I'm involved with a company which helps people restore and preserve their memories. They might be called scrapbooks. The company might have two initials, which are the same as my daughter's. And the founder might have appeared recently in an interview with Donny Deutch on The Big Idea.
I love this comany, I love what it stands for, I love taking photos and making them into "histories" of my family. I love creating special books that my kids enjoy perusing. I love it that a favorite past time of their's is to drag out "their books" and read the stories about themselves.
I was surfing, (imagine that!) and came across a few you tube videos. (I haven't quite figured out how to imbed them here, but you can always click on the link and watch them on youtube.
Another cool thing I just found, a movie about it! www.scrappedmovie.com !!
Where was I when this came out? Man! How do I get a copy? Sold out, he says! Gotta have it, anybody have one collecting dust somewhere?
Ok, go watch the interview with Rhonda, (oh, whoops, wasn't supposed to say her name!)
Friday, July 11, 2008
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Miracle on Pendleton Avenue
Because my husband is only a Chaplain Candidate and hasn’t finished his seminary yet, he has a civilian job while he’s in school but gets to do some active duty work and “play army” periodically. He loves it, he’s a good soldier and really loves ministering to the troops with which he is working.
I long to be full-time army, all the time. We are an army family, we have been for nearly 18 years, and our kids have grown up with secure gates, ID checks and the commissary. I feel at home in our army community, and my truck wants to turn in when we pass the gates to post.
But in the meantime we are a family without a city; we straddle the fence, neither here nor there in a constant state of change. Transitions are hard, I hate the “limbo” feeling of not belonging and I had to deal with the effects of it yesterday. Well, rather, it started the day before at the pharmacy. I had tried to refill a prescription using our civilian insurance. Of course, since Bear has been on active duty our civilian insurance has lapsed and they refused to pay for the script. Oh, duh! I thought, try it through Tricare, he’s active duty now, it should go through. I handed the pharmacy tech my military ID card and she tried processing it that way. No go. Turns out, each time he goes active, we have to go through several steps in order to get medical coverage. Why it can’t be automatic is beyond me, but it isn’t.
So today, I had the privilege of driving to my beloved post to take care of some errands. (At this point, I’m going to use some acronyms that the army uses, I talk this way, sometimes my civilian neighbors can’t understand me, but it is my life. I’ll try to clarify, or you can always Google it.) I needed to go to the DEERS office at the Welcome Center and verify our enrollment. Now we’ve been in the DEERS system for 17 years, so this is where the frustrating part comes in. I don’t know exactly what they see on their screen when they look at my husband’s file, but we are always there, 7 dependants, all in order, spouse, and 6 kids. But each time, we re-verify. Yes, we’re still living; we still need health care, blah, blah, blah.
As I turned into the Welcome center on Pendleton Ave, I could see we were in trouble. Every parking spot was full. Summer is a big time for PCS-ing and ETS-ing, scheduling household goods shipments, and clearing quarters. The housing office is in an adjacent building and they share the parking lot. I could see the throngs of soldiers and family members funneling through the doors to the ID office. Oh, no, that was right where we needed to be.
I squeezed the suburban into a “compact” space, (I’m good at maneuvering that thing,) and loaded the little boys into the double stroller, with strict instructions to the “walkers” that they were to stay with me at all times and maybe we could stop at the park later.
We got to the counter and read the sign, wait times today were running 2 ½ to 3 hours. No. I needed this prescription, (I have asthma and can’t go through the night without my medication.) I was disheartened. When the receptionist got to the counter to “field my request” I told her what we needed, knowing that I would not like her answer.
These are his orders? Yes.
Do you have a Power of Attorney? Um, no.
(I get the look over the glasses.) Yes, I know, I should have one.
I can’t do anything without a POA ma’am. Well, he’s in training from 0500 to 2200 each day. (Zero-five-hundred to twenty-two hundred = 5 am to 10 pm.) I know his commander is supposed to give him time off to take care of such things, but how’s he supposed to do that when he’s in training all that time.
Deep sigh from across the counter and a glance at the swarming masses filling the waiting room. (Here's the miracle--)She then took her little stylus and started tapping the screen, then with her inch long acrylics, tap, tap, tap on the keyboard, more dabbing with her stylus, and flip, she passed Bear’s orders back across the counter. Go see the people at the Tricare office.
That was it? Done. We were out of there. I felt like crying. I could not believe it; I had witnessed a miracle. Truly, a miracle.
