up in any kind of church culture at all (and I do mean <em>any, </em>clear across <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">religious</span> spectrum), you will find your church (you?) in a few of these! It's fun to laugh at yourself a bit, I think. </div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">Here are some of my favorite headings under the banner <em>Stuff Christians Like:</em></div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">:: Trying not to complain around missionaries</div><br /><div align="left">:: The sound-guy neck crane</div><br /><div align="left">:: Pressing on your eyes during prayer</div><br /><div align="left">:: Saying "You're in my thoughts and prayers."</div><br /><div align="left">:: Name-dropping God to get out of a speeding ticket</div><br /><div align="left">:: Refusing to tithe until you have the proper amount of cheerfulness in your heart</div><br /><div align="left">:: Telling testimonies that are exciting right up until the moment you became a Christian </div><br /><div align="left">:: Losing the will to clap during songs</div><br /><div align="left">:: Finding typos in the worship music</div><br /><div align="left">:: Making sure everyone knows your fiance isn't living with you</div><br /><div align="left">:: Telling other people maybe God gave them the gift of singleness</div><br /><div align="left">:: Fake laughing at unfunny jokes out of Christian love</div><br /><div align="left">:: Judging people who use the Table of Contents in their Bible</div><br /><div align="left">:: Coming to church sick</div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">...and my all-time favorite:</div><br /><div align="left"></div><br /><div align="left">:: Dominating the "Please turn to..." Bible race during church</div><br /><div align="left"></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-30856822436550327492011-07-21T06:00:00.002-04:002011-07-21T06:00:02.362-04:00Homeschool Planning Pages--CarliI love to visit blogs and look at schedules and planning pages to get ideas for my own. I combined several ideas from Ambleside Online's yahoo group to make pages that work for me. <em>Someday, </em>I may figure out a schedule that combines both children, but for now this was the easiest. You can see and print the schedule <a href="https://docs.google.com/viewer?a=v&pid=explorer&chrome=true&srcid=0B0YDQ0DNEZODMWQ5MmU2NzAtNjkwYS00NGEyLTk3MjItYzhjYWYyYzY4YzRj&hl=en_US">here.</a> You are more than welcome to change it up and use it however you wish! Happy planning!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-45849377558745786592011-07-20T06:00:00.001-04:002011-07-20T11:39:50.599-04:00Birthday celebrations<div align="center"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zSv6nHLmhyo/TiXy-e54THI/AAAAAAAACeQ/DjCNvtQW-DM/s1600/July%2B2011%2B061.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631174064358313074" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zSv6nHLmhyo/TiXy-e54THI/AAAAAAAACeQ/DjCNvtQW-DM/s400/July%2B2011%2B061.JPG" /></a>A week ago Sunday we celebrated Madeline Kate's third (!) birthday with cake and a few presents. First, though, I wanted desperately to get a picture of Madeline in her new dress from Granny, and wouldn't you know it, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-error">Gramma</span> took Maddy's little jacket off before I can snap it. So imagine a cut little pink and black jacket. It was sweet! As you can see Madeline is signing <em>cup...</em>Sunday dinner wasn't quite ready, but she definitely was.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FJ3u2M3ASgg/TiXy-HXmIMI/AAAAAAAACeI/yvkVLoi96tU/s1600/July%2B2011%2B065.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631174058040500418" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-FJ3u2M3ASgg/TiXy-HXmIMI/AAAAAAAACeI/yvkVLoi96tU/s400/July%2B2011%2B065.JPG" /></a>This year Madeline was very into opening her presents. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Carli</span> was the only one she'd let help her, but even then she was a bit territorial!<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub5IyI_M4Hk/TiXy9zyNRdI/AAAAAAAACeA/ZVooPlUrVM4/s1600/July%2B2011%2B070.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631174052783408594" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Ub5IyI_M4Hk/TiXy9zyNRdI/AAAAAAAACeA/ZVooPlUrVM4/s400/July%2B2011%2B070.JPG" /></a></div><br /><div>She sees her magnetic doll set and lunges with a smile!</div><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTrW3yUEO78/TiXy9nXvbHI/AAAAAAAACd4/8ivYpO8Cn_g/s1600/July%2B2011%2B076.