Thursday, October 9, 2008
Tuesday, October 7, 2008
Auld Lang Syne
So last night, I couldn't sleep again and was messing around on facebook. Found a couple of old friends. One in particular. I didn't send a message or add as friend. I just wished there was another button to click.
A big fat red button that reads: Was a good friend, a long time ago, taught me life lessons that I took for granted at the time but now that I've grown up I really understand. An apology note that you were always more mature than me and I'm sorry that I didn't see things with the adult eyes the way you did back then.
A button that says, in some way, that I hope so often that you're happy. I hope you found joy in life. I guess it's not appropriate or mannerly but something to click and say, "I hope your wife appreciates you in ways that I never did."
I hope you find time to golf.
That every time I see an old Chevy Nova, I'm transported back in time for a few seconds and I remember drives in the country with the AM stations on.
And that I'm not ever sorry that you are there and I am here and there are new people in our lives. Just that you were important to me then and every once in a while, I wish there was a way to tell you that I learned from my mistakes. Not that you were a mistake. But that I know how I acted and things I did were mistakes. That I was emotional instead of intelligent. That I acted dumb when what you needed was for me to think. That I was one more selfish person in your life when you deserved unconditional love.
Where's the button that says every time I hear that damn Dan Fogelberg song, I cry and he knows that I'm thinking about you and he understands and just waits those few minutes until I come back.
Facebook needs the "I hope you're having a great life" option.
A big fat red button that reads: Was a good friend, a long time ago, taught me life lessons that I took for granted at the time but now that I've grown up I really understand. An apology note that you were always more mature than me and I'm sorry that I didn't see things with the adult eyes the way you did back then.
A button that says, in some way, that I hope so often that you're happy. I hope you found joy in life. I guess it's not appropriate or mannerly but something to click and say, "I hope your wife appreciates you in ways that I never did."
I hope you find time to golf.
That every time I see an old Chevy Nova, I'm transported back in time for a few seconds and I remember drives in the country with the AM stations on.
And that I'm not ever sorry that you are there and I am here and there are new people in our lives. Just that you were important to me then and every once in a while, I wish there was a way to tell you that I learned from my mistakes. Not that you were a mistake. But that I know how I acted and things I did were mistakes. That I was emotional instead of intelligent. That I acted dumb when what you needed was for me to think. That I was one more selfish person in your life when you deserved unconditional love.
Where's the button that says every time I hear that damn Dan Fogelberg song, I cry and he knows that I'm thinking about you and he understands and just waits those few minutes until I come back.
Facebook needs the "I hope you're having a great life" option.
Sunday, October 5, 2008
Tell me something...
Why is it that I am on Day 4 of my "give up soda" thing. (Because I'm fat, that's why.) And so on Day 4, I only had a splitting headache for two hours and I didn't threaten to hurt anyone. (Wait, that's not true, I did tell the boys in the car today that if they didn't settle down, I would whack them with one of the racquets from the 50¢ badminton set that I bought at a garage sale. But I didn't really mean it.)
Anyhooooooo....can someone explain why I have insomnia now??? Seriously, it 12:37 am. And NOT sleepy!
So, my lack of sleep means I had time to download pictures. (Yeah for me.) We went to church this morning and on the way home, Freeman says, "What do you want to do for the rest of the day?" I think he wanted me to say laundry. But, I said this instead. So, we stopped at home, made the boys grab their pillows and then swooshed north on 45 to Weston. The AppleFest was kinda of a bust so we headed to Weston Bend State Park and did a late lunch and walked for at least 2 miles. Side note about Weston Bend, they had THE nicest outhouse here I've ever been in EVER. (Not to be completely explicit here but it didn't smell at all like outhouses do, it had kinda of a herby smell and I'm sorry but when I was sitting down, ahem, a fresh cool breeze came up and dried out my special places. I didn't wanna get up!) Just a kudos to the Missouri State Park system here, this place was immaculate.
So, all in all, a great day for Team Bird. The boys were great on our hike. We stopped at looked at paw paw trees, acorns, caterpillars, had a contest to see who could find the biggest leaf.....really enjoyed being outside with them.
"Build me a son, whose heart will be clear, whose goals will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men, one who will learn to laugh, yet never forget to weep, one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past."