Now, those of you in the civilian world may not realize what just occurred here, but the red-tape was cut, the red-carpet was rolled out and I moved to the head of the line. I went from being third class reservist family member to “President’s Own.” We were passed through the gate without an ID check. Come to think of it, she never even asked to see my ID card.
Definitely, a miracle, I tell you! I have never, in all my 17 years of Army-Wife-hood, had anything like that happen. Typically, we wait, in lines here, in lines there, suffering along with the thronging masses. You just get used to it. But, not today. Today, God’s blessing shined on us, and we were providentially passed through the crowd, and brought to the head of the line and given the go-ahead.
Now, I just have to draw an analogy here, this is what happens when we are saved by Jesus’ blood. This is what happens in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
When you follow the steps in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”, you get a new ID card, you go the front of the line and the get the red-carpet treatment. When you confess your sins to Him, He draws you into His arms and won’t let go. Your name is forever written down in His Book. There is no receptionist at the counter to glare at you over the top of her glasses, or to tap her computer screen to see if you are who you say you are. When you get your marching orders, you don’t become one of the President’s Own riding in a stretch limousine with a uniformed chauffeur, and flags waving. No, it’s better than that; you become a Child of The Most High, riding in a golden chariot, clothed in Jesus’ Righteousness, driven by the Lord, Himself.
The elation and relief I felt as I walked out of that mass of waiting people, was nothing compared to knowing that you are clean in God’s eye’s, knowing that you are His Own.
I long to be full-time army, all the time. We are an army family, we have been for nearly 18 years, and our kids have grown up with secure gates, ID checks and the commissary. I feel at home in our army community, and my truck wants to turn in when we pass the gates to post.
But in the meantime we are a family without a city; we straddle the fence, neither here nor there in a constant state of change. Transitions are hard, I hate the “limbo” feeling of not belonging and I had to deal with the effects of it yesterday. Well, rather, it started the day before at the pharmacy. I had tried to refill a prescription using our civilian insurance. Of course, since Bear has been on active duty our civilian insurance has lapsed and they refused to pay for the script. Oh, duh! I thought, try it through Tricare, he’s active duty now, it should go through. I handed the pharmacy tech my military ID card and she tried processing it that way. No go. Turns out, each time he goes active, we have to go through several steps in order to get medical coverage. Why it can’t be automatic is beyond me, but it isn’t.
So today, I had the privilege of driving to my beloved post to take care of some errands. (At this point, I’m going to use some acronyms that the army uses, I talk this way, sometimes my civilian neighbors can’t understand me, but it is my life. I’ll try to clarify, or you can always Google it.) I needed to go to the DEERS office at the Welcome Center and verify our enrollment. Now we’ve been in the DEERS system for 17 years, so this is where the frustrating part comes in. I don’t know exactly what they see on their screen when they look at my husband’s file, but we are always there, 7 dependants, all in order, spouse, and 6 kids. But each time, we re-verify. Yes, we’re still living; we still need health care, blah, blah, blah.
As I turned into the Welcome center on Pendleton Ave, I could see we were in trouble. Every parking spot was full. Summer is a big time for PCS-ing and ETS-ing, scheduling household goods shipments, and clearing quarters. The housing office is in an adjacent building and they share the parking lot. I could see the throngs of soldiers and family members funneling through the doors to the ID office. Oh, no, that was right where we needed to be.
I squeezed the suburban into a “compact” space, (I’m good at maneuvering that thing,) and loaded the little boys into the double stroller, with strict instructions to the “walkers” that they were to stay with me at all times and maybe we could stop at the park later.
We got to the counter and read the sign, wait times today were running 2 ½ to 3 hours. No. I needed this prescription, (I have asthma and can’t go through the night without my medication.) I was disheartened. When the receptionist got to the counter to “field my request” I told her what we needed, knowing that I would not like her answer.
These are his orders? Yes.
Do you have a Power of Attorney? Um, no.
(I get the look over the glasses.) Yes, I know, I should have one.
I can’t do anything without a POA ma’am. Well, he’s in training from 0500 to 2200 each day. (Zero-five-hundred to twenty-two hundred = 5 am to 10 pm.) I know his commander is supposed to give him time off to take care of such things, but how’s he supposed to do that when he’s in training all that time.
Deep sigh from across the counter and a glance at the swarming masses filling the waiting room. (Here's the miracle--)She then took her little stylus and started tapping the screen, then with her inch long acrylics, tap, tap, tap on the keyboard, more dabbing with her stylus, and flip, she passed Bear’s orders back across the counter. Go see the people at the Tricare office.