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631174049451175026" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TTrW3yUEO78/TiXy9nXvbHI/AAAAAAAACd4/8ivYpO8Cn_g/s400/July%2B2011%2B076.JPG" /></a>Couldn't resist, but she's away and won't see this for a while, probably! :)<br /><br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_oAFLYnnqvE/TiXy9cXH1wI/AAAAAAAACdw/7GzP1qx8d28/s1600/July%2B2011%2B075.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631174046495790850" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-_oAFLYnnqvE/TiXy9cXH1wI/AAAAAAAACdw/7GzP1qx8d28/s400/July%2B2011%2B075.JPG" /></a> <br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OmGl2VtvG_g/TiXxSn-KU5I/AAAAAAAACdo/LFmxy1uD8lw/s1600/July%2B2011%2B079.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 282px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631172211366318994" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OmGl2VtvG_g/TiXxSn-KU5I/AAAAAAAACdo/LFmxy1uD8lw/s400/July%2B2011%2B079.JPG" /></a><em>This picture of Glen and Madeline will tell you just about everything you need to know about how Daddy feels about his girls.</em> <br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3G61g8Cdx1s/TiXwh6rbHOI/AAAAAAAACdY/f5-LTu-GirQ/s1600/July%2B2011%2B080.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631171374574410978" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-3G61g8Cdx1s/TiXwh6rbHOI/AAAAAAAACdY/f5-LTu-GirQ/s400/July%2B2011%2B080.JPG" /></a><em>She must have liked the cake...she has her hands ready to "thank Jesus for the food!"</em> <br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AHgRtDswFBg/TiXwhbGlkoI/AAAAAAAACdQ/-ktZYYH6trY/s1600/July%2B2011%2B088.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631171366098408066" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-AHgRtDswFBg/TiXwhbGlkoI/AAAAAAAACdQ/-ktZYYH6trY/s400/July%2B2011%2B088.JPG" /></a>Love this sweet dress I found on major clearance at <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">TJ</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Maxx</span>. I figured out at Easter that I could save myself a lot of money if I would buy flower stems 50% off at a Hobby Lobby sale, add ribbon to an <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">alligator</span> clip and hot glue it to the back of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">destemmed</span> flower! So this one cost me $1.50 rather than $6! :) <br /><div><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t--lB1D7WuY/TiXwhIMeiRI/AAAAAAAACdI/GRHzYA2vVXE/s1600/July%2B2011%2B102.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: pointer" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5631171361022839058" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t--lB1D7WuY/TiXwhIMeiRI/AAAAAAAACdI/GRHzYA2vVXE/s400/July%2B2011%2B102.JPG" /></a></div></div></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-80640444791948018582011-07-19T06:00:00.001-04:002011-07-19T06:00:18.377-04:00Kindergarten and the Formidable List of AttainmentsOlivia will be starting Kindergarten at home this year. Can it be I will homeschooling two children??<br /><br />Thankfully, the adjustment will come slowly and gently, as Olivia's "school" won't take nearly as long. As many of you know, I'm knee-deep (neck-deep?) in Charlotte Mason research, and I was so happy to learn that she recommended no <em>formal</em> schooling before age six. That doesn't mean no learning, however. In fact, here is her "Formidable List of Attainments for a Child of Six":<br /><br /><em>A reprint of a curriculum outline from a CM school in the 1890's. from Summer 93 Parents Review pub by Karen Andreola<br /><br />1. To recite, beautifully, 6 easy poems and hymns<br />2. to recite, perfectly and beautifully, a parable and a psalm<br />3. to add and subtract numbers up to 10, with dominoes or counters<br />4. to read--what and how much, will depend on what we are told of the child<br />5. to copy in print-hand from a book<br />6. to know the points of the compass with relation to their own home, where the sun rises and sets, and the way the wind blows<br />7. to describe the boundries of their own home<br />8. to describe any lake, river, pond, island etc. within easy reach<br />9. to tell quite accurately (however shortly) 3 stories from Bible history, 3 from early English, and 3 from early Roman history (my note here, we may want to substitute early American for early English!)<br />10. to be able to describe 3 walks and 3 views<br />11. to mount in a scrap book a dozen common wildflowers, with leaves (one every week); to name these, describe them in their own words, and say where they found them.<br />12. to do the same with leaves and flowers of 6 forest trees<br />13. to know 6 birds by song, colour and shape<br />14. to send in certain Kindergarten or other handiwork, as directed<br />15. to tell three stories about their own "pets"--rabbit, dog or cat.