Narnia

We are eagerly awaiting our next drive around town - we have been listening to Focus on the Family's production of Prince Caspian. At home Dot is reading through the series, and is devouring them! We are thinking of getting the whole series of audio books. Anyone want to spend alot of money on our kids for Christmas?
On the horizon - Disney is coming out with The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe as a movie this December. According to WebIndia123 the royals are getting in on the premiere, and The Stone Table is asking the question we all want answered: Is it Christian?

another forward

Answers given by 2nd grade school children to the following questions.

Why did God make mothers?

1 She's the only one who knows where the scotch tape is.
2. Mostly to clean the house.
3. To help us out of there when we were getting born.

How did God make mothers?

1 He used dirt, just like for the rest of us.
2. Magic plus super powers and a lot of stirring.
3. God made my Mom just the same like he made me. He just used bigger parts..

What ingredients are mothers made of?

1 God makes mothers out of clouds and angel hair and everything nice in the world and one dab of mean.
2. They had to get their start from men's bones. Then they mostly use string, I think.

Why did God give you your mother and not some other mom?

1 We're related.
2. God knew she likes me a lot more than other people's moms like me.

What kind of little girl was your mom?

1 My mom has always been my mom and none of that other stuff.
2. I don't know because I wasn't there, but my guess would be pretty bossy.
3. They say she used to be nice.

What did mom need to know about dad before she married him?

1 His last name.
2. She had to know his background. Like is he a crook? Does he get drunk on beer?
3. Does he make at least $800 a year? Did he say NO to drugs and YES to chores?

Why did your Mom marry your dad?

1 My dad makes the best spaghetti in the world. And my Mom eats allot.
2. She got too old to do anything else with him.
3. My grandma says that Mom didn't have her thinking cap on.

Who's the boss at your house?

1 Mom doesn't want to be boss, but she has to because dad's such a goof ball.
2. Mom. You can tell by room inspection. She sees the stuff under the bed.
3. I guess Mom is, but only because she has a lot more to do than dad.

What's the difference between moms and dads?

1 Moms work at work and work at home, & dads just go to work at work.
2. Moms know how to talk to teachers without scaring them.
3. Dads are taller & stronger, but moms have all the real power 'cause that's who you got to ask if you want to sleep over at your friend's.
4. Moms have magic they make you feel better without medicine..

What does your Mom do in her spare time?

1 Mothers don't do spare time.
2. To hear her tell it, she pays bills all day long.

What would it take to make your Mom perfect?

1. On the inside she's already perfect. Outside, I think some kind of plastic surgery.
2. Diet. You know, her hair. I'd diet, maybe blue.

If you could change one thing about your Mom, what would it be?

1 She has this weird thing about me keeping my room clean. I'd get rid of that.
2. I'd make my Mom smarter. Then she would know it was my sister who did it and not me.
3. I would like for her to get rid of those invisible eyes on her back of her head.

It's that time of year...

One of Dorothy's subjects this year is Greek Mythology. Her latest stories have been about Persephone and Hades, explaining the seasons of the year. (If Persephone is above ground it is spring/summer. If she is below ground it is fall/winter.) Dorothy has determined that it is almost time for Persephone to go back to Hades.

We are getting a bit cooler now, which is very nice. The highs are getting to be high 70's/low 80's now. The trees are starting to lose a few leaves, but the flowers are still blooming. This is the time for the crysanthemums to steal the show, and the poppies are starting to bloom, too.

Soon it will be time to clean up the garden. After all, it has been taken over by the neighbor's morning glory vines anyway. I also need to move some perennials in the flower garden, and plant some bulbs for next spring. If I find a good hauling company I will take out the overgrown bushes and the dead tree. It would be nice to get that done!

Note for next year - cosmos are very tall in the flower garden - one plant has blooms over my head! Perhaps I will skip those next spring. I will plant more poppies, asters and coleous, as they did very well in the garden this year. If possible, I will also move the vegetable garden - I am tired of the morning glories taking over every year!

