Postcard Exchange Anyone?

I've noticed several bloggers (Meow, Mumbo Jumbo, Day by Day) are doing a postcard exchange? Anyone game? If so, please e-mail me privately. I do have a POB address, and my kids think it would be great fun! Please if you e-mail me to do this, also give me your blog address as well. We want to "see" who we are sending a postcard too! :)

If you do do this with others, for safety reasons, it is best to use a Post Office Box and maybe even initials for last names. I do not want to promote anything that can cause harm.

That said - this looks like something fun. It would be neat to get ones from all 50 states and different countries? A great homeschool project too, huh homeschoolers?!?!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: OLD

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This is my grandparent's wedding picture.
They were married around 1921.
I never knew my grandmother.
She died the same year I was born.
The day she died, my grandfather moved in with my parents.
My grandpa lived with my parents and I until he died in 1980.
He was one of the best parts of my growing up.

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FRIDAY'S FEAST QUESTION 91

Appetizer
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how polite are you?
I would say a 9. We really try to teach our children too, respect for older people, holding doors open, women first, etc.

Soup
What was the last thing that made you laugh out loud?
The kids can make me laugh out loud every day. Tonight Jessica came to me dressed up as an old lady. She had a hat on, my glasses, and a purse and walking stooped over. I know, I should've take a picture!

Salad
Who is your favorite cartoon character?
Mickey Mouse - probably because it's our daughter, Jessica's favorite. Because of her heart defects, she was able to go on a Make-A-Wish trip, and her wish was to see Mickey Mouse, give him a hug, and take a walk with him. Her wish was granted in Florida!

Main Course
Tell about the funniest teacher you ever had.
Mr. Fischer. He was funny and nutty. I had him for algebra, and he had us learn how to draw in the air a square and a triangle at the same time. The triangle was with my right hand, square with my left. We had to do it fast, and then do it in the front of the class individually. He told strange stories, and the craziest thing was how toilet paper was a waste of money (used recycleable material).

Dessert
Complete this sentence: I strongly believe that life begins at conception.

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THANKFUL THURSDAY - Life's Simple Pleasures!

It's Thankful Thursday AND I was tagged by No Average Girl! Since this tag has to do with naming ten of life's simple pleasures I like most - these ARE things I am thankful for, so I am doing this as my Thankful Thursday post as well. I am suppose to then to pick ten people to do the same. ANY VOLUNTEERS SO I DON'T HAVE TO TAG YOU?!?!?!?! Try to be original and creative and not to use things that someone else has already used.

"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thessalonians 5:18 Thankful Thursday In no particular order, my simple pleasures that I am thankful for: Our youngest crawling in bed every morning from her bed next to my side and snuggling with me. I know I will miss that some day. My husband saying my name. My children trying to get in the middle of my husband and I hugging because they want to be part of it too. My children bringing me flowers picked from the yard - even if they are dandelions! When teaching my children, and they finally understand a new concept and say "Oh! I get it!" Seeing my children enjoying reading books, and having had the priviledge to teach them how to read. Just a short simple note from a friend saying they are praying or care, or just thinking of me. The beautiful flowers poking up through the ground showing their beauty. A song coming on the radio at the right time to uplift my spirits & praise God. Love notes and drawings from my kids.

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

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Random Ramblings and More (or less?)

We have been enjoying our new spring days here. The newness of everyday with the sun warming up and shinning through the house, the flowers blooming, the children "sneeking" outside (field experience classes?), laundry drying outside, and little kittens playing peek-a-boo around the corners of the house. The laundry pile is bigger, there are dirtier faces, but I am hearing the laughter and seeing the sparkly eyes. I am enjoying this spring, and seeing it's warmth so much more than last year. Norm & I have discussed often, how last year at this time seems like such a fog. What did we do? I am thankful for the "blurs" of our grieving, that the pain does not seem quite so sharp, and not only can we see the light at the end of the dark tunnel, we see the stars in the sky, and the blooms of the flowers on the ground.