<br />16. to name 20 common objects in French, and say a dozen little sentences<br />17. to sing one hymn, one French song, and one English song<br />18. to keep a caterpillar and tell the life-story of a butterfly from his own observations.</em><br /><br />And NO, I'm not sure we'll get to some of that (um, French? Good idea, but this mama is not fluent in French). I'm not that good. The point is that instead of pouring over worksheets, the child should be outside as much as possible, exploring, observing, discovering nature up close and personal.<br /><br />Since Olivia will be six in January, and since she is begging me to teach her to read, we will be using <em>Teach Your Child to Read in 100 Easy Lessons</em>, using letter tiles, etc. For math, I am not purchasing a curriculum, but we will be doing lots of domino/dice/counter math, reading living math books (great lists found <a href="http://www.livingmath.net/ReadersbyConcept/tabid/268/Default.aspx">here</a>, even for little ones), etc. We will begin handwriting (manuscript) with some very short lessons.<br /><br />We also will be following along with Ambleside Online's year 0 reading list, maybe doing some lapbooks for ones we want to spend more time with:<br /><br /><strong><a type="”amzn”"><em>::Winnie the Pooh </em></a>series by AA Milne and Ernest H. Shepard (<em>Winnie-The-Pooh</em>, <em>The House at Pooh Corner, When We Were Very Young, Now We Are Six</em>).<br />::Beatrix Potter series (<em>Peter Rabbit, Benjamin Bunny</em>, etc,)<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>The Little House</em></a> by Virginia Burton<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>The Story About Ping</em></a> by Marjorie Flack<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>The Little Engine</em></a> that Could by Watty Piper<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>Blueberries for Sal </em></a>by Robert McCloskey<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>Make Way For Ducklings</em></a> by Robert McCloskey<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>One Morning in Maine</em></a> by Robert McCloskey<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>Ferdinand </em></a>by Munro Leaf<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>Ox-Cart Man</em></a> by Barbara Cooney<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>Stone Soup and other folk tale retellings</em></a> by Marcia Brown<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>Miss Rumphius</em></a> by Barbara Cooney<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>The Story of Little Babaji</em></a> by Helen Bannerman<br />::Brer Rabbit books by Joel Chandler Harris<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>Poems and Prayers for the Very Young</em></a> by Martha Alexander<br />::<a type="”amzn”"><em>A Child's Garden of Verses </em></a>by Robert Louis Stevenson (illustrated by Eulalie, Jessie Wilcox Smith, or Alice and Martin Provenson)<br />::A good collection including classic stories and folktales such as "The Little Red Hen," "The Gingerbread Man," "Goldilocks and the Three Bears," "The Three Billy Goats Gruff."<br />::A good collection of<em> Aesop's Fables</em>, such as the one illustrated by Milo Winter<br />::A nice Mother Goose collection<br />::Illustrated classic poetry such as <a type="”amzn”"><em>Poems for Young Children</em></a> compiled by Caroline Royds<br />::A good collection of classic children's poetry such as <a type="”amzn”"><em>A Child's Book of Poems</em></a> by Gyo Fujikawa; <a type="”amzn”"><em>The Golden Books Family Treasury of Poetry</em></a> selected by Louis Untermeyer; <a type="”amzn”"><em>The Oxford Book of Children's Verse</em></a>edited by Peter Opie</strong><br /><br />As part of training in the habit of attention, I'll include Olivia in a sort of "circle time" with Carli, where we'll study the Bible, memorize Scripture and poetry, learn hymns and folk songs, and study artists and composers.<br /><br />As far as foreign language, I'm still not sure if we'll be sticking with sign language or delving into something a little more, uh...foreign. I must admit, since I didn't study languages as a young one, I'm a bit intimidated by the thought. Carli will be doing Latin in a year or two, but somehow that is more exciting, and it will be more to learn the roots of the English language. I just really need to research options for a good curriculum that would be fun and effective. I've messed around with Rosetta Stone samples and LOVE it, but we just don't have the cash for that now. Ah well, I'll figure it out. :)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-10565155937269704982011-07-18T06:00:00.001-04:002011-07-18T06:00:21.562-04:00With the Aunties<div align="center"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_jABgFXlkqQ/ThzdpI6Xi1I/AAAAAAAACak/60_8pWoZnCI/s1600/July%2B2011--Rookie%2BCamp%2B032.