camping

This past weekend we went on a short camping trip, away from the city noise and hustle and bustle. We rented a one room cabin at a KOA campground in Fredericksburg, VA for two nights. This cabin had no bathroom (communal campground ones down the road) and no kitchen (picnic table and metal fire ring on the ground out front), just a double bed, a twin bunk bed, and a small table by the door. With all our clothes, equipment, and cooler inside there wasn't much room to move around. The kids were thrilled, though, and they were climbing the bunk bed and jumping on the double bed while we unpacked. The cabin also had one more amenity - a window air conditioner! It did help to have that, though, as the temperatures were in the high 80's and low 90's that weekend.
Why Fredericksburg? We didn't visit any battlefields, and we didn't do much sightseeing. We did enjoy a short visit with our Navy friends who live nearby (wish it could have been longer, we had a great time with them!). However, it could have been any campground - we just wanted a low key, quiet weekend. We got what we wanted, and Jim didn't have to sleep in a tent for it!
Memories are made from trips like this. We simply spent time together as a family - swimming, playing on the playground or in the gameroom (foosball anyone?), making s'mores at the campfire, telling stories of other camping trips.

fair wages

Dot made money this year at the fair, and didn't have to work hard at all.
We picked up her entries this morning and found that, aside from many "participation" ribbons, she had won third place for her quilt, third place for her beaded jewelry , and an honorable mention for her apron. All were entered in categories for children up to 11 years old. She now has $11 of prize money to put in her bank account!

Nashville fried biscuits

With Jim home for labor day I was able to try a few new recipes without "help" from the kids. Yesterday for dinner I made two grilled chickens (I will always let poultry soak in a saline bath before I cook it - always!), green beans with bacon and onions, broccoli salad (just enough for me, since no one else really enjoys it) and Nashvile Fried Biscuits. I had found this recipe in a cookbook awhile back, and it sat in my folder of "recipes to try" for a really long time. I thought it might be time to try it.
The basic recipe is for a biscuit made with yeast - usually these are found in the south, named "angel biscuits." The beauty of this type of recipe is that you can prepare a large batch and then freeze it for later use. Pull out a few biscuits, let them thaw and rise, then bake. No mess, no fuss.
While angle biscuits are baked, these, obvious from the title, are fried. They are somewhat like a donut, just not so sweet. (Although, if you put a glaze on them, they might come close to a krispy kreme.) It turns out lovely, light and fluffy, with a crisp golden exterior. The inside is not as flakey as a biscuit, but when you eat one you won't care. They are delicious! Perhaps not worth the work all the time, definately not worth the health risk all the time, but nice to try every now and again.

Fried Biscuits
1 Tbsp + 1 tsp yeast
1/4 c. warm water
2 c. milk
2 Tbsp sugar
1 tsp salt
5 c. flour
1/4 c shortening
fat or oil for frying
Stir yeast into warm water; set aside to proof. Mix together the sugar, salt and 3 1/2 cups flour. Cut in the shortening. Combine milk with yeast mixture, add to flour mixture. Add flour as needed to make a soft, smooth dough. Cover and let rise one hour, or until doubled. Roll out 1/2 inch think, cut into rounds. At this point the biscuits can be frozen to use at a later date. As the biscuits rise, heat your oil to 350 degrees F. Fry biscuits until golden brown, drain on paper towel and serve warm. Yields about 5-6 dozen 2-1/2 inch biscuits.

Back to school

Aaah, summer is over... at least the school system seems to think so. Poor children, having to give up their summertime play. No more sandbox, no more pool, no more free time in front of the tv or computer...

At our house we have begun to homeschool. We may have an interesting year, one where we accelerate certain subjects. In spelling today, lesson one had Dot spelling words such as: I, for, of, the, etc. I am tempted to skip through to at least lesson 20! Jim thinks her math will be somewhat simple as well. She will need to go through this book, though, to learn multiplication and division, area and a few other math basics. Dot's handwriting will need lots of practice... That is one area in which she is not advanced!

This morning when I began working with Dot we sat at the dining room table listening to cars go by and children arriving at the school next door. The tv was on, but no one was watching it; Jamie was sitting quietly at the table as well, coloring in a few new coloring books. Perhaps he feels left out... I think he may be ready for school soon, if he would just learn to speak... :-)

We are taking a break now, or rather, a field trip. This morning we will pick up Dot's entries from the fair. I am sure we will blog later about what ribbons she won...

