7 Quick Takes Friday, October 29

 ~1~

I continue to do a lot of this with Meg.  She has a job walking this horse.  He has an injured leg, we walk him like a dog.  It's a beautiful area, beautiful trails.  But, I am a really busy homeschool mom. I enjoy the walks, the views...seeing Meg so happy.  And yet, I'm kind of screaming inside the whole time I am doing this.  Did I mention that I am busy?

~2~

We opened the garden up to the hens.  It's like Disneyland for chickens.

This is Elsie, the caption should read: 

"hmm, where should I start first? Tomatoes on the left or lettuce on the right?"

~3~

My favorite breakfast of choice is old fashioned oatmeal, with brown sugar
and fresh blueberries. Love, love, love it!

I saw this at the supermarket- Dark Chocolate oatmeal.  I know better than to even
go there...it would be soo over for me.  I'll stick to what I am eating now.

~4~

I had our first meeting with Meg's new teacher with the homeschool charter school program
we put her into this year.  I homeschool all the kids through a charter school program, I do the homeschooling and planning, the teacher looks over our work about once a month and
records what we are doing.  It went really, really well, I think I am going to like her.

~5~

Meg is taking Russian this year.  I'm starting to question the wisdom of tackling a language that no one here can help her with.  Demi just asked to learn Chinese, I think I am going to say no.

~6~

Meg had another Irish dance competition (feis).  She has been so busy with school work, that she hadn't practiced much, she was considering not competing.  She went, and won an honorable mention, a 3rd place ribbon and two 4th place ribbons- not too shabby :)

~7~

Josie went away to Jr. High Church camp last weekend, this weekend it is Meg's turn.

Fun, fun, fun- great spiritual teaching...but, cold. I'm glad I'm staying home :)

*7 quick takes fridays is hosted over at Conversion Diary, you can hop over & link up!

you don't bring me flowers anymore

photo by MakaniMike, used with permission

Yesterday, I walked into the house and was greeted with a ladder in my dining room and bits of drywall on the floor and table. (having a construction artist for a husband, this is not an unheard of experience)

Sky heard my plea for more lighting in the dining room for homeschool- and decided to surprise me with canned lighting.

"I was hoping to have it all done before you got home, Surprise!" said Sky.

Years ago, it might have been roses- but now, I get home improvements.

And you know, I'm good with that.  Is it our age? That we've been married so long? Have we just grown too practical?  I don't know the answer to that...

But I do know, I would have been disappointed if he spent $60 on roses, but neglected my canned lighting needs.

Next up?

This hot mom wants new counter tops. Be still, my beating heart.

My Irish Valley of humiliation, over at SmartlyOC

I need to lose 10 pounds.  Okay, I need to lose 15 pounds- the more honest number.  I am somewhat stalled out, however.  I walk/run (okay, mostly walk) everyday and do yoga- uh, sporadically.  So, I decided I needed to mix things up a bit, jump-start my way to weight-loss/fitness/ and general awesomeness.

Enter, the Irish dance class.

Two of my daughters are involved with Irish dance.  It’s very physical, looks fun, has great music and looks very genteel.  I like the way the dancers glide around and make it look so effortless.  Effortless- I know it is not, I watch my daughters practicing daily.

So, I was decided- here was a fun way to burn some calories.  An added plus would be the reels and jigs I could whip out during Christmas parties, etc.

The first class

My first class was very tough, half-way through my legs were like jelly.  The next day I had to ice my aching ankles and calves- I declared victory!  My plan for rapid getting into shape and general fabulous-ness was right on target.

Enter, the second class.

I arrived for class, and hung out with the other dancers- sipping water bottles, warming up, stretching.  I decided I liked this culture…being one of the dancers- I had no illusions of doing competitions etc.

-but wouldn’t it be great to be part of this group of athletes? Working hard, using our muscles, being graceful.  It was flash dance people, flash dance! I was feeling it.  I became resolved to stick with it, and become a serious dancer/athlete.