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628617333142948690" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-_jABgFXlkqQ/ThzdpI6Xi1I/AAAAAAAACak/60_8pWoZnCI/s400/July%2B2011--Rookie%2BCamp%2B032.JPG" /></a>With Glen's sisters (Emeline on the left, Lorraine on the right) on Sunday, July 3.</div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">Ah, the Aunties. Emeline and Lorraine are becoming such lovely young ladies whom I truly enjoy spending time with. Can't believe they are going into eleventh grade this year! Whenever Glen's family is in town on Sunday, they spend the afternoon with us. We share a meal and visit, clean up and then most of the adults take our Sunday afternoon naps! :) The aunties are such a big help with the girls, watching them through the afternoon and getting them ready for Sunday night church. </div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">Lorraine has a special place in my heart because of her love of reading and her knack with my children. Emeline shines in the kitchen and with her art work, and over the last couple years has learned the ins and outs of caring for Madeline's special needs. They are both hard workers...every once in a while I even find a changing table or drawer in the kids room put back to rights and neatly organized after the little ones <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_0" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">rummaged</span> through one too many times! </div><br /><div align="center"></div><br /><div align="center">Love you bunches, girls!</div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-46015093610854331192011-07-15T06:00:00.002-04:002011-07-15T06:00:03.431-04:00Rookie Camp Preview<div align="center"><strong><span style="color:#000000;">This was Carli's second and last year at Rookie Camp. Next year it's on to pre-teen girls camp, if you can believe that. She turned 8 at camp and she came home happy and exhausted after four days/three nights of lots of physical activity, crafts, service projects, and Bible teaching. Here is a sneak peek, thanks to Connie, who went with her daughter Hallie (first picture) and as a counselor. </span></strong></div><u><span style="color:#0066cc;"></span></u><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 225px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628612298535897666" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-tt7Ozmbtvws/ThzZEFigikI/AAAAAAAACaM/dxMAeJ_XJCs/s400/267951_168690476531211_100001707809196_409056_8163502_n.jpg" /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wACl7yAmT1I/ThzZEmev5cI/AAAAAAAACac/wxNPsFTuvJ8/s1600/270571_170553529678239_100001707809196_414467_6609855_n.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628612307378496962" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wACl7yAmT1I/ThzZEmev5cI/AAAAAAAACac/wxNPsFTuvJ8/s400/270571_170553529678239_100001707809196_414467_6609855_n.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4eyfMAsDvUE/ThzZEQQxHhI/AAAAAAAACaU/23lPy7PbVEg/s1600/270464_170553039678288_100001707809196_414461_773876_n.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628612301414276626" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4eyfMAsDvUE/ThzZEQQxHhI/AAAAAAAACaU/23lPy7PbVEg/s400/270464_170553039678288_100001707809196_414461_773876_n.jpg" /></a><br /><br /><div><br /><div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628612294810258402" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-x3WaK3dEKPE/ThzZD3qPy-I/AAAAAAAACZ8/0suY_wCyKLM/s400/261517_170553183011607_100001707809196_414462_1656358_n.jpg" /><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVDC8WRVPRk/ThzZEEERTcI/AAAAAAAACaE/xLsWpLJi0eM/s1600/263427_170553406344918_100001707809196_414466_1624902_n.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628612298140634562" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CVDC8WRVPRk/ThzZEEERTcI/AAAAAAAACaE/xLsWpLJi0eM/s400/263427_170553406344918_100001707809196_414466_1624902_n.jpg" /></a></div></div></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-74264765845517326672011-07-14T11:36:00.005-04:002011-07-14T11:51:17.641-04:00You're 3, Madeline!