Norm and I have been attending a GriefShare class. This has been very enlightening and interesting, and as Norm said tonight after our class, something we probably would not have been able to thoroughly do a year ago. Our GriefShare class is quite small. The leadership is between a pastor who has not gone through a close loss, and an older couple who lost a son many years ago. Right now we are going through a movie series, put out by the GriefShare organization and cover the following topics including, When Your Dreams Fall Apart, Seasons of Grief, Emotions of Grief, Growing through Grief, and Where is God? There are well known speakers from the Christian community speaking, including Dr. Joseph Stowell, Elizabeth Elliot, Joni Erickson Tada. You can go to the website to see more details of this, but I share this to bring awareness of this group for my readers or friends or relatives. I also believe non-Christians would benefit - and possibly and prayfully, find Jesus through this.

Going along with this theme, I will be sharing in the next few weeks some more books I've been reading. Right now I am reading an excellent, excellent book by Michael Card called, A Sacred Sorrow: Reaching Out to God in the Lost Language of Lament . I first found it in our local library and began reading it, and it struck me so, that I knew I needed to have one of my own to be able to mark and re-read. I will write a review on it shortly, but you might want to find one for yourself or a friend. It's one of those books again, I wish I could give to everyone and anyone! It will help those who are hurting, and friends of those who are hurting.

This past Sunday our pastor spoke from I Peter 2:19-25. Again, I heard that still small voice, as though God was say, "See I AM here . . .I understand". I think what struck me most was in these two verses: "But if when you do what is right and suffer for it, you patiently endure it, this finds favor with God. For you have been called for this purpose, since Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example for you to follow in His steps . . ." I am certainly not saying by any way I've done this right - but it seems at times when we are trying so hard to do right, it all comes slamming down on it. Do we complain and rebel like Job's wife, or do we patiently endure it? God says we will go through these hard times, the suffering, just as He did, and if we do patiently endure it, we will find favor with God. WOW. If God would have just left that one little word out, patiently, then we probably could endure it. But we are suppose to PATIENTLY ENDURE it. And then, He says we have been called to this purpose. WHY? Is it because others are watching? Are we a living testimony as we walk or stumble over these trials of life? How do others perceive our enduring this? I know I have failed many times, yet, I know God picks us up, gives us so many more opportunities. What opportunities lie ahead?

Well, I've rambled tonight. These have been some thoughts on my heart for the last several days, and wanted to share it. In the coming weeks I will be sharing some more book reviews and also a special ANNOUNCEMENT. It has to do with my blog, and possibly moving to a new site, but I can't share anymore than that, right now. I am excited about it, and have the support of my husband with this new endeavor and being able to share with more people things on my heart, and prayfully towards encouragement, during the trials and glories of life.

Bragging Rights!

Well, I am going to brag (again) on one of my kids. As I've mentioned, our oldest son is taking college courses for automotive and welding. He really enjoys it. He is state certified for brake repairs and engine repairs. We did not even know he had taken a steering/suspension test, and today he got notice that he passed (!!) and now has state certification for that! We thought it was pretty neat!

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Important Article to Read on Choking Game

This article is written by a coroner in Illinois titled, "Live from the Coroner's Office": Choking “Game” is Suffocation Roulette. It's a must read article, that though death may not happen, the risks are so high, and the killing of brain cells which do not come back. Is it worth the risk of death or brain damage. As he says, "Think, make good choices, don’t take chances."

Talk to your kids.

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: SILLY

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Notice the toes! They were "painted" with chocolate frosting!
My daughter on right wants to remain nameless for this photo!
This was after she got her braces off, and she actually walked around
a grocery store with these on. She generally is not this silly!

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FRIDAY'S FEAST QUESTION 90

* * * * * * * * * * *

Appetizer
List 3 things you keep putting off.
*Some sewing projects
*Cleaning the fish tank
*Rearranging bookshelves

Soup
What do you feel is your greatest responsibility?
*My children

Salad
If you could have starred in any movie, which one would you have wanted to be in and why?
*I've always loved the "Heidi" movie, and as a child I probably would have loved to be her. (We even named one of our daughters "Heidi".)

