She's in rare form ..go visit Antique mommy

Antique mommy is on a roll, some seriously funny mommy blogging going on over there. She is re-visiting her topic of "The poo-poo driven life". As I laughed along, I seriously began to reconsider my longings for another baby. I really hated potty training. And the blow-outs. And the mandatory extortion of a significant portion of our income to the huggies people. And, that shout was my best friend.

Well, today I dropped my two oldest off for a science class at our charter school's learning center. I stood in the middle of that classroom and realized that next year, my baby could take classes too.
And I could go to a yoga class. Or to the bagel shop. Or go home and sleep.
Just a thought.

back to my original line of thinking,...go over and visit Antique mommy for a good laugh.
You will be glad you did.

Your royal high-horseness

This was too amusing to pass up, found this over at Lindsey's blog and had to share.

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Countess-Palatine Jennifer the Edible of Chortling Chesterton
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

or how about this one?

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is:
Her Most Serene Highness Lady Jenny the Ebullient of Brompton Underfoot
Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

file under internet time-killers

Movies: why God needed to strike me blind at communion

Or we could also title this: Movie review, but not as imaginative, I think.

I am probably the last woman breathing that hasn't seen "Must love dogs", (just to scandalize y'all some more..I haven't seen the new Pride and Prejudice movie, either). Just to paint the picture for you, we don't watch t.v., maybe go to a movie once a year, and watch a dvd maybe once a month or less. We have netflix, which I love having, but mostly we rent things for the kids. Seriously, we just don't have time to sit down and watch anything. And, more importantly, we feel that much of the movie offerings fail the test of whatever is lovely, true, of a good report...It's just stuff we don't need to be wasting our time on. When we do rent something for ourselves, it is usually Peroit (Agatha Christy) or Monk or something British. And then we watch some favorites over and over, like the long version of Pride and Prejudice, or old black and white movies.

Last week we rented a movie, a romantic comedy- we like those. I am not going to name the movie, lest I invoke dangerous flashbacks for you, such as I endured...in church. It had several actors we enjoy like Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson, (and Mr. Bean!) but had a raunchy story line weaved through it, and oh my sainted aunts!! The next day we are sitting in church and the stupid movie was bouncing around in my head. We should have turned it off, but we felt invested in the story already, so we didn't. That experience made me wonder if we just need to give up on the hope of seeing anything worthwhile ever again from hollywood. Scratch that, we have given up, but once in a while we find something worth while.

So, ahem...where was I? Oh , yes, "Must love dogs". We decided to give the movie thing one more shot, and I have to say that I really enjoyed this movie. I think it might be a first for me, in liking the movie more than I liked the book. It was funny, had a big family culture-which you don't see often in movies, but we could totally relate. I loved that the family was into everyone's business (that happens in a big family, you know) but that their love for each other dominated.
It was funny, I think that is the best I can say about it, and it had a "Jenny ending" as my husband calls it. It was rated R, and had some adult situations, but didn't show the requisite un-needed bedroom scenes. If you haven't seen this yet, it is worth a rental.

Next review: Redwall. This is for the kids, I picked this up because we were over at the in-laws alot, and the kids were kind of running wild. We have 23 cousins running around, it can get alittle lawless. We are picky about what we rent for the kids, the usual back-talking, bickering, smart-alec kids in movies really turn me off. so does the crass humor, jokes about body functions and the obligatory kick in the crotch jokes. As a result, we don't see very many kids movies.

Redwall is annimated, and it seems to have been a series somewhere. Again, don't watch t.v. so I am out of the loop there. It is a medieval setting, and the characters are all animals, but mostly mice. Redwall is an abbey where the main characters live. The beginning of each episode begins with a tapestry that tells the history of the abbey. It has action, swords, villians and interesting characters. We have purchases season one so far, and will go on to get season two, the kids are really enjoying it. It's cute, has mice, and won't drive you batty.