<div align="center"><em>This is the day</em></div><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233579207759298" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-t1hTRYPWNp8/Th8OHYZhFcI/AAAAAAAACbU/J6efklmvJNc/s400/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B032.JPG" /><br /><br /><div align="center"><em>we celebrate your birth, </em></div><br /><div align="center"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CkQ8Rr68cZM/Th8OHl2kTRI/AAAAAAAACbc/dtKyaJze_9s/s1600/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233582819265810" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-CkQ8Rr68cZM/Th8OHl2kTRI/AAAAAAAACbc/dtKyaJze_9s/s400/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B043.JPG" /></a><em>the moment</em> <br /><div><em></em><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WGYa0IoacfI/Th8N02urANI/AAAAAAAACbM/a5pVROR6ANo/s1600/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B031.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233260932038866" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-WGYa0IoacfI/Th8N02urANI/AAAAAAAACbM/a5pVROR6ANo/s400/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B031.JPG" /></a><em>you graced us with your presence.</em><br /><br /><div><em></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hnV7pwZ8maY/Th8N0lbbm_I/AAAAAAAACbE/es4Wqoht6LY/s1600/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B027.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233256287935474" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-hnV7pwZ8maY/Th8N0lbbm_I/AAAAAAAACbE/es4Wqoht6LY/s400/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B027.JPG" /></a><br /><br /><div><em>Sweet</em><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8oYPPEDb9mo/Th8N0FNkz9I/AAAAAAAACa8/caV4WIRYXlY/s1600/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B028.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233247639883730" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8oYPPEDb9mo/Th8N0FNkz9I/AAAAAAAACa8/caV4WIRYXlY/s400/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B028.JPG" /></a><em>Determined</em><br /><br /><div><em></em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTC_s5Tdt8c/Th8NzRE8yVI/AAAAAAAACa0/PqVuZVyolbg/s1600/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B025.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233233645062482" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aTC_s5Tdt8c/Th8NzRE8yVI/AAAAAAAACa0/PqVuZVyolbg/s400/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B025.JPG" /></a><em>Wrapped around our hearts.</em><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mzdm-sVqQrI/Th8Ny4d2TXI/AAAAAAAACas/aA1CMR1qS70/s1600/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B019.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 300px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5629233227038608754" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Mzdm-sVqQrI/Th8Ny4d2TXI/AAAAAAAACas/aA1CMR1qS70/s400/Madeline%2Bturnes%2B3%2B019.JPG" /></a><em></em></div><br /><div><em>And we're ever thankful.</em></div><br /><div><em></em></div><br /><div><em>Hugs and Kisses,</em></div><br /><div><em>Mama</em></div></div></div></div><br /></div>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-24221772642981232972011-07-13T06:00:00.000-04:002011-07-13T06:00:06.075-04:00We have an 8-year-old???<div align="center"><em>Carli Brooke turned eight years old last week...while she was a Rookie Camp (kids' church camp). Let me tell you, this mama missed her girl quite a bit. On her birthday, I was in Hobby Lobby picking up a few gifts for her and getting ready to head to Marion to see her when I got a call that Matt's baby was on the way and it was time to cover the front desk at IWU-Kokomo for him. So Glen was the lucky one, the one who hugged our birthday girl and passed out treats to her roommates. </em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>Her party was Saturday at Jackson-Morrow Park with a sweet bunch of girls + Cameron and Nathaniel + parents. Olivia took most of the pictures, and I didn't realize that there was a smudge on the lens and a lot of them didn't turn out very well. It was a day of Mama-mess-ups. I forgot a knife and a cake server, and somehow, one of my packs of plates disappeared (did I just leave it in the cart or what??). It was windy on the hill, and despite lots of taping, the table covers continually billowed up, knocking over plates and cups. Ah, well. We had a lot of fun despite Mama and the wind! :) </em></div><br /><br /><div align="center"><em></em></div><br /><div align="center"><em>An extra-bright spot in the day was the discovery that the Nature Center was open, so to escape the heat for a while, we headed over there. We visited with the critters (stuffed and live), looked at some cool science displays, and made bracelets. </em></div><br /><br /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 327px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628587661580618002" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5mPIs0FMINY/ThzCqBuoyRI/AAAAAAAACZE/sZWHreZDbPY/s400/July%2B2011%2B033.JPG" /><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 220px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628587651634513218" border="0" alt="" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-RBsicwVAf04/ThzCpcrTRUI/AAAAAAAACY8/UFBymArpDkQ/s400/July%2B2011%2B032.JPG" /><br /><br /><div align="center">I had to share this one (obviously after she pulled her bow out, her favorite trick). </div><br /><div align="center">Pizza crust...Mmmm.