{Litheness, I had a new goal- I want to be lithe, gosh darn it!}

My instructor was not so patient and slow-going this time.  I was very quickly taught two more dances (when I was having trouble getting though dance number one in time to the very fast music).  Then, horror of horrors…I was taken out to join the young dancers and expected to dance all 3 dances with them.  Two of the dances I had just learned. Or, attempted to learn.
And, I had to do this -to music.

Did I mention how fast the music is?

From my back row position, I attempted to keep up, forgetting many steps- not able to jump very high and count and breathe -all at the same time.

From my back row position, I fell more and more behind in the dances.  I became confused on which dance we were actually doing.  I became confused on which was right and which was left. Which way were we supposed to be facing?

From my back row position, I could see all the other girls dance on, as I had to stop to just breathe.

From my back row position, I was able to ponder and reflect the folly and faux pas of wearing shorts with the word “dance” on your bottom.

*It was brought home to me that if an athletic teen Celtic dancer cannot pull this look off while doing a jig. No one can.

I was renewed in my resolve to never let my daughters own such an article of clothing.  I was now, resolute.

This was the one gem I took home with me from this experience into dance. The only gem.

*Because, I quit.

I’m 30 something and I’m done with humiliation.

Resolved: Yoga is the sport for me.

shared originally over at Smartly.com October 12, 2010

affirmation- because she does him good, not evil all the days of her life

Criticism, not encouragement- comes forth so easily from our mouths. Negativism and discouragement flow freely from us- and is, more often than not, directed at ourselves.

Criticism tears down, the opposite of building up. Keeping up a constant flow of negative speak in our thoughts- is damaging to ourselves. Negative speak to others- is a blight.

I'm going to be blunt and say that the tearing down/ criticism/ negative thoughts and speech towards the person who is not only your "other half" but who really is the other you...is evil. The Bible says that "the two shall be made one"- he's not just your other half, or your spouse- he's part of you. He is the other you.

"Every wise woman builds her house, But the foolish pulls it down with her hands"
-Proverbs 14:1

I think that the very common practice of treating husbands and fathers like grown up children and idiots is appalling. Dear reader, our thoughts and speech are father to our actions and beliefs- think of your husband as an idiot, make fun of and speak of him as an idiot to your friends- you will soon believe it and show it in your actions.

We all do dumb or careless things- you would like mercy shown to you in your mistakes- give it without measure to the other you.

I am not wise- but occasionally I've lucked into wisdom..or I've been showered with more mercy than I deserve. Here's a story of a newlywed's act of affirmation and the blessings she's reaped in response:

*****************

Years ago, in my newlywed- starving student years; my husband, who was more skilled at the time with a shovel and pick...became interested in woodworking. He decided to build us an entertainment center for our house. I cheered him on.

Friends, it was awful. I don't even have a photo to share with you, because I hated it so much that I never took a picture of it. He made it out of cheap plywood. It was huge, somehow his "vision" was really on a bigger scale than he realized. It was too big for our tiny house, it took up a whole wall. It was so rough that I could not really dust it, I had to pat it with a cloth- rubbing would get you splinters.

I stood in front of that finished monstrosity, dumb-struck. And then, God must have graced me with mercy I did not deserve- because the thought came to me: I used to paint before I was married- what if I had set out to paint something for our living room, finished it, proudly showed it to my husband...and then, what if he had told me it was awful and not good enough to go into the house? I would have been crushed and most likely never picked up a paint brush again.

I realized in that moment of God's grace (to me) that I could not wound my other self like that. So, instead I praised it- praised the clever magnetic glass doors he had put on it. I truthfully exclaimed that I could not imagine how to put doors on like that, and that I was so impressed that he was clever enough to do it. I praised the color of the wood stain. I told him how proud I was that he could make something like that, how he saved us money by not having to go buy one.

And then, I smothered my real thoughts- and for several years praised it in front of stunned friends.

I realized I was onto a truth-

"who can find a virtuous wife? For her worth is far above rubies. The heart of her husband safely trusts he; So he will have no lack of gain. She does him good and not evil All the days of her life." -Proverbs 31:10-12

Sky has once again immersed himself into woodworking. This is what he proudly
showed to me recently.

much wisdom is found in the verse:

"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." -Matthew 7:12

Husbands are people, too - and they have feelings just like us. They are not idiots, or overgrown little boys. Making fun of them to your girlfriends is wrong. Imagine the hurt you would feel if more often than not, as you approached your husband and friends- dumb wife jokes flowed freely...