Anyhooooooo....can someone explain why I have insomnia now??? Seriously, it 12:37 am. And NOT sleepy!
So, my lack of sleep means I had time to download pictures. (Yeah for me.) We went to church this morning and on the way home, Freeman says, "What do you want to do for the rest of the day?" I think he wanted me to say laundry. But, I said this instead. So, we stopped at home, made the boys grab their pillows and then swooshed north on 45 to Weston. The AppleFest was kinda of a bust so we headed to Weston Bend State Park and did a late lunch and walked for at least 2 miles. Side note about Weston Bend, they had THE nicest outhouse here I've ever been in EVER. (Not to be completely explicit here but it didn't smell at all like outhouses do, it had kinda of a herby smell and I'm sorry but when I was sitting down, ahem, a fresh cool breeze came up and dried out my special places. I didn't wanna get up!) Just a kudos to the Missouri State Park system here, this place was immaculate.
So, all in all, a great day for Team Bird. The boys were great on our hike. We stopped at looked at paw paw trees, acorns, caterpillars, had a contest to see who could find the biggest leaf.....really enjoyed being outside with them.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Monday, September 29, 2008
Worth it...
Today, I was driving home from J.Z.'s speech therapy. All three of the boys have been in weird moods today but for a few minutes, they were all three blessedly quiet. From the back I heard, "That kid just looks like a bully." We were pulled up at a stoplight, right next to a giant yellow school bus. And sure enough, the kid in the very back seat had a mop of hair hanging in his chubby face and his beady eyes looked right at me. I said, "Yeah, he does kinda have that look about him, doesn't he, guys?"
And a tiny voice came from the ten year old in the back of my car.....
"Thanks, Mom."
You're welcome, kid, you're welcome.
And a tiny voice came from the ten year old in the back of my car.....
"Thanks, Mom."
You're welcome, kid, you're welcome.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Lovely....
Just so you know what kind of wife I am here...Last night, after a delicious autumn-y dinner, Freeman and I were crawling into bed and I said, "If I fart soon and it smells like sauerkraut, I'm sorry." He said that should totally be the subtitle for this blog.
I report, you decide.
I report, you decide.
Tuesday, September 16, 2008
Weekend Recap & such...
So the house was clean for a little while. It's messy again and honestly, I don't care. There are four of us here all day, everyday and my husband is a hoarding packrat with no time or ambition to organize so it's probably gonna stay that way for a while. I suppose I will clean again before Thanksgiving. Maybe.
So after I cleaned the house, hosted people here for the baptism of our two oldest sons and actually logged homeschool hours for two weeks, it was time for a weekend away. My mother-in-law wanted Freeman to come down for a workday at their church so we packed up the boys, the tent and headed south. (Side note here: There were only three men from the actual church that were at the work day. That perturbed me. My husband is swamped at work all week, has work on our house to do, has side jobs that he could have worked on Saturday and yet he drives four hours to help people out and then only three men come to work at their own church?! Okay, vent over but seriously, my husband is a saint.)
Anyhoo...our weekend started Thursday evening with a date to Starlight Theatre for Les Miserables. It was drizzling during the entire show but it was still nice to put my head on Saint Freeman's shoulder while "Bring Him Home" was sung.
Friday morning we struck out for south Missouri. The husband is known for taking backroads, which is fine by me. We plotted our trail to stay off major highways as much as possible. We stopped for lunch at Ha Ha Tonka State Park. I told Freeman was Indian talk for, "Let's stop and find Mama an outhouse." The boys (and Shasta the traveling dog) loved getting out to walk some trails. I wished we had more time here. Freeman said we'd head back and make this a destination instead of a lunch stop.
Ha Ha Tonka
It was back on the road after lunch but we didn't get far before I wanted to stop again. This time, it was Davis Baskets. Seriously, this place ranks right up with Ozarkland and the world's largest pecan for me now. I got myself a fine Missouri made basket and met Delmar. I'm not sure what Delmar eats but the man looked hot for being 82. If you travel that way any time soon, stop and pick me up another basket. I'm kicking myself now for only buying one!
After meeting Delmar and buying my basket, it was Mansfield or bust! But there was one more stop I wanted to make before we set up camp for the night. And that was Baker Creek Seed Company. I've waited for five years to go here! And yes, I did buy seeds! And we're planning on going back for the Spring Festival.