That was it? Done. We were out of there. I felt like crying. I could not believe it; I had witnessed a miracle. Truly, a miracle.
Now, those of you in the civilian world may not realize what just occurred here, but the red-tape was cut, the red-carpet was rolled out and I moved to the head of the line. I went from being third class reservist family member to “President’s Own.” We were passed through the gate without an ID check. Come to think of it, she never even asked to see my ID card.
Definitely, a miracle, I tell you! I have never, in all my 17 years of Army-Wife-hood, had anything like that happen. Typically, we wait, in lines here, in lines there, suffering along with the thronging masses. You just get used to it. But, not today. Today, God’s blessing shined on us, and we were providentially passed through the crowd, and brought to the head of the line and given the go-ahead.
Now, I just have to draw an analogy here, this is what happens when we are saved by Jesus’ blood. This is what happens in John 3:16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”
When you follow the steps in 1 John 1:9 “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”, you get a new ID card, you go the front of the line and the get the red-carpet treatment. When you confess your sins to Him, He draws you into His arms and won’t let go. Your name is forever written down in His Book. There is no receptionist at the counter to glare at you over the top of her glasses, or to tap her computer screen to see if you are who you say you are. When you get your marching orders, you don’t become one of the President’s Own riding in a stretch limousine with a uniformed chauffeur, and flags waving. No, it’s better than that; you become a Child of The Most High, riding in a golden chariot, clothed in Jesus’ Righteousness, driven by the Lord, Himself.
The elation and relief I felt as I walked out of that mass of waiting people, was nothing compared to knowing that you are clean in God’s eye’s, knowing that you are His Own.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Multitasking gone awry
I don’t multitask very well. Brain malfunction, I guess, or maybe there’s just too much going on in my life. I’ve read that people who multitask are less productive in all areas of their life. I guess I should just stick to one thing at a time.
I tried to stick a dirty diaper in the mailbox once, and I’ve been known to put milk away in the cupboard and not the fridge.
Today was no different. I’ve been trying to cook better meals for my family and my crockpot is wonderful for getting things started early in the morning and forgetting. I fixed my coffee and just poured my favorite creamer, hadn’t even taken a sip, then got out the ingredients out for this sloppy joe recipe. I snipped off the end of the “sausage roll” wrapper of ground turkey, when plop, it flew right into my freshly poured brew.
E. coli coffee, anyone? Sigh…
I tried to stick a dirty diaper in the mailbox once, and I’ve been known to put milk away in the cupboard and not the fridge.
Today was no different. I’ve been trying to cook better meals for my family and my crockpot is wonderful for getting things started early in the morning and forgetting. I fixed my coffee and just poured my favorite creamer, hadn’t even taken a sip, then got out the ingredients out for this sloppy joe recipe. I snipped off the end of the “sausage roll” wrapper of ground turkey, when plop, it flew right into my freshly poured brew.
E. coli coffee, anyone? Sigh…
Thursday, July 3, 2008
Hospital Update
Thank you, dear readers for your prayers. Here is a quick update on my family members.
My mother in law, Nana is still in the hospital and will undergo tests today to see where the blockage is exactly and what can be done about it. They may or may not operate pending the outcome of the testing. Pop may move her to a bigger hospital, (they live in a small town, with one small hospital.)
My friend Larry from the food bank is home now and recovering from his 6-bypass surgery last Saturday. I'm going to volunteer today, and I better not see him there! He has a tendency to overwork and not recuperate enough. Last Thursday while he was supposed to be resting, he called 6 times to remind us of something he was sure we had forgotten. "Yes, Larry, we know." "Yes, Larry, you left us a list." "Yes, Larry, Fran will take care of that, she's already gotten it out of the freezer." "Yes, Larry! Quit calling! Go lie down!" "Goodbye, Larry!"
See, he's pointing and telling people what to do?
Some people just don't know how to delegate very well. Sigh...
My mother in law, Nana is still in the hospital and will undergo tests today to see where the blockage is exactly and what can be done about it. They may or may not operate pending the outcome of the testing. Pop may move her to a bigger hospital, (they live in a small town, with one small hospital.)
My friend Larry from the food bank is home now and recovering from his 6-bypass surgery last Saturday. I'm going to volunteer today, and I better not see him there! He has a tendency to overwork and not recuperate enough. Last Thursday while he was supposed to be resting, he called 6 times to remind us of something he was sure we had forgotten. "Yes, Larry, we know." "Yes, Larry, you left us a list." "Yes, Larry, Fran will take care of that, she's already gotten it out of the freezer." "Yes, Larry! Quit calling! Go lie down!" "Goodbye, Larry!"