jiggety-jig

After a restful vacation we are back into the normal rush of homelife. Also, we are preparing for the start of homeschool, planning vacations, and trying to accomplish various home improvement projects.
Jamie and Dot survived a day-long trip in the car with just me driving. Amazing! They were thrilled to get out and swing at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Aunt Linda and Uncle Michael were willing to give them push after push.
On Saturday we travelled again, this time up to Meadville, PA for a 65th anniversary party. We surprised the Grimes and had a wonderful time. It was nice to see more family, and to catch up on what's happenning in the different families. It was interesting to see my kids (and neice and nephews) playing with the same toys I played with there when I was young! I made sure to get photos of the kids with great-grandparents. I wish we could have spent more time with them!
On Sunday Dot left to go to Norwalk, to spend her week being spoiled by Grandma. Apparently she had a very good time, made a new friend, and tried a new food. (Cucumbers are now acceptable.) Lots of hugs when she came "home", though. She must have missed us after all. :-)
Jamie and I spent the week with Mom and Dad, and it was a very nice, sort of quiet week. We visited the thrift stores (and found some really good bargains!) and went to garage sales, but we also helped clean chairs at NCS. Throughout the week we tried to get Jamie to talk more, and took him on walks to see the trains and dogs. He was thrilled with all the attention he got. Jamie is a surprisingly obedient little boy.
Jim flew in Friday night to spend a quick weekend in Ohio. He did get to visit both Half-Price Books locations, and still had time to go to a local boy scouts garage sale - where he found more books! :-) We played Dutch Blitz and visited with Doug and Lori. Just like old times!
Monday we packed up and travelled back to Baltimore, and the trip went well until we arrived in time for rush hour traffic. We pushed on through, and both kids were happy to see our home again, especially when they found surprises awaiting them! Jamie was thrilled with the new rocking horse and Dot loved her canopy over her bed.
For a week or so I lived a wonderful life - reduced responsibilities (no cooking, less cleaning/laundry). I had someone else around to help watch the kids, and the kids were happy to play with "new" toys. Thanks, Mom and Dad. I feel refreshed.
It would be so nice to live near family! We really miss them all!

rather than forwarding this...

The Guys' Rules

At last a guy has taken the time to write this all down. Finally, the guys' side of the story. (I must admit, it's pretty good.)

We always hear "the rules" from the female side. Now here are the rules from the male side. Please note... these are all numbered "1" ON PURPOSE!

1. Learn to work the toilet seat. You're a big girl. If it's up, put it down. We need it up, you need it down. You don't hear us complaining about you leaving it down.

1. Sunday sports. It's like the full moon or the changing of the tides. Let it be.

1. Shopping is NOT a sport. And no, we are never going to think of it that way.

1. Crying is blackmail.

1. Ask for what you want. Let us be clear on this one: Subtle hints do not work! Strong hints do not work! Obvious hints do not work! Just say it!

1. Yes and No are perfectly acceptable answers to almost every question.

1. Come to us with a problem only if you want help solving it. That's what we do. Sympathy is what your girlfriends are for.

1. Anything we said 6 months ago is inadmissible in an argument. In fact, all comments become null and void after 7 days.

1. If you think you're fat, you probably are. Don 't ask us.

1. If something we said can be interpreted two ways and one of the ways makes you sad or angry, we meant the other one.

1. You can either ask us to do something or tell us how you want it done. Not both. If you already know best how to do it, just do it yourself.

1. Whenever possible, please say whatever you have to say during commercials.

1. Christopher Columbus did not need directions and neither do we.

1. ALL men see in only 16 colors, like Windows default settings. Peach, for example, is a fruit, not a color. Pumpkin is also a fruit. We have no idea what mauve is.

1. If we ask what is wrong and you say "nothing," we will act like nothing's wrong. We know you are lying, but it is just not worth the hassle.

1. If you ask a question you don't want an answer to, expect an answer you don't want to hear.

1. When we have to go somewhere, absolutely anything you wear is fine...Really.

1. Don't ask us what we're thinking about unless you are prepared to discuss such topics as baseball, the shotgun formation, or monster trucks.

1. You have enough clothes.

1. You have too many shoes.

1. I am in shape. Round is a shape.

1. Thank you for reading this. Yes, I know, I have to sleep on the couch tonight; but did you know men really don't mind that? It's like camping.

Bollywood

Perhaps you know how much I enjoy Jane Austen. I have read the books, seen the movies. Obviously, some of the movies are better than others, with those that stick to the actual story being the best. (For example, "Clueless" is not a classic.) I watched another one yesterday - "Bride and Prejudice."
"Bride and Predjudice" is an odd combination of American, British and Indian film ideas. There are song-and-dance sequences sprinkled throughout the movie, and, no, they are not traditional Indian dances. The songs are a combination of Indian sounds and hip-hop or pop. (If watching again, I would skip the song by Ashanti all together - it's a little too risque for my taste. It's probaby what gave it the PG-13 rating. That and a short dream sequence with Mr Kholi...) There are a few cases of swearing, but not many. Also, keep in mind that they will wear traditional Indian clothing at times, with bare midriffs in many scenes.
Overall I had a hard time taking the movie seriously. It was strange, but funny. Odd, odd, odd. I don't plan on adding it to our collection.
PS After a watching a "condensed" version, Jim thought that the main female character didn't look Indian enough... even if she is one of the biggest stars in Bollywood!