Main Course
What is an expectation you had as a child about being an adult and, now that you are grown up, you realize you were wrong?
*I always thought being a teacher would be so much fun and "easy" and now that I am a homeschool teacher/mom I see how much work and dedication it is and preparation it needs.

Dessert
When was the last time you had your car serviced?
*Having our son training to be an automechanic he is does things to our car often. This past week he worked on was the tie rods.

You can learn about the Friday Feast here.

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Thankful Thursday

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"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thessalonians 5:18 Thankful Thursday What I am, thankful for this week Thankful for many little things that have been “invented” since I was born (might show my age here a little bit) Cordless phones Cell phones VCR DVD Digital Cameras Movie Cameras Color TV Caller I.D. Microwave Home-use Front Loader Washers Hand Held Calculators CD’s DVD’s Palm Pilots Home PC Laptops Home copiers and scanners Cassette tapes and recorders (still remember my dad using a reel to reel type recorder – he was in the radio business) ATM machines Invisible Fences What's new since you were born????

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WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Choking Game - Kids Still Dying - Still in the News

Today Norm & I had eye doctor appointments. We are both getting new glasses. My eyes definitel y have changed over the last 2 years, and now am going to bifocals. There is slight concern of glycoma starting in one eye, and when I go to get my glasses in two weeks, he will test for it. Both Norm & I could not be tested today since one of us had to drive safely!

The eye doctor remembered our large family. We had all the children's eyes tested a couple of summers ago. I told him how one of our sons died, and he was very aware of the "choking game" and said when he read it was even local, he himself talked to his grandchildren about it. A wise man. It's out there . . . we can't hide from it. Kids may call it numerous different things (Space Monkey, Fainting, the Pass Out Game, the Black Out Game, American Dream, Flatliner or Flatline, Space Cowboy, Knock Out, Gasp, Rising Sun, Airplaning, and many others) and need to be warned just as we do with drugs and other dangerous things.

I recently got an e-mail about another report of it in the Chicago Sun-Times, with an article titled , More Kids Dying for Drug-Free High. A part of the article states:

Glenview police say they think it [choking game] claimed the life of Leo McCarthy. About 10:24 p.m. on March 27, Leo's father found the 12-year-old choked by a guitar strap, according to police and the Cook County medical examiner. The parents performed CPR with coaching from a dispatcher, said Glenview Fire Chief Wayne Globerger. It didn't matter. The boy was pronounced dead at 10:59 p.m. at Glenbrook Hospital. The medical examiner ruled the cause of death to be hanging.

Another article was in the Washington Post and stated about another young boy:

William C. Bowen Jr., a computer-savvy high school student who was involved in his church and working toward his Eagle Scout badge, died of accidental asphyxiation March 14 after wrapping a terry-cloth sash around his neck, law enforcement officials confirmed last week.

Bowen, 15, appeared to have been engaged in a variant of the choking game, authorities said. That variant, known as autoerotic asphyxiation, involves masturbation while cutting off the air supply to the brain. He had devised a safety release for the ligature around his neck, but it failed to work, said Cpl. Jennifer Bailey, spokeswoman for the Frederick County Sheriff's Office. . .

The school sent a flier to parents listing telltale signs of the choking game, noting that even untroubled students have engaged in it, with some thinking of it as a safer way than drugs or alcohol to experiment with a mind-altering sensation. . .

"The important thing this family is stressing is that they do not want to see another family go through this," said the Rev. Matt Poole of FaithPoint United Methodist Church. There is scant research on the practice, but medical and forensic experts estimate that 250 to 1,000 young people die in the United States each year from some variant of the choking game. Many are reported as suicides. One university researcher has estimated that nearly a third of adolescent hangings could be attributed to some form of the practice. . .

There is scant research on the practice, but medical and forensic experts estimate that 250 to 1,000 young people die in the United States each year from some variant of the choking game. Many are reported as suicides. One university researcher has estimated that nearly a third of adolescent hangings could be attributed to some form of the practice.