See, he's pointing and telling people what to do?Some people just don't know how to delegate very well. Sigh...
Wednesday, June 25, 2008
Urgent Prayer Needed
Our family life has been a bit hectic to say the least over the last few days. I have barely had enough time to catch my breath, let alone write funny, inspiring things on my blog. But a couple if things have come up that I would like to share with my readers and ask for special prayer.
My dear mother in law, Nana, is in the hospital. Several years ago she had her entire lower intestine removed, and now she has a blockage due, the doctors think, to scar tissue from the original procedure. Nana has fibromyalgia and a bone deficiency as well. She has nerve damage from pinched nerves in her vertebrae and has had multiple surgeries to correct her crumbling disks. This nerve damage has affected her bowel movements anyway and now to have this blockage problem, she is in serious condition.
Please pray that the doctors can find out what is wrong and correct it quickly and efficiently, also for comfort and pain control. She is also a smoker and it probably suffering from withdrawal symptoms as well.
And the next prayer request, the man who runs the food bank where I volunteer in our little community, is having a 6-way bypass tomorrow. His wife works with me in the office and has taught me all I know.
Sue will be with Larry during the surgery obviously and I will be in the office by myself tomorrow. (That is a small prayer request for me to be able to handle everyone by myself.) But the real need for prayer is for Larry and Sue. Larry is everything to those people at the food bank. He is such a joy to work with. Please pray that the surgery goes well, and for quick healing for him. Please pray that he will be comforted and not feel like he is letting anyone down by not being there. I’m afraid that he won’t rest and recuperate as he needs to and will try and do too much, too quickly.
Please let me know if you are praying for them, I’d like to pass that on to both my mother in law and to the folks at the food bank.
My dear mother in law, Nana, is in the hospital. Several years ago she had her entire lower intestine removed, and now she has a blockage due, the doctors think, to scar tissue from the original procedure. Nana has fibromyalgia and a bone deficiency as well. She has nerve damage from pinched nerves in her vertebrae and has had multiple surgeries to correct her crumbling disks. This nerve damage has affected her bowel movements anyway and now to have this blockage problem, she is in serious condition.
Please pray that the doctors can find out what is wrong and correct it quickly and efficiently, also for comfort and pain control. She is also a smoker and it probably suffering from withdrawal symptoms as well.
And the next prayer request, the man who runs the food bank where I volunteer in our little community, is having a 6-way bypass tomorrow. His wife works with me in the office and has taught me all I know.
Sue will be with Larry during the surgery obviously and I will be in the office by myself tomorrow. (That is a small prayer request for me to be able to handle everyone by myself.) But the real need for prayer is for Larry and Sue. Larry is everything to those people at the food bank. He is such a joy to work with. Please pray that the surgery goes well, and for quick healing for him. Please pray that he will be comforted and not feel like he is letting anyone down by not being there. I’m afraid that he won’t rest and recuperate as he needs to and will try and do too much, too quickly.
Please let me know if you are praying for them, I’d like to pass that on to both my mother in law and to the folks at the food bank.
Friday, June 20, 2008
Reply to Anonymous
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Wrong Way":
“if you say so”
I have thought about just deleting this and not commenting, but my blog is my witnessing tool and I feel I should address this person’s comment. Apparently Anonymous thinks that this is my opinion only, and I want to assure the reader that it isn’t.
We all hear about boycotts and people spending their money wisely. If you were an environmentalist and a company that sold a product that you wanted used environmentally unfriendly practices in their testing for example, you wouldn’t use their products. You would use cruelty-free products. You spend your money on companies that support your beliefs. We all do it, and no one would say anything about it to anyone else.
As a Christian, I believe that this kind of marketing and consumerism is even more important, we aren’t just talking about saving owls or manatees, we’re talking about eternal life, and I for one will be more careful where my money goes.
I just reread both my previous post and the Anonymous comment, and maybe the commenter took issue with me having to pray over my laminating project. This gets into an area of Theological issues that is wide and diverse. Let me first give a little background into my beliefs. I believe in a spiritual realm. I believe in angels and demons. I believe that God uses angels to bless and comfort others and that Satan uses his demons for destruction and to lead people astray from the truth. It is real and I have felt the presence of both angels and demons in my life.