<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--dvDuT60iRI/ThzED-sH_kI/AAAAAAAACZk/8NWf79PSWEo/s1600/July%2B2011%2B032%2B%25282%2529.jpg"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 291px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 400px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628589206953000514" border="0" alt="" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/--dvDuT60iRI/ThzED-sH_kI/AAAAAAAACZk/8NWf79PSWEo/s400/July%2B2011%2B032%2B%25282%2529.jpg" /></a><br />By the way, when did this little one grow up? She took this picture herself. (Oh, and the lady in the background is Amy, our neighbor, whose little girl is a new little buddy to our girls)<br /></div><br /><p><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2GlPRmXFkA/ThzJ6dygT6I/AAAAAAAACZs/3WmazzUe13Y/s1600/July%2B2011%2B035.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628595640572333986" border="0" alt="" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-d2GlPRmXFkA/ThzJ6dygT6I/AAAAAAAACZs/3WmazzUe13Y/s400/July%2B2011%2B035.JPG" /></a> <a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xl0lzM2pspo/ThzOY2OohsI/AAAAAAAACZ0/9vkCiANZ0r4/s1600/July%2B2011%2B043.JPG"><img style="TEXT-ALIGN: center; MARGIN: 0px auto 10px; WIDTH: 400px; DISPLAY: block; HEIGHT: 300px; CURSOR: hand" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5628600560575350466" border="0" alt="" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-xl0lzM2pspo/ThzOY2OohsI/AAAAAAAACZ0/9vkCiANZ0r4/s400/July%2B2011%2B043.JPG" /></a><br /><em>Carli, </em></p><br /><p><em>Eight years! The time is slipping through our fingers so quickly, and I want to cling to each moment of being your mama. Mommy and Daddy are so proud of the young lady you are becoming. You have a tender heart and a love for Jesus that warms our hearts, and your prayers of faith challenge us to trust Jesus more. I pray God will direct your steps all through your life and that you will follow Him closely. </em></p><br /><p><em>I love you, </em></p><br /><p><em>Mommy</em> </p>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-57018432373780091722011-07-12T16:57:00.002-04:002011-07-12T17:35:02.762-04:00InspirationI don't know if any of you are challenged in the creativity department, but I certainly am. I know what I like, but the thought of putting it all together, even if money weren't an issue, definitely overwhelms me. Though maybe I could do it...if I did the shopping and somebody else did the actual work! :)<br /><br />Here are some sites I LOVE when it comes to decorating. I'm not even sure what to call this style, but I love vintage prints and furniture, "found" items that just really pull you in. Not too country...just sweet.<br /><br />LOVE:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.thehandmadehome.net/category/bungalow-revamps/">The Handmade Home</a><br /><a href="http://nieniedialogues.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-dream-of-alice-lane.html">The NieNie Dialogues</a>...NieNie's blog isn't all about decorating, but you see her style in the background of a lot of her posts. The one I linked to is of a basement makeover by Alice Lane, I believe.<br /><a href="http://theletteredcottage.net/">The Lettered Cottage</a><br />(Probably my favorite) <a href="http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/at-home/">Soule Mama</a>, and especially<a href="http://www.soulemama.com/soulemama/2010/10/the-library.html"> this space</a>.<br /><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/slideshow/2010/06/23/garden/20100624-chic-slideshow.html">Tiny Victorian Cottage </a>-- Not really into a lot of Victorian, but I love all the white!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5295136690162645811.post-1293744281333131732011-07-06T07:00:00.001-04:002011-07-06T07:00:16.797-04:00Links that Make Me Happy--Charlotte Mason Edition.I recently finished Karen Andreola's <a type="”amzn”">A Charlotte Mason Companion: Personal Reflections on the Gentle Art of Learning</a>. This book was such a lovely introduction to Charlotte Mason's philosophy of education, and I'd recommend it to anyone who is wanting to learn more about her methods.