Thirteen year old Coty Mills also died less than a month ago.

Family members are grieving. Mills [mom] is also crusading. "This is her healing process," says a family friend, Brenda Hagaman.

Her crusade is a worthy one.

It could use your help.

Mills [mom] already has heard locally that the choking game is played not only in homes but on school buses and in locker rooms. Few parents know.

Mills said she and her husband had no idea.

Another article is on CBN.Com: A Dance with Death: The Choke Game

And we know that all things work together for good
to them that love God,
to them who are the called
according toHis purpose.
Romans 8:28

We still don't understand, but the good that can come from Matthew's death, is to know other children are saved from this foolish, life-risking game. We hope that if you just read this for the first time, that you will talk to your children. We wish we would have known.

Bartering a Red Paperclip?

Did you see, hear or read the story about the young man bartering a paperclip to eventually and hopefully get a house?? I first read this story in our local paper and then also saw it on CNN. He advertised on a webpage that he wanted to barter a red paperclip. With the items gets, he then barters those, hoping to get "bigger, better" things . . . leading to a house! On his blog, One Red Paperclip, he says he started this in July, and so far he has traded a fish pen, a door knob, a coleman stove, a red generator, Instant Party, a Skidoo, a trip to Yahk, a cube truck, a recording contract, and now the latest, a year's worth of rent in downtown Phoenix.

Today he was on CNN, and the Associated Press also released the story, thus being in many newspapers nationwide, including ours. He would like to see how many newspapers it actually goes into, and is asking for the actual articles to be sent to him, and then in return he will send you a RED PAPERCLIP!!

Now I am wondering . . . will these paperclips be worth anything?!?!? Can we barter them off too now?!?!?!

Can I barter my Mother's Bracelets I make??? Mother's Day IS coming!! Any takers? (Explode-The-Code homeschool books, cursive penmanship workbooks, Lamplighter books, homeschool magazine subscription, Fly Flot shoes or sandles, INCH homeschool convention tickets . . .or e-mail me with your ideas!)

Monday Memories

When I was young, living at my parents' home, Easter baskets and chocolate were a big thing. It took me quite a few years to figure out who the Easter bunny "really" was. We'd leave for church, and when my sister and I came home, there'd mysteriously be an Easter basket on our beds, filled and overflowing! Always included was a big chocolate bunny. We later learned that as we were all scurring out to the car, my mom would put the baskets on our bed. It was fun.

I have an unusual chocolate bunny story too. My dad worked a very early morning shift. He'd get up at 3 a.m. and so the night before he'd set his breakfast out, including his vitamins. Well, over a long period of time the vitamins kept disapperaing. My mom thought for sure my sister or I were taking them and hiding them . . . and the joke had long been over. One year we got our Easter baskets, left them on the counter, and after several days we notices scratches on them. Little claw like scratches. MICE! After doing some searching in a kitchen cupboard was found a pile of vitamins and Cherrios! We did not eat our bunnies that year - but were thankful for the chocolate bunny that saved us from additional punishments!

The Empty Tomb

After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb. There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.

The angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: 'He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.' Now I have told you."

So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell His disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. "Greetings," He said. They came to Him, clasped His feet and worshiped Him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me." Matthew 28:1-10

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: FEET

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One of my daughters worked a long time to get one of these pictures!

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FRIDAY'S FEAST QUESTION 89

Appetizer
What movie soundtracks do you own?
I don't think we own any!

Soup
How much cash do you usually carry with you?
Rarely any!

Salad
Are you more comfortable around men or women? Why?
If alone, definitely with women. If with my husband, it does not really matter, and I think both my dh & I like relating to other couples.