Do him good, not evil all the days of his life- and his heart will safely trust you.

First day back, homeschool 2010

Not-back-to-school 2010 was a success :)

I entered into the new home-school year with some trepidation, I did not get all the organizing done as I had wished to. But, it worked out, the little I did do was enough and we had a really great 1st day.

I did get my homeschool bookcase cleaned and organized. This is where I keep our Sonlight books and also where I keep big magazine type boxes to hold books/notebooks for each child- this is the spot to find books we use on a daily basis. I also bought new 3-ring binders for each student and filled them with a week's worth of work.

I set up my chalk-board wall of power with a list of the short day I had planned, and then I added a drawing of a big hand, with each finger labeled with a task from The Daily 5, which I will be implementing into our day this year. I heart this concept and I heart this book!

We started 1st with a Bible/Character story for the 3 littles from School Days with the Millers.
I still haven't figured out curriculum for Bible..so for now, I will be doing character lessons.

After Bible time, I have scheduled our Daily 5 time-block. Today, I explained to the kids what the Daily 5 is, what it will look like- and then we only tackled 2 of the 5. First, we worked on "write" by having creative journal time. The kids wrote about what they did during the Summer. Next, we did "read out loud to someone" - that someone was me.

I used this time to introduce them to this
Fiction Reading Comprehension program-cards in a box by Teacher Created Resources. I explained how to use them and then worked through one card with each child- doing the comprehension questions on the back together. I love this program, it's going to be great for the kids to use independently during "read to self time".

We then all worked on Math. We are using Math-U-See. After that came handwriting. I had the 3 kids sometimes working on a different subject while I had a reading session with one.

Meg and Josie were working totally independently, but sitting at the table with us. Today, they tackled Math, History and Literature, Grammar and Writing.

After cursive handwriting, we moved onto the all important snack time and play break. Once break was over (about 15 minutes- during which I corrected Math) I had the 3 kids each work in their Explode the Code (phonics) workbooks. Then, we were done!

A bit of a short day, but I wanted to ease into things. I felt really successful in starting the day early- I was aiming for an 8:30 start time, actually starting at 8:45. This was much, much better than the 9-ish or later time (usually later) we were managing at the end of our last school year. Sky helped me get up and out to exercise early this morning. By the start of homeschool, I had walked/exercised, showered & dressed and had breakfast. For the Bridget Jones Homeschool mom- this was a huge feat. It felt really, really good to be ready to take on the day.

Once we were done with our school work, we headed over to Rubio's for a celebratory lunch, and then over to the bookstore for some R & R.

Really a great start, I am actually looking forward to tomorrow! :)

So, to my homeschool friends- have you started back up yet? How was it?

Moms of schooled kids, are yours back yet? How was it? Great, I hope!

Randomness, Jenn-style

ooh- kaaay where to start?

1.Sky did an intervention on me. He's the linear, logical, civil-engineer guy..remember? So, it was the classic intervention. I had the split second decision to go ballistic on him, but decided I liked how nice he was being- he was approaching it from the trying to be helpful point of view...so I listened. I also listened because he was saying the same things I've been saying in my head the last few weeks. Lastly, I listened because we have this comfortable marriage where we approach life as a team, we are each-other's cheering squad, so I know he is trying to be helpful and I can't just shut him down, he is not the enemy, my soul-life is.

Upshot- I have to wake up at 6:30 a.m. and be productive during the day. No blogging till after dinner. My Summer of Sloth has come to an end.
I guess that means I'm grounded??? Don't answer that.

I guess I can add "be the subject of an intervention" to my bucket list. Since I don't drink, smoke, do any kind of drugs and don't even swear...this was unexpected,
a bit.

2. I did get up at 6:30 Friday, and followed the logical order of events Sky suggested. It went really well. Until I decided to play hookey and hit the beach.
eh...

3. School is starting Monday for us, and as the Bridget Jones Homeschool mom- can anyone be surprised that I am not ready?? Don't answer that.