<br /><br /><p align="center"><iframe style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 240px" marginheight="0" src="http://rcm.amazon.com/e/cm?lt1=_blank&bc1=FFFFFF&IS2=1&bg1=FFFFFF&fc1=000000&lc1=0000FF&t=youresomespec-20&o=1&p=8&l=as4&m=amazon&f=ifr&ref=ss_til&asins=1889209023" frameborder="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no"></iframe></p><br />Anyway, today I had the brilliant idea that just maybe Mrs. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_1" class="blsp-spelling-error">Andreola</span> has a blog, and what do you know, <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_2" class="blsp-spelling-error">Swagbucks</span> pointed me in the right direction. I was trilled to find such a beautiful site, just as inspiring as the book. <a href="http://www.momentswithmotherculture.blogspot.com/">Visit Karen here</a>.<br /><br /><br /><br />I recently discovered that there are lectures online from the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_3" class="blsp-spelling-error">Childlight</span> <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_4" class="blsp-spelling-error">USA's</span> Charlotte Mason Education Conference. They can be downloaded to your computer or MP3.<br /><br /><br />I have only listened to two so far. Maybe I subconsciously assumed that because this was, at least in part, a <em><span id="SPELLING_ERROR_5" class="blsp-spelling-error">homeschool</span></em> conference, the speeches would be less than stellar. (Why do I still have these underlying <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_6" class="blsp-spelling-corrected">prejudices</span>?? I <em>AM</em> a <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_7" class="blsp-spelling-error">homeschool</span> mother. Maybe my own insecurities are bubbling up to the surface?) Let me just tell you, the two speakers I've listened to so far <em>knocked. it. out. of. the. park. </em>These two doctors were very articulate and so interesting that I was sorry when they closed their lectures.<br /><br /><br />The first lecture I listened to was <a href="http://www.childlightusa.org/conference_resources.php">Dr. John <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_8" class="blsp-spelling-error">Thorley's</span> "'Science of Relations' vs. 'Examinable Content'" (last one on this page). </a>If you know anything about Charlotte Mason, you'll recognize the phrase "science of relations." Dr. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_9" class="blsp-spelling-error">Thorley</span> is from the UK, and with his accent he sketches some of the history of the <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_10" class="blsp-spelling-error">UK's</span> "state" school system (he explained the difference between that and what are called "public schools" in England). While this may seem like a snore, it was actually quite fascinating. Not only has he taught in the state schools, he has also been a school inspector, and I believe he has also taught in a Charlotte Mason-style college.<br /><br /><br />The second lecture I listened to at 4:00 this morning (I took a pill with caffeine WAY to late...SO, I worked on a transcription file, took a long bath, read 50 pages from Justin Cronin's <em>The Passage</em>, and STILL couldn't sleep), and despite the exhaustion, I was spellbound through all but the last 10 minutes, when it all caught up with me. I awoke an hour later to find it finished and sleep was no longer a problem!<br /><br />Anyway, the lecture I am referring to is <a href="http://www.childlightusa.org/index.php">Dr. Jack <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_11" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beckman's</span> "The Books that Changed My Life." </a>Anybody who knows me knows reading is a passion of mine, even if I don't have as much time to read as I would like. I love books and I love books about books. Now I've discovered I love Dr. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_12" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beckman</span> talking about books! In this lecture, Dr. <span id="SPELLING_ERROR_13" class="blsp-spelling-error">Beckman</span> presented some of his favorite books and why they have been important to his life. He is a very engaging speaker, and when he read passages aloud, he brought the term "living books" to a whole new level. I couldn't help thinking of you, Aunt Pam, and you, Aunt Ardella, as I listened. You would resonate with his passion for books.<br /><br />Whether you're a subscriber to the Charlotte Mason philosophy of education or no, I have no doubt you would enjoy any of these links. Enjoy!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1