Main Course
What is the most mischievous thing you remember doing as a child?
Yikes! The one that comes to mind is when I was in grade school, I had a "cartridge pen" (which it was called then, but many now use it for caligraphy), and if you held it up and snapped it, it would squirt ink. I was front seat in a math class, and did it on the back of a teacher's bright yellow, 100% polyester pant suit. I had the class laughing THEN . . . but I sure got in trouble later. I think I am fortunate to tell the story! I still can't believe I did that.

Dessert
Who is the funniest member of your family?
By far our 3rd oldest son, Jayson (16 1/2). We have always called him Jolly Jayson. He has us splitting many times. Even when he does something bad, he can usually say something with a straight face, that will just get us going. If you have heard of the Christian comedian, Mark Lowry, Jayson can do a good imitation of him and even have his own additions too! He does this with others as well. Since we homeschool, I guess we have to have a "class clown" and he definitely fits the role! I am probably gonna get in trouble with this picture, but you can get a glimpse of his "other side"! He is a joy!

Thankful Thursday - Ressurection Week

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"In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you." I Thessalonians 5:18 Thankful Thursday What I am, thankful for this week I am most thankful that I have a Savior - that He died for me, humbly, on a cross, bearing my sins, so that as He lives, because of my personal faith in Him, I too will live forever, in heaven. They took Jesus, therefore, and He went out, bearing His own cross, to the place called the Place of a Skull, which is called in Hebrew, Golgotha. John 19:17 He is despised and rejected of men; a Man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from Him; He was despised, and we esteemed Him not.Isaiah 53:3 What Did the Angels Tell Mary? "He is not here, for He has risen, just as He said. Come, see the place where He was lying. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He has risen from the dead..." Matthew 28:6,7 "and as the women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, the men said to them, "Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Remember how He spoke to you while He was still in Galilee, saying that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again." Luke 24:5-7 For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotton Son, that WHOSOEVER BELIEVES in Him, shall not perish, but have everlasting life. John 3:16

WORDLESS WEDNESDAY

Author, Beverly Cleary

Tomorrow is Beverly Cleary’s 90th birthday. She is an author who wrote many books that I read as a child, and now my children are reading many of the same book. Matthew first began and now Jessica has a love for these books as well. If you are unfamiliar with her name, you might remember some of the book titles, such as Ramona, Henry Higgins, and one of my favorites, Ribsy. Be sure to visit this website which links to her personal website. I also really enjoyed reading about her here and learned that one of her favorite books as a child was The Dutch Twins and The Swiss Twins which I never had heard of, but found it in my library and my 9 year old daughter loves these too! As a young girl, Mrs. Clearly had a love for books, but there was no local library. Her mother arranged to have books sent to their city and her mom was the librarian. Mrs. Cleary grew up in the library, but also thought there was not enough "funny" books for children. The city where she grew up in, Portland, Oregon, and Grant Park in this city, is where her stories take place (see the neat map of her city and how it refers to her books). The city has honored Mrs. Cleary with statues of Henry Higgins with his mutt, Ribsy, and Ramona in her raingear stand around a central fountain.

Romona

Statue of Henry Huggins

Statue of Ribsy

More Pictures:
Terrecotta Busts of Ramona;
Beverly and Clarence Cleary with Ramona at Grant Park

BOOK REVIEW: Help! Mom! Hollywood is in my Hamper!

This is the second book I am reviewing, by this author, Katharine Debrecht. The first book I reviewed was Help! Mom! There are Liberals Under My Bed! and this review will be similiar in my thoughts regarding it.

This book, Help! Mom! Hollywood's in My Hamper! is again more for teenagers and adults, though many adults may find it too sarcastic and not funny at all. There is quite a bit of mockery in the book, that I would not want to condone, in having my children read. We have talked often about dressing modestly, and not being "of the world" yet it's not done in a mocking way, but to do as pleasing unto God. Some of the characters in the book my children are not even that aware of such as Madonna and Barbara Streisand. My homeschooled children do not want to dress like the rest of the world - nor would a lot of it even be allowed (ie short shirts/skirts, low cut dresses/tops, etc). Yet, there are families whose children see how others are dressed and are certainly influenced by it, which in turn is coming from Hollywood.