After I had stocked up on my winter crops, we headed into Mansfield to find the some supper, set up camp and beat the rain. We found the campground, got the tent set up and decided to eat at the Burger Barn instead of starting a fire just to heat up beans. Eating at Burger Barn was like eating at the Bluebird Diner in Mayberry. It was all-you-can-eat catfish night, the locals were talking cattle and real estate prices, the man that owned the campground whose wife owned the Burger Barn came over and ate with us and THEN the sheriff came in! (I swear!) We got back to the tent just before the rain came so we all piled in and played cards until the Dad declared that he was tired so we all had to go to sleep!
Saturday, we dropped off Freeman to work and headed back into Mansfield for Wilder Days and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home.
"There is one thing that will always remain the same to remind people of little Laura’s days on the prairie, and that is Pa’s fiddle.” ~Laura Ingalls Wilder
We walked the trail from Rocky Ridge to the Rock House and I had stuck in my copy of Little House on the Prairie so I made the boys sit and listen to a chapter while they laid in the field that Laura and Almanzo had cleared themselves. So that was pretty cool. And we got to hear Pa's fiddle being played. (And, yes, I cried.)
I won't get all emotional about Laura Ingalls Wilder in this post but let's just say that those nine books were my dearest friends for years. And I'd go so far as to say that Ma Ingalls is the reason that I grew up to be a wife and mother.
Sunday, we went to church with the in-laws and then headed home. We had planned to stop at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield but the navigator (ahem, me) didn't read the information correctly and it seems they are opened from 8 am- 9 pm only until Labor Day, after which they close at 4:30 pm. Oops. So we found one antique store still open and bought a sink instead.
Headed home, tired but happy to have been together all weekend.
So after I cleaned the house, hosted people here for the baptism of our two oldest sons and actually logged homeschool hours for two weeks, it was time for a weekend away. My mother-in-law wanted Freeman to come down for a workday at their church so we packed up the boys, the tent and headed south. (Side note here: There were only three men from the actual church that were at the work day. That perturbed me. My husband is swamped at work all week, has work on our house to do, has side jobs that he could have worked on Saturday and yet he drives four hours to help people out and then only three men come to work at their own church?! Okay, vent over but seriously, my husband is a saint.)
Anyhoo...our weekend started Thursday evening with a date to Starlight Theatre for Les Miserables. It was drizzling during the entire show but it was still nice to put my head on Saint Freeman's shoulder while "Bring Him Home" was sung.
Friday morning we struck out for south Missouri. The husband is known for taking backroads, which is fine by me. We plotted our trail to stay off major highways as much as possible. We stopped for lunch at Ha Ha Tonka State Park. I told Freeman was Indian talk for, "Let's stop and find Mama an outhouse." The boys (and Shasta the traveling dog) loved getting out to walk some trails. I wished we had more time here. Freeman said we'd head back and make this a destination instead of a lunch stop.
It was back on the road after lunch but we didn't get far before I wanted to stop again. This time, it was Davis Baskets. Seriously, this place ranks right up with Ozarkland and the world's largest pecan for me now. I got myself a fine Missouri made basket and met Delmar. I'm not sure what Delmar eats but the man looked hot for being 82. If you travel that way any time soon, stop and pick me up another basket. I'm kicking myself now for only buying one!
After meeting Delmar and buying my basket, it was Mansfield or bust! But there was one more stop I wanted to make before we set up camp for the night. And that was Baker Creek Seed Company. I've waited for five years to go here! And yes, I did buy seeds! And we're planning on going back for the Spring Festival.
After I had stocked up on my winter crops, we headed into Mansfield to find the some supper, set up camp and beat the rain. We found the campground, got the tent set up and decided to eat at the Burger Barn instead of starting a fire just to heat up beans. Eating at Burger Barn was like eating at the Bluebird Diner in Mayberry. It was all-you-can-eat catfish night, the locals were talking cattle and real estate prices, the man that owned the campground whose wife owned the Burger Barn came over and ate with us and THEN the sheriff came in! (I swear!) We got back to the tent just before the rain came so we all piled in and played cards until the Dad declared that he was tired so we all had to go to sleep!