Around our house, with apologies to poets

I guess my blog is an official fact of life in our household now, my husband's admonishment that I couldn't share his worm food recipe in my blog confirmed it in my mind...

yes, my husband has a worm farm. And yes, he has a secret recipe he feeds them that he was enthusiastically crowing about to me. "They love, love, love it.."so he says.
And no, the hens don't know about the worms. They are in a secret location, somewhere in the United States with Cheney. Actually, they are in the garage. With the secret food. And hubby made sure to tell me I could not share the recipe. So I won't. Sorry.

This evening, we were listening to piano music with dinner. After one piece, Rand (age 7) says to me, "Mommy, this song makes me think about my little chicken and how I miss her and how Elsie misses her and how they used to be always together." I looked at hubby and told him, "you do realize we are raising a poet, don't you?" Hubby replied "That's fine, as long as he doesn't play with the other poets". My apologies to any poets out there reading my blog. Along with apologies to anyone looking for a good worm food recipe. It's not here, sorry.

And, I wanted to remind any homeschool moms or teachers, that Barnes & Nobles is having their educators week right now. This very minute. And, I went there tonight and bought a few items. The Thirteenth tale, which was given a high recommend by At a Hen's pace, and the DK Ultimate Peter Rabbit guide, which was recommended by another blog, (sorry, I can't remember who- I will link if I find it) and a workbook, and a dvd series the kids have been into..I will have to do a review on that soon. I went, saw, bought and conquered. I love a good sale!

I lift my eyes up

I find that I am thinking much about God's grace, and of God's opinion of me vs. man's opinion of me. I know I can think back to situations and dealings in my life where I wish I would have handled things better, frankly in a more godly, loving way. I cannot go back and magically alter my responses-but I can walk forward in God's grace and in newness of life. It is a sobering thought to know that beyond how my fellow man may judge me, that God knows the motives of my heart.
Funny, how despite my often state of wretchedness, that God could say this:

"Indeed I have loved you with an eternal love; Therefore with lovingkindness I have drawn you."
Jeremiah 31:3

It seems that death often causes us to halt in the midst of the busy-ness of life, I find this is true in our household, and the breakaway from our normal routine had given me much time to think and consider.

This hymn is a constant companion for me, particularly these words...

For Thou to me art all in all;
My honor and my wealth;
My heart's desire, my body's strength,
My soul's eternal health.

Burn, burn, O love, within my heart,
Burn fiercely night and day,
Till all the dross of earthly loves
Is burned, and burned away.

I realize anew, many times a day, that I desire a "well done!" from my God- and that I desire to shut out the distractions and focus on Him as my prize, my goal. I desire to be held in the index of His eye...to see that look of love, His gracious smile as my reward.

Heather at especially Heather wrote a post here that hit a chord with me, go on over and be blessed as I was by her words. And while you are there, rejoice with her that her Emma Grace gets to leave the hospital and go home.

"I lift my eyes up unto the hills-
where does my help come from?
My help comes from the Lord,
Who made heaven and earth."
Psalm 121:1,2

working on our goodbyes

I've been a little scarce lately in blog-land. Things have been topsy-turvey since my father-in-law died. We are preparing for his memorial on Monday. I am helping a brother-in-law put together a movie to show at the memorial, and this week has been busy with hunting up and scanning old photos, and watching old home videos, waiting to get back old slides from processing. I have been watching old videos and taping parts of them for our movie...it has made me very sad and has been hard to get through. Most of the videos were made around the time I first met my husband, I remember us all the way we were back then. I don't know why it makes me sad, but it has. The house is a wreck, laundry behind, homeschooling has become patchy. I am looking forward to getting through Monday and back to some kind of routine.

I'll be back soon,

It's a blog party! And you're invited!!

Ultimate Blog Party
5 minutes for mom is hosting The ultimate blog party. I am kind of new to this whole blogging thing, so I have never been to one. I am intrigued and a little excited, meeting new people is always fun. Mingling and prizes are on the agenda, looks like we've got some time to plan before the actual party day, let's see what kind of creativity blogdom can turn out! Go on over to
5 minutes for mom for details, put up your own button and invite some friends. See you there!