I also believe that prayer changes things and that it is a great source of comfort to the believer. I felt that I should pray over the cards not because the cards themselves were bad. No, the cards are an inanimate object and are inherently neutral; they are just paper and plastic. I guess what I said wasn’t exactly true, I should have clarified what I meant by that. I felt like I should have prayed about the whole issue so that I would receive comfort from the Holy Spirit about spending money in a store that was not pleasing to God. The cards didn’t need the prayer, I did.
The anonymous comment has made me think about some things however, and that is a good thing. 1) I need to be very clear and plain in what I say so that my thoughts and words are not misconstrued. 2) I need to be very sure of what I believe as a Christian and have support for my beliefs and not just thinking that I know what I believe.
The comment that I wanted to just delete and pretend wasn’t there will stay so that anyone reading my blog knows that I know what I believe.
“if you say so”
I have thought about just deleting this and not commenting, but my blog is my witnessing tool and I feel I should address this person’s comment. Apparently Anonymous thinks that this is my opinion only, and I want to assure the reader that it isn’t.
We all hear about boycotts and people spending their money wisely. If you were an environmentalist and a company that sold a product that you wanted used environmentally unfriendly practices in their testing for example, you wouldn’t use their products. You would use cruelty-free products. You spend your money on companies that support your beliefs. We all do it, and no one would say anything about it to anyone else.
As a Christian, I believe that this kind of marketing and consumerism is even more important, we aren’t just talking about saving owls or manatees, we’re talking about eternal life, and I for one will be more careful where my money goes.
I just reread both my previous post and the Anonymous comment, and maybe the commenter took issue with me having to pray over my laminating project. This gets into an area of Theological issues that is wide and diverse. Let me first give a little background into my beliefs. I believe in a spiritual realm. I believe in angels and demons. I believe that God uses angels to bless and comfort others and that Satan uses his demons for destruction and to lead people astray from the truth. It is real and I have felt the presence of both angels and demons in my life.
I also believe that prayer changes things and that it is a great source of comfort to the believer. I felt that I should pray over the cards not because the cards themselves were bad. No, the cards are an inanimate object and are inherently neutral; they are just paper and plastic. I guess what I said wasn’t exactly true, I should have clarified what I meant by that. I felt like I should have prayed about the whole issue so that I would receive comfort from the Holy Spirit about spending money in a store that was not pleasing to God. The cards didn’t need the prayer, I did.
The anonymous comment has made me think about some things however, and that is a good thing. 1) I need to be very clear and plain in what I say so that my thoughts and words are not misconstrued. 2) I need to be very sure of what I believe as a Christian and have support for my beliefs and not just thinking that I know what I believe.
The comment that I wanted to just delete and pretend wasn’t there will stay so that anyone reading my blog knows that I know what I believe.
Thursday, June 19, 2008
Wrong Way
Yesterday I had some laminating to get done. I’m making BINGO cards for my kids’ activities over the summer, to help my pre-K learn some stuff before he starts school.
I heard from a neighbor that there was a place in town that did laminating. (We live in a small town, population about 3500, not a whole lot of choices available for specialty stores in the area.) I was looking forward to saving on gas and time; I didn’t want a trip to Kinko’s, a drive of about 45 minutes.
In our town, there is a strong New Age influence, and I should have been more aware before my trip out. I got to the mini-mall where the mailbox-laminating store was and I guess my desire to get my BINGO cards done was overwhelming my discernment, because I could see that this was not the kind of place I wanted my money to go, yet I went in and had it done anyway.
When I walked in, I felt all creepy inside, and strange. I could feel the Holy Spirit trying to tell me to leave but I ignored the sensation. Not anymore.
As a Christian, I believe that I can witness, (so to speak) with my money, spending it wisely where God would have me to spend it. Supporting those who are believers is a good way to do this, and not supporting those who are against Him is a good way to show others how I believe.
This friend that told me about the store is not a Christian and I blew a good witnessing opportunity when I did not tell her right away why I would rather drive the 45 minutes to another store instead of “buying local” because the local place was a New Age establishment. (And I did have an idea beforehand that it was, based on the location in town.)
I need to be more bold in my walk with Jesus. I guess knowing this and actually doing it are two different things sometimes.
I feel like my BINGO cards are dirty now and need to be prayed over.
I heard from a neighbor that there was a place in town that did laminating. (We live in a small town, population about 3500, not a whole lot of choices available for specialty stores in the area.) I was looking forward to saving on gas and time; I didn’t want a trip to Kinko’s, a drive of about 45 minutes.
In our town, there is a strong New Age influence, and I should have been more aware before my trip out. I got to the mini-mall where the mailbox-laminating store was and I guess my desire to get my BINGO cards done was overwhelming my discernment, because I could see that this was not the kind of place I wanted my money to go, yet I went in and had it done anyway.