Saturday, we dropped off Freeman to work and headed back into Mansfield for Wilder Days and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Home.
We walked the trail from Rocky Ridge to the Rock House and I had stuck in my copy of Little House on the Prairie so I made the boys sit and listen to a chapter while they laid in the field that Laura and Almanzo had cleared themselves. So that was pretty cool. And we got to hear Pa's fiddle being played. (And, yes, I cried.)
I won't get all emotional about Laura Ingalls Wilder in this post but let's just say that those nine books were my dearest friends for years. And I'd go so far as to say that Ma Ingalls is the reason that I grew up to be a wife and mother.
Sunday, we went to church with the in-laws and then headed home. We had planned to stop at Wilson's Creek National Battlefield but the navigator (ahem, me) didn't read the information correctly and it seems they are opened from 8 am- 9 pm only until Labor Day, after which they close at 4:30 pm. Oops. So we found one antique store still open and bought a sink instead.
Headed home, tired but happy to have been together all weekend.
Thursday, August 28, 2008
House Cleaning Mix tape
It's Fall Cleaning day here. I know we are a little early here but autumnal equinox is coming and we have big Labor Day plans so it works out that we are doing a big spruce up today. None of my cleaning crew is very enthusiastic about any of it. So, while I am working up a dust fury here, here's the songs that are playing in the background. I wonder how June Cleaver motivated herself when she didn't have an iPod.
House Cleaning Mix
by Jaybird
1.) Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Paul McCartney (with U2)
2.) I'm Free Kenny Loggins
3.) Fast Cars and Freedom Rascal Flatts
4.) Bones Little Big Town
5.) Calypso John Denver
6.) Handy Man James Taylor
7.) Beautiful Day U2
8.) Eye of the Tiger Survivor
9.) Mr. Roboto Styx
10.) She's a Beauty The Tubes
11.) Blaze of Glory Bon Jovi
12.) Jessie's Girl Rick Springfield
Until Tuesday, keep rocking while I keep sweeping!
1.) Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Paul McCartney (with U2)
2.) I'm Free Kenny Loggins
3.) Fast Cars and Freedom Rascal Flatts
4.) Bones Little Big Town
5.) Calypso John Denver
6.) Handy Man James Taylor
7.) Beautiful Day U2
8.) Eye of the Tiger Survivor
9.) Mr. Roboto Styx
10.) She's a Beauty The Tubes
11.) Blaze of Glory Bon Jovi
12.) Jessie's Girl Rick Springfield
Until Tuesday, keep rocking while I keep sweeping!
Wednesday, August 27, 2008
Praying for Marsha
Marsha Drews lost her youngest son yesterday. I cannot even imagine walking this path. With three boys of my own, it hits too close to home. May God be with this family as they deal with this.
"Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapour, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away."
Well, I tried to do schoolwork with the boys today but I couldn't get my mind off Marsha and what she is going through today. After we finished Math and Phonics, I looked up and saw my three young sons and broke into tears. The thought that Marsha and David went from three to two makes my stomach hurt. I told my boys what had happened and they prayed for the Drews boys. Then I told the boys to put their pencils down. I threw all of them into the car and took a drive to Powell Gardens. With our thoughts on life and death and brothers and mothers and sons, a walk through the gardens were exactly what we needed instead of sitting at our desks, trying to concentrate.
"The LORD is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer; my God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the hornof my salvation, my stronghold."
Well, I tried to do schoolwork with the boys today but I couldn't get my mind off Marsha and what she is going through today. After we finished Math and Phonics, I looked up and saw my three young sons and broke into tears. The thought that Marsha and David went from three to two makes my stomach hurt. I told my boys what had happened and they prayed for the Drews boys. Then I told the boys to put their pencils down. I threw all of them into the car and took a drive to Powell Gardens. With our thoughts on life and death and brothers and mothers and sons, a walk through the gardens were exactly what we needed instead of sitting at our desks, trying to concentrate.
Tuesday, August 26, 2008
The music isn't even hidden...
Related to Little House on the Prairie, Pa and his fiddling have kept me (and the boys) busy. We've tried to look up each song as it is mentioned in the book. Yesterday, we were introduced to Mr. Edwards for the first time. And the song that Pa and Mr. Edwards sang together was Old Dan Tucker. And it's no secret here that I can't sing. I love all kinds of music, have thousands of lyrics memorized but singing them for the boys is another matter. Not being able to carry a tune in a bucket leaves me lacking for music education here. No worries, though. God bless him, The Boss filled in for me.