Library

Both kids took part in our local library's summer reading program. They do not have to write down each book they read, they simply have to complete a series of reading related tasks, such as talking about a story with a friend, learning to ask a librarian for help, and, of course, reading a book. When they complete a series of tasks they turn in a coupon (signed by a parent) and receive a prize. The under-4 crowd has one coupon, school aged children have four. We turned in the final coupons yesterday. Jimbo received a soft zebra striped ball and Dot received a small panda flashlight keychain and a coupon for a free meal at Old Country Buffet. They are both happy with their prizes.
I remember getting a free ticket to Wyandot Lake... Now that's a prize! I doubt they give those away anymore...

Summertime fun

Today marks the return of true Baltimore summer weather - hot, humid and unbearable. Following a rainstorm late last week we had a welcome break over the weekend, with temps in the 80's and partly cloudy skies. It was very nice out! I let the kids play out on the deck while I grilled. They filled the kiddie pool and ran through the sprinkler.
Remember when life was good and the sprinkler was great entertainment? Catching fireflies at dusk? Discovering discarded cicada skins? When does it change over to worrying about getting the lawn mown and having dinner ready on time? When do bug spray and sunscreen become important?
I love rediscovering summer with my kids... but I'm also glad we have air conditioning.

Jealous

I am fighting jealousy this week... first off, Jim and Dot went to Six Flags today, while Jamie and I went grocery shopping. How unfair is that?! Oh well...
What is worse, though, is that our friends are moving back to Pennsylvania, to live near their families. Oh how we wish it was possible for us to move to Ohio! Ohio is the promised land for us - family, friends, good churches, Cedar Point... However, Jim's job is a good one, and it would be tremendously hard to find another employer willing to match the pay and benefits we are getting here. Plus, where would everyone go for vacation if we moved to Ohio? :-)

Poor me...

Poor, poor me. Yesterday someone broke into our house while we were gone. What they took didn't amount to the deductible on our insurance, but it was mostly my stuff! My earrings and bracelet , both presents from Jim, my camera, my savings bond, etc. The kids are mourning the loss of the dvd player. They did enjoy seeing the police at work, though. Word to the wise: they can't take fingerprints from dusty surfaces...
We began the tedious paperwork and legwork to get our life back in order. Credit reports are on the watch, just in case, official paperwork was filled in and filed. Insurance was called. Kids were bored to death at SSA.
Now we deal with the other side of things - Dot is inclined to worry. Every thing must be locked up tight! New locks will be put on windows (they came in through the bathroom window).
Over all, we have much to be thankful for. This isn't a huge deal - most of our stuff is still here, we are all safe. Sure, I'm out some jewelry (sentimental value outweighs the price), and that picture of "snaggletooth" will never be developed, but we'll live. We still have too much stuff! Too bad they didn't take the worthless junk we have stashed everywhere!
Something we laughed about last night - they actually used one of my pillow cases to carry the jewlry!

Dedicated Sale Room

Our local library has a room that is dedicated to storing seasonal books and back issues of magazines and newspapers. This same room has a couple of shelves for the sale of their withdrawn items, too. We rarely make a visit to the library without visiting this room. Their prices are very reasonable - 4 books for $1, cd's are $2, videos are $3. Every once in awhile they have a special sale where books are 10 for $1!!!
Previously I picked up a book on daily life in medieval times (I like history, what can I say...). Jim looked it up online and found that as a new hardback it can sell for over $100. Mine, sadly, is an old paperback copy...
Anyway, we went down there yesterday, and found a few books for the kids and a couple cds. I picked up Michael Card's "Starkindler" cd. I have heard some of the songs on our local (mostly ccm) Christian radio station. These are hymns played with a celtic flair, such as "Be Thou My Vision", "The King of Love My Shepherd Is", and "Jesus, Lover of My Soul". While it seems to be a short cd, only 10 songs, it was well worth the $2 I paid. Very nice.

Oh yeah...