When I walked in, I felt all creepy inside, and strange. I could feel the Holy Spirit trying to tell me to leave but I ignored the sensation. Not anymore.
As a Christian, I believe that I can witness, (so to speak) with my money, spending it wisely where God would have me to spend it. Supporting those who are believers is a good way to do this, and not supporting those who are against Him is a good way to show others how I believe.
This friend that told me about the store is not a Christian and I blew a good witnessing opportunity when I did not tell her right away why I would rather drive the 45 minutes to another store instead of “buying local” because the local place was a New Age establishment. (And I did have an idea beforehand that it was, based on the location in town.)
I need to be more bold in my walk with Jesus. I guess knowing this and actually doing it are two different things sometimes.
I feel like my BINGO cards are dirty now and need to be prayed over.
Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Contrary Comments
Yesterday was the first full day of summer break, and we had errands to do. I went several places with all the kids in tow, 5 of them, two in the double stroller, and three walking beside me. We went to the PX, the bank and the commissary, then my beloved Wal-Mart! (Hehe!) I know that 5 kids may seem like a lot to some people, it must, everyone kept commenting. "Are these all yours?" "Wow, you have a full house, don't you?" "You must be a busy mom."
I kept thinking, why don't we ever hear comments to the contrary, "My goodness, don't you have any children?" "Wow, your house must be empty!" "You must sit around and eat bon-bons all day, with no children to raise!"
I kept thinking, why don't we ever hear comments to the contrary, "My goodness, don't you have any children?" "Wow, your house must be empty!" "You must sit around and eat bon-bons all day, with no children to raise!"
Friday, June 13, 2008
Last Day of School Already?
This really snuck up on me, and I feel totally unprepared. I'm usually so full of great intentions for doing special things for the teachers and then they fall through until the last minute when I pull something out of my hat and astound everyone with my creativity. How much better could I do if I actually planned ahead, I wonder!?
So, three teachers need some keepsake that will actually prove to them how awesome I think they have been in my kids' lives.
How do I do that in the space of a weekend. Which already happens to be filled to everflowing.
I don't want these poor teachers to think that they have not made a profound difference in my kids, because they truly have. Chels' teacher has brought her out of her shell by commplimenting, and encouraging her to be a great reader and creative writer. Miss Busy's teacher has shown her that it's ok to get your hands dirty while catching bugs and daily excercise is good for your body as well as your brain. Ace's teacher has helped him to love books and want to get inside them and read. He knows much more than the girls did when they graduated from Kindergarten.
I truly am impressed with the learning they have absorbed this year and I want some way to show my appreciation.
I do pictures, maybe I could do a quick throw together scrapbook, I'd really have to work fast. That would be a meaningful keepsake, not just an apple paperweight, (I'm sure they have drawers-full!)
Ok, I'm off to start scrapping, much more fun than slicing onions for my food dryer anyway. I may still shed a tear, but it would much more meaningful.
So, three teachers need some keepsake that will actually prove to them how awesome I think they have been in my kids' lives.
How do I do that in the space of a weekend. Which already happens to be filled to everflowing.
I don't want these poor teachers to think that they have not made a profound difference in my kids, because they truly have. Chels' teacher has brought her out of her shell by commplimenting, and encouraging her to be a great reader and creative writer. Miss Busy's teacher has shown her that it's ok to get your hands dirty while catching bugs and daily excercise is good for your body as well as your brain. Ace's teacher has helped him to love books and want to get inside them and read. He knows much more than the girls did when they graduated from Kindergarten.
I truly am impressed with the learning they have absorbed this year and I want some way to show my appreciation.
I do pictures, maybe I could do a quick throw together scrapbook, I'd really have to work fast. That would be a meaningful keepsake, not just an apple paperweight, (I'm sure they have drawers-full!)
Ok, I'm off to start scrapping, much more fun than slicing onions for my food dryer anyway. I may still shed a tear, but it would much more meaningful.
Wednesday, June 11, 2008
I heart my American Harvest Snackmaster
Every year about this time, I pull my Snackmaster food dehydrator out of the garage and give it a good scrub.
Suzy Snacky is one of my servant-girls. She will sit on my counter faithfully humming away to preserve the foods we find all summer long.
Last Thursday while I was volunteering at our local food bank they had a pallet-full of organic bananas. I brought home a whole box.