This book might help an older teen understand why we should not follow Hollywood's example of dress, however, the pictures seem geared more for young children. One of the very first pages shows young children coloring. This is not the age that would take this book to heart yet, a teen seeing these pages, might be turned off right away thinking this book is for "little kids" by its pictures. Also some of the ideas that are illustrated as far as how someone might dress is over dramitized, and as far as my standards, not even pictures I would want my children to see (low cut dresses). Some of it is just plain foolishness too. One example is copying someone who wears a flowerpot on her head. It needs to be more realistic if we want to draw children in.

Overall, I do believe this book is better than the other book I reviewed by the same author. Children at least will be able to understand this one more. I do not believe this book would influence my children or many of the friends of my children, but there are those teens that are influenced and this may help them make more decent decisions on their clothing. It might be a good book to donate to a local library or leave in a hospital waiting room or coffee shoppe! Maybe it will get some parents to think about how their teen is dressed!

NOTE: As a Mind & Media Reviewer, I was not compensated for providing this review. I received this complimentary book in order to review it and am thankful for this opportunity.

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Monday Memories

When least expected, we get these little jolts - the reminders - the breath sucked out. Today, it just hit us again, when we read in our local paper, about the Medical Examiner that did the autopsy on Matthew. The autopsy is one of those things we cannot go into detail, that for the most part, Norm & I have to keep in side, and try to refocus, that when the autopsy was done, Matthew was in heaven, and it was his old body that had to be viewed. In some ways I wish I would have never read the autopsy, or at least was prepared for what was done. We did ask shortly have he was considered gone, if we could donate any organs, but since it had been so long, they could not, and an autopsy by law had to be done, so it was not possible. Had his body been able to be used to help someone else out, it would seem easier, I would think. Only Norm & I read the report, and then we burned it. We did not want the children reading it. They had enough visuals already in their heads. The article that was in our paper, did go into some detail of what is normally done in an autopsy, but not to the degree that everything is spelled out in the actual report and the detail of everything. I've heard very nice things about the ME, and I know it bothered him to do a child's autopsy. But, today was that reminder - the reminder once again of the finality. The reminder of the ache that sometimes is covered up. Yet, there is the hope that someday . . .

For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.

1 Thessalonians 4:16, 17

Not too long ago on the Christian radio program, Insight for Living, I heard Chuck Swindoll say that he was visiting a cemetery, and one of the gravestones simply said "You're Standing on Ressurection Ground". I loved that.Someday maybe we will have a family grave marker, and will have that on it. Can you just imagine the cemeteries someday?

Stephen's 19th Birthday

It seems almost impossible that we have a child old enough to be 19. It certainly makes us feel old! I remember his birth so well - born at 4:32 in the afternoon - 9 lbs. 1 oz. and a beautiful baby. I've shared before how he was three weeks late - born on my grandpa's birthday, which was very special for me. It was actually an answer to prayer. He's a typical teenager in one way - is always right - knows more that me most of the time - yet, is a kid with convictions, standards, and a hard worker. He loves working on cars and trucks, and is doing well in his automotive and welding classes. He was told just yesterday at his job that once his internship is done at the place he is working, that the boss really wants to hire him. His boss is also his teacher and has had many students doing the internship. So, it's neat to see how he is growing and maturing. His choice of friends are great. His wanting to follow God is neat. He is committed to courtship, and doesn't even want to find a girlfriend/wife until he can support a wife. So the little guy that made me a mama is all(most) grown up.

Birthdays are a pretty big thing here. Last year it was very low key. It seemed hard to celebrate anything. But this year we are all back into it. All the kids were excited - found treasures for Stephen - from automotive hand washing soap, to candy bars and other tools. This picture of him above is with his first Snap-On Tool from his dad. He was pretty excited about that. I made his his favorite meal - lasagna. The signs were put up around the house - lots of cards were made and even a special shirt worn by the baby whom he spoils more than us!

Saturday Photo Scavenger Hunt: ROUND

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Our baby in something round.

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