Monday, August 25, 2008
Anyone seen Goose?
My husband totally loved it when I quoted Top Gun all day yesterday at the KC Air Show. He kept saying that was the Navy and the Thunderbirds were from the Air Force. Pfft. What do I care? I didn't see Kenny Loggins or Anthony Edwards all day.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Prairie Primer Recap v.1
A Prairie Primer recap
We've finished our first book, Little House in the Big Woods and I wanted to give a quick recap of the things we got accomplished for this unit. (We've moved onto Prairie which is my favorite LH book and one of my favorite books of all time.) I'll break down what we got done each week and add pictures as soon as I have the time.
Bears: We had loads of things leftover from last year's vacation to Yellowstone. We made our tracks in mud.
Manners: We used the books, Manners for Boys by Emilie and Bob Barnes, Stoo Hamples Book of Bad Manners and reviewed pages on etiquette (self-control over manners) from Plants Grown Up from Doorposts.
Owls: Read Owl Moon, had owl pellets for each kid and listened to owl calls from Cornell Bird Lab.
Guns: Dad has a black powder gun and one night, he gave an impromptu gun safety demo and each boy fired a cap on the black powder gun. We also found History of Firearms at the library and every one enjoyed this book more than Mom was comfortable with.
Yankee Doodle: Found this great book at local library.
Whittling: Soap bars made good practice carving blocks. And they were all Zestfully clean afterwards!
Ate pork rinds, hominy, gold nugget candy and
butter
and dried apples.
All in all, a pretty good month, considering this is our first attempt at such a huge unit study.
We've finished our first book, Little House in the Big Woods and I wanted to give a quick recap of the things we got accomplished for this unit. (We've moved onto Prairie which is my favorite LH book and one of my favorite books of all time.) I'll break down what we got done each week and add pictures as soon as I have the time.
Bears: We had loads of things leftover from last year's vacation to Yellowstone. We made our tracks in mud.
Manners: We used the books, Manners for Boys by Emilie and Bob Barnes, Stoo Hamples Book of Bad Manners and reviewed pages on etiquette (self-control over manners) from Plants Grown Up from Doorposts.
Owls: Read Owl Moon, had owl pellets for each kid and listened to owl calls from Cornell Bird Lab.
Guns: Dad has a black powder gun and one night, he gave an impromptu gun safety demo and each boy fired a cap on the black powder gun. We also found History of Firearms at the library and every one enjoyed this book more than Mom was comfortable with.
Yankee Doodle: Found this great book at local library.
Whittling: Soap bars made good practice carving blocks. And they were all Zestfully clean afterwards!
Ate pork rinds, hominy, gold nugget candy and
butter
and dried apples.
All in all, a pretty good month, considering this is our first attempt at such a huge unit study.
Thursday, August 21, 2008
Celebrity Collage by MyHeritage
MyHeritage: Family trees - Genealogy - Celebrities - Collage - Morph
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Vent
HOMESCHOOLING THESE THREE BOYS IS HARD!!!!!!!!!
Not sure if it's because I suck as a mother, they suck at math, we all suck at dealing with our anger or what but today is hard. (For the record, by suck, I mean that I can see my sins as gaping open wounds that are infecting the boys with the sameness laziness, disorganization and wrath that I have.)
I know some of the frustration is because we are switching from relaxed unschooling to a more rigid "school at home" approach. If we get into a routine of school at desks in the morning and relaxed, delight directed unit studies in the afternoons, I know everyone will be happy. This morning, getting there looks like a very long and winding road.
Not sure if it's because I suck as a mother, they suck at math, we all suck at dealing with our anger or what but today is hard. (For the record, by suck, I mean that I can see my sins as gaping open wounds that are infecting the boys with the sameness laziness, disorganization and wrath that I have.)
I know some of the frustration is because we are switching from relaxed unschooling to a more rigid "school at home" approach. If we get into a routine of school at desks in the morning and relaxed, delight directed unit studies in the afternoons, I know everyone will be happy. This morning, getting there looks like a very long and winding road.
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