Now, the organic part is better, I’m sure, but it doesn’t make that much of a difference to me one way or the other, don’t get me wrong, I don’t want pesticides on my foods any more than the next mom, but when I was growing up and we raised much of our own foods, vegetables, fruits, chickens, hogs and beef, it was pretty much all organic anyway and we didn’t pay more for it, I guess that is the part that is my gripe.
But, alas, I digress.
So I brought home my box full of bananas and immediately filled Suzy with all the trays I could find.
My kids love dried bananas, they call it banana candy. One batch, 9 trays, fills a gallon size storage bag. It will last about a week and a half. I wish they would stretch it out longer, but they love the stuff, and who is going to quibble about them eating fruit instead of Smarties and bubble gum?
Not this Mom.
Suzy Snacky is one of my servant-girls. She will sit on my counter faithfully humming away to preserve the foods we find all summer long.
Last Thursday while I was volunteering at our local food bank they had a pallet-full of organic bananas. I brought home a whole box.
Now, the organic part is better, I’m sure, but it doesn’t make that much of a difference to me one way or the other, don’t get me wrong, I don’t want pesticides on my foods any more than the next mom, but when I was growing up and we raised much of our own foods, vegetables, fruits, chickens, hogs and beef, it was pretty much all organic anyway and we didn’t pay more for it, I guess that is the part that is my gripe.
But, alas, I digress.
So I brought home my box full of bananas and immediately filled Suzy with all the trays I could find.
My kids love dried bananas, they call it banana candy. One batch, 9 trays, fills a gallon size storage bag. It will last about a week and a half. I wish they would stretch it out longer, but they love the stuff, and who is going to quibble about them eating fruit instead of Smarties and bubble gum?
Not this Mom.
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
To sing or not to sing...
My Miss Busy brought a paper home from school from her music teacher announcing that the community youth choir was holding auditions.
She's a pretty good singer for a nine-year old. She love to sing and does so with many of the songs we listen to on our Christian Radio Station.
I called the director last week and left a message that we were interested in an audition for her.
The director called me back yesterday, unfortunately we were out of the house...at a Doctor's appointment...for both girls...for strep throat.
They won't be singing any time soon.
She's a pretty good singer for a nine-year old. She love to sing and does so with many of the songs we listen to on our Christian Radio Station.
I called the director last week and left a message that we were interested in an audition for her.
The director called me back yesterday, unfortunately we were out of the house...at a Doctor's appointment...for both girls...for strep throat.
They won't be singing any time soon.
Monday, June 9, 2008
I've been Published!!
This morning in my email I received a notice that I was being published. I had submitted a story to Heroic Stories and they accepted my entry. Pretty exciting I think. Check out their site, and sign up for their e-newsletter, my story will be in the next edition. It is about the Chehalis, Washington flood cleanup I did. Then come back and read more of the story here, here, here and here.
If you have come over from heroic stores.com, welcome to my blog and leave a comment so I know you’re reading. Hope to see more of you soon.
Your comments are my “salary,” I’d love to get a “pay raise!”
If you have come over from heroic stores.com, welcome to my blog and leave a comment so I know you’re reading. Hope to see more of you soon.
Your comments are my “salary,” I’d love to get a “pay raise!”
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Violation
Today I discovered that someone has used my debit card, or rather used both Bear’s and mine. The transactions only add up to about $20, but that’s not the point. Someone has been getting in and I feel violated, privacy lost, security stifled, angry, depressed and just plain cranky.
For the record, I have cancelled both cards, alerted the bank and contacted the merchants to whom the transactions were supposedly made. One of them said it couldn’t have been them, they don’t take credit cards, one was a discontinued phone number and the other one had a full mailbox and couldn’t take any more messages. Hmm, strange…
I know that I didn’t take a hop over to Pistakee Heights, NY and get something printed, but someone used my debit card there and I don’t appreciate it. I don’t know how to snap out of this funk I am in, I’m short with the kids, cranky and downright down. I feel like smashing something!
When we were in SC, I lost the page that I photocopied from home that had all my passwords and logins for all my online accounts and now this. We just got a large amount of money and I feel like digging a hole in my backyard and burying it all.
EDITED TO ADD: Mrs Grits and I were having an email conversation and she commented that this kind of stuff just consumes your life when it happens. I think that this is the most annoying part of it all. Things that I took for granted, my debit card for instance, or the way that I pay some of my bills, my insurance company automatically withdraws from my account, makes me scared and upset. I can't even think coherantly right now. I'm constantly trying to figure out where my credit card number is floating. Did I use it there and the site wasn't secure? What about people looking over my shoulder at the ATM, can it be scanned in the parking lot when I'm using it inside a store? Am I being paranoid? Do I go back to cash only? I know some people who do that but what about things that I can't get locally? I do a fair bit of shopping on line, and in my scrapbooking business I place orders on line and take credit cards. How can I be sure that everything is safe. Argh!!