I meant to post this last week, after we had visited our local Chinese buffet (yes, can you believe it? Jim even enjoyed some of the food! Of course, Jimbo ate mostly french fries... and Dot asked if pizza was Chinese!) We all enjoyed reading our fortunes, but mine was the only one that actually seemed to fit:

Traveling more often is important for your health and happiness.

It might bankrupt us, but I would be happy and healthy! I can afford a walk around the block if not a trip around the world. The kids would enjoy the walk more anyway.

homeschool

Last night we went to Chick-Fil-A. After we ate dinner the kids played in the playplace while we had a meeting with another couple from our church. The "G" family has been homeschooling for quite awhile, their 6th child is entering the high school years now. They answered alot of questions for us, and made it all look possible. They gave us catalogs to look through and some things to think about. They also encouraged us that this is a good path to go down.
Homeschooling is so open nowadays. While many parents will choose the Abeka/BJU path, there are others who will choose to make up their own curriculum. We are leaning toward a more "classical" education, and we have found some promising resources. Veritas Press (their catalog features an article by none other than R.C. & Denise Sproul, jr.) has many interesting things for sale, and their curriculum looks challenging - in a good way! The Calvert School, even though it is secular, looks like a good choice to start out with. They provide a lot of help for homeschooling parents, sort of an "umbrella program". A bonus - they are here in Baltimore! Of course, we will go with Saxon Math - I enjoyed it for high school math, and it is highly recommended. Would you believe we are leaning toward teaching Latin?
So, here we go, heading out into a new world... it's sort of frightening and exciting at the same time!

new car/used car?

We are in the process of looking at cars. Both of our vehicles are getting older, and neither one of us is a mechanic. Soooo... what do we buy? We have a truck and a minivan at this point in time, and we plan on keeping both (Jim can choose which he wants to drive to work). Therefore we have the option of a smaller vehicle, if we so desire. We have looked at wagons, small SUVs, and even those little crossovers. At the top of our list, the Honda CR-V or the Subaru Forester/Outback. (Of course, someday we'll look at MGs and Jaguars, right?)

The deals offered lately have been tempting - employee price plus customer cash? It makes a new vehicle the same price as a slightly used one. (What is the use of us buying anything that isn't slightly used? We want to get something that won't need work anytime soon!) We've browsed Carmax, and would probably buy there if we choose used - one of our friends is a mechanic there.

Someday soon we will have to brave the dreaded car dealers...

bad attitude

Okay, so I realize that I am at fault here. I shouldn't dread VBS this much. However, I haven't had to fight rush hour/construction zone traffic for a long time now, and the kids have been sleeping in... It's hard to get my housework done... It's payday/shopping week... It's hot...
Dot has been thrilled to go to Neighborhood Bible Time, and wants to be the ultimate memory champ (or some such thing). Jimbo is having fun in the nursery - although he is very territorial now. Sharing is just one of many concepts being taught in our house right now. I did get the nursery toys and books sorted through and took a bunch as donations to Goodwill.
After hearing that they had enough teachers, I decided that I don't have to feel bad about not helping out all week. I can use my Thursday and Friday mornings as shopping days while Dot has fun at church.

Symphony in shorts

Last night we went to the BSO's Star Spangled Spectacular up at Oregon Ridge Park. We were able to hear a very nice concert and enjoy some very nice fireworks. Impressive, and fully worth the money we paid.

The park was beautiful, a good choice for a concert venue. The stage was set at the bottom of a wide sledding/ski hill, and there were plenty of picnic tabels and bathrooms. The concessions were not numerous, but they were affordable; most people brought their own food, however. While they did have kids entertainment that required a $5 wristband, the park's free playground was large and new enough to keep our kids happy. The park did have parking, but they encouraged the use of their shuttle service - it was a well planned service, too, and we didn't have to wait too long before we were back at our vehicle.

The concert was very nice, with most of the music being well recognized patriotic favorites. Singing was encouraged, and they even started off with the pledge to the American flag. The second half of the concert included well choreographed fireworks. No cheap white noisemakers here, these were very nice fireworks. (Another benefit of being out of the city - no booming echoes off surrounding buildings.)

We met up with our friends from church, and enjoyed spending the evening with them. It is good to get out and do things together with friends and family! Dot danced along to the music at times, and "Jimbo" was so tired that the fireworks were a little scary... snuggling up in Mommy's lap helped. This was his first time to see fireworks! Dot fell asleep on the way home, but Jimbo stayed awake the whole time... even wanted to play when we got home. Funny kid... it was close to midnight!