I planned to begin cleaning and organizing a week before. Then the weekend before.
-Now it is Sunday night and all I managed to do was clean off my big homeschool bookcase and load up all the kids new binders for the week. eh.

4. I asked Sky to do a mini remodel of our bathroom, since a big remodel is not in the budget. I was thinking new vanity top, sink and mirror. Maybe new floor tile if I can talk him into it. Sky remained un-interested. Until this week, he asked with some interest what I wanted, again. I came home 2 days later and found him ripping up the tile.
okay.
It would have been nice to get my stuff out of there and make sure all the cupboards are closed so they don't get drywall dust all over everything.
But, okay.
I do love that Sky can do anything he puts his mind to.
We couldn't just get a marble vanity top, of course the cabinet we saved and made new doors for is not a stock size...so Sky is making a new tile top instead.

5. Did I mention school is starting? I must go to bed now, because Sky will be waking me up at 6:30 a.m. (whimper)

6. I'm still on twitter off and on during the day..the ban did not extend to my iphone...or at least he didn't think of it.

tah-tah for now, see you internets after dinner!

The Goodbye Kind, over at SmartlyOC

This weekend, we said goodbye to our across- the- street neighbors. People I did not have much in common with, except that they had kids, and so did we…but they were great neighbors, and became great friends. They were the Lucy to our Ethel. The opposite of our very quiet, conservative family- and you know what? -we had so much fun with them! They pulled us out of our shells, sometimes out of our comfort-zone and added a spice to our lives.

The Goodbye Kind-read the rest over at SmartlyOC....

I am posting today about gaining and losing heart friends over at SmartlyOC, click over!

Club Jen True or False-Answers

**True- I have never been to Canada before, this was my first visit.

**False- We have traveled a bit, but the flashing lights at some intersections stumped us.

**False- Vancouver was not like Orange County, but according to Jen, it is more like New York.

**True- It did rain most of the time, and yes, I forgot my coat.

-The above photo was taken from inside a cupcake store in Vancouver.

**False- I did not buy a raspberry coat in an expensive store, I bought a very practical black raincoat. It was $89, which in light of me almost buying a pair of $150 sunglasses at the coach store, the raincoat was a good buy. -I'm still dreaming of those sunglasses...

**False- Our kids did not go to Canada for a circus summer camp. They went to Canada to attend The Summer School of Truth, which is a Bible Camp. We arrived the last day to see the very last session, and hear the kids speak and sing. I was so glad I went, and had the opportunity to hear what is being poured into these kids. We were thinking we would drive the kids back, but they wanted to return on the bus.

**True- I did have the best fries ever, in Vancouver at an Oyster bar. Imagine parmesan-crusted french fries, seasoned and fried to a golden brown in truffle oil. Oh My Word.
Club Jen occupied a table at a front window, where we commenced to people watch with a vengeance, -right in front of the valet parking, primo spot.

**False- My friend Jen does live in Washington State, but this was my first ever visit to Pike's Place. I have lived my whole life in California.

**False-Jen's oldest dd did drive us around downtown Seattle, but not in a new car- she has wisely been handed down the dented old family mini-van. Wisdom this is, because she promptly scratched it.

**True-!! Painfully true! We did have chocolate Nutella strawberry crepes, and I am forever ruined. I knew Nutella was evil. I have concrete proof now.

**False-!! Sky's crepes are better!! But, I did get ideas from these. I think the Nutella was over-done...next time Sky makes crepes, we will just slather on a thin layer of Nutella. Sky uses fruit plus mashed up fruit syrup and brown sugar. These were minus that.

**True- Meg did wish she had brought her violin with her, when she saw many different muscicians out busking. Dollar signs were dancing before her eyes...untill she saw this guy.

"Mom", she said, "I don't think I could compete with the guitar/hermonica/hoola-hoop combination, cuteness will only take me so far." !

**False- I did forget my motion-sickness patches, and I did warn my seat-mate, since take-offs and landings are going to be when *it will happen. My seat-mate informed me that he would have rather have been surprised, instead of sitting in anticipation of the event.
good to know.

Thanks for playing!