For the record, I have cancelled both cards, alerted the bank and contacted the merchants to whom the transactions were supposedly made. One of them said it couldn’t have been them, they don’t take credit cards, one was a discontinued phone number and the other one had a full mailbox and couldn’t take any more messages. Hmm, strange…
I know that I didn’t take a hop over to Pistakee Heights, NY and get something printed, but someone used my debit card there and I don’t appreciate it. I don’t know how to snap out of this funk I am in, I’m short with the kids, cranky and downright down. I feel like smashing something!
When we were in SC, I lost the page that I photocopied from home that had all my passwords and logins for all my online accounts and now this. We just got a large amount of money and I feel like digging a hole in my backyard and burying it all.
EDITED TO ADD: Mrs Grits and I were having an email conversation and she commented that this kind of stuff just consumes your life when it happens. I think that this is the most annoying part of it all. Things that I took for granted, my debit card for instance, or the way that I pay some of my bills, my insurance company automatically withdraws from my account, makes me scared and upset. I can't even think coherantly right now. I'm constantly trying to figure out where my credit card number is floating. Did I use it there and the site wasn't secure? What about people looking over my shoulder at the ATM, can it be scanned in the parking lot when I'm using it inside a store? Am I being paranoid? Do I go back to cash only? I know some people who do that but what about things that I can't get locally? I do a fair bit of shopping on line, and in my scrapbooking business I place orders on line and take credit cards. How can I be sure that everything is safe. Argh!!
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Belated Mother's Day Treasure
Just today in the mail I received a treasure I thought I would never get. I had held out hope for years that it would come, but it never did. I had given up and turned toward other ventures, forgetting that I had started something nearly 20 years ago. Today was the beginning of the gift I had read that other mothers often receive. The gift is this, “…her children will rise up and call her blessed.”
In the mail was a Mother’s Day note from my 19 year old son, a tribute to his mother. Here is what he thinks of his mom. (In his own words, complete with spelling errors, apparently I didn’t do too well in the spelling-teacher department.)
“A mom is:
A friend, companion, cradle rocker, hug giver, cooky baker, girl scout leader, business woman, band-aid giver, guardian, listener of stories, songs and dreams; nurse, doctor, maker of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, spilt milk wiper-upper, hair braider, molder of personalities, chief chef, laundry service, teacher, coach, play mate, wiper of noses and tears, calmer of fears, healer of cuts and scrapes, bedtime story reader, quicker-picker-upper, home work helper, dance instructor, singer, mender of broken hearts and bruised egos, chauffeur, potty-trainer, story teller, bed-time tucker-inner, rich, full of soul, problem-solver, shopping partner, sharrer of secrets, laborer, lagher [laugher], spider-killer, diaper-changer, driving instructor, side kick, partner for life, wise beyond her years, hand holder, fashion consultant, advise-giver, role model, authority figure, peer, love.
Thanks Mom, Love “Gadget-Boy” Happy Mother’s Day 5/11/2008”
In the mail was a Mother’s Day note from my 19 year old son, a tribute to his mother. Here is what he thinks of his mom. (In his own words, complete with spelling errors, apparently I didn’t do too well in the spelling-teacher department.)
“A mom is:
A friend, companion, cradle rocker, hug giver, cooky baker, girl scout leader, business woman, band-aid giver, guardian, listener of stories, songs and dreams; nurse, doctor, maker of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, spilt milk wiper-upper, hair braider, molder of personalities, chief chef, laundry service, teacher, coach, play mate, wiper of noses and tears, calmer of fears, healer of cuts and scrapes, bedtime story reader, quicker-picker-upper, home work helper, dance instructor, singer, mender of broken hearts and bruised egos, chauffeur, potty-trainer, story teller, bed-time tucker-inner, rich, full of soul, problem-solver, shopping partner, sharrer of secrets, laborer, lagher [laugher], spider-killer, diaper-changer, driving instructor, side kick, partner for life, wise beyond her years, hand holder, fashion consultant, advise-giver, role model, authority figure, peer, love.
Thanks Mom, Love “Gadget-Boy” Happy Mother’s Day 5/11/2008”
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Where am I?
Just a picture…because I have a serious fabric addiction and company coming to stay this weekend and this is the guest bed.
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