http://www.diaryof1.com Seeking Wisdom, Washing Dishes Thu, 11 Mar 2010 04:57:44 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en It was one of those days when I'm glad to live in a small town; and believe me, there are days when I wish I didn't. I was shopping at my local grocery store this evening when a friend approached as I lingered over the apples, and with a quick ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2010/03/10/when-ginger-came-flying-my-way/ How are things in your part of the world? It may not feel like spring, but I know it's coming, the calendar tells me so. And also the sky, the birds, the tiny signs of life I see poking through the ground. Are you still covered with snow? Is the wind ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2010/03/01/dear-march-come-in/ I AM FROM By Jennifer @ Diary of 1 I am from dusty country roads, From Vick’s Vapor Rub And handmade clothes. I am from the dirt floors of a house built from corrugated iron and boards, With unshaded lightbulbs dangling from cords. I am from the mint patch, Arizona honeysuckle, and big blue sky, The black walnut ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2010/02/13/i-am-from/ What can I write about? I'm feeling very much like I have nothing to say, so here is my meager offering to my diary. I did a load of dishes and a load of laundry, swept the kitchen and the mud room, and that's all I can muster. It's about 8:30 ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2010/02/10/hello-not-much-to-say/ Goodnight, that's all. I'm tired, so I'll go to bed. I've lived most of my adult life not following that simple reasoning, and instead have pushed myself to the very limits of physical and mental endurance. For something or another. A final exam, a work project, a busy season, there ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2010/01/20/sleepy-goodnight/ Note: this blog post turned into an essay. If you don't have TIME to read it, then don't. But it just might save you some time. There is a war on time. As I resolved to waste less time this year, I had the chilling thought that modern life is fracturing ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2010/01/10/the-holocaust-of-time/ The New Year's Resolutions are a'comin', by the thousands, around the globe. Many lofty, admirable, and noteworthy goals will soon be flowing from pens near and far. As for me, I'm keeping it real, attainable, and utterly basic, so as to actually realize a few goals. Gone are the "read 30 ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/12/29/keepin-it-real-in-2010/ Christmas Eve day. What a day of bustling, cheery, frantic activity for us. We've been sweeping the dropped needles, clearing out every dust bunny we can unearth, fine-tuning the best pie crust recipe ever, and generally preparing for this most special of times. The last of the Christmas cards went out ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/12/24/merry-christmas-from-diary-of-1/ Concerns About the Creche J: No, no, the angels are looking at nothing! L: Well, let's move the shepherd back here, he's a lesser one anyway. J: The Wise Man can't be giving his gift to the cow, move him! L: Oh, here's the little lamb that broke last year. Oh well. ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/12/22/scene-and-herd/ I wrote about my Magic Window last December, and guess what? I found it! Actually, one of my kids found it in a box of my scant childhood mementos. I wrote last December: What was so magical about this double-paned case of shifting sand? For a little girl in a rather impoverished and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/12/09/revisiting-the-magic-window/ Storm on Sea by Ivan Constantinovich Aivazovsky, 1899 Remember Winston Churchill's words to Harrow School on a visit in October of 1941: Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never--in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense. Never yield to ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/11/20/when-you-feel-like-giving-up/ My class at our small country school hatched out the cutest little baby ducks a few weeks ago. After 20 some days of the children carefully turning the eggs twice daily, checking the temperature and humidity, and barely checking their excitement, the eggs cracked. Several of them hatched right before ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/11/14/our-oregon-ducks/ Today marks the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. In this Thanksgiving month, what a reminder to give thanks to God for freedom, wherever it exists, both on the face of the earth and in our spirits. Where there is no freedom, there is death in every ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/11/09/the-advent-of-freedom-celebrating-20-years-of-the-fall-of-the-berlin-wall/ I'm not one to pay much attention to developmental milestones in my children. But my five year old boy gives new meaning to "color inside the lines." Here is what he accomplished last week, all in one sitting. I thought it was pretty cool, my husband thought it was pretty freaky. ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/10/25/dang-the-kid-can-color/ I grew mint in my garden this year, mostly because of the treasured childhood memories I have of the mint growing in our Arizona garden. I loved this mint as a little girl, and when I would get sent out to pick it for my mother's tea, I would usually ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/10/14/mint-tea-and-me/ This painting Autumn Leaves by John Everett Millais (1856) fits the following poem so well. I can just imagine that these are my own four children gathering leaves and admiring their beauty. These girls in the long velvet dresses may not be thinking of jumping in the pile of leaves, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/10/02/octobers-party/ Our garden brought a smile to my face all summer long. Funny carrot shapes. Edible toys (a pea pod turned helicopter). A great job for a child. The joy of finding the first fruit. Best of all, food for the table. You may also enjoy these past posts from Diary of 1: Gardening With Children Fun With Seeds ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/09/27/my-garden-a-short-photo-essay/ I see it's been exactly a month since I posted here. I look forward to October and a time when September will be but a memory. This past month has been long and arduous, painful and exhausting. Sleepless nights, numbing days, and the kind of stress that makes one physically ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/09/25/its-been-a-long-month/ My favorite photo from last week is my 10 year old son putting together his "Snap Circuit Set." He needs a more advanced electricity kit because he does this one by heart and so fast it would make Franklin and Faraday spin. But he still loves it. What is it about ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/08/25/boys-eye-view-of-science/ When I'm five, I can fly a kite, ride a bike, shoot an arrow, frost a cake (and eat it, too), make a wish and blow out the candles. Happy Birthday, Little L!! You can do so many things when you are five! Technorati Tags: Central Oregon, childhood memories, outdoor play, Happy Birthday http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/08/16/when-im-five/ “The condition for a miracle is difficulty, however the condition for a great miracle is not difficulty, but impossibility.” My husband and I watched the movie Faith Like Potatoes last night. Great movie for this season of our life especially. It's the real-life story of South African farmer Angus Buchan who, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/08/13/faith-like-potatoes/ I just read on the AP news: MANILA, Philippines – Former President Corazon Aquino, who swept away a dictator with a "people power" revolt and then sustained democracy by fighting off seven coup attempts in six years, died on Saturday, her son said. She was 76. The uprising she led in 1986 ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/31/corazon-aquino-former-philippines-president-has-died/ We enjoyed the most wonderful morning at Smith Rock State Park a few days ago. There by 7:30 a.m. to avoid the scorching afternoon sun, we hiked, played, and splashed our way around to the backside of the mountain. My children all had a fun time, especially the youngest. Big-eyed and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/30/boy-and-a-river/ Note to rootbound plants: Get out while you still can! I planted dozens of seeds in little plastic containers, wanting a head start on the short growing season in my region. The weather warmed up but I got busy. The seedlings outgrew their tiny containers and were silently begging to be placed ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/20/get-out-while-you-still-can/ Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité. July 14, 2009 marks the 320th anniversary of the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. The French Revolution lasted about six to ten years, depending on who you ask. And the Marquis de Lafayette is involved in another revolution, having returned from a successful round in ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/13/the-french-revolution-and-the-marquis-de-lafayette/ "Mommy, can I cut the lizard open?" JJ questioned very matter-of-factly. She had just come in from checking on her latest lizard, a big fat one she was sure was pregnant with dozens of eggs. She had felt little bumps inside the bulging belly of the western fence lizard, and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/09/shes-a-biologist/ The one constant through all the years, Ray, has been baseball. America has rolled by like an army of steamrollers. It's been erased like a blackboard, rebuilt, and erased again. But, baseball has marked the time. This field, this game, is a part of our past, Ray. It reminds us ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/07/baseball-giveaway/ They say that truth is stranger than fiction, and the story of the Marquis de Lafayette fits this expression well. His is the tale of a teenage orphan who travels to a foreign land to offer his services in a David versus Goliath type battle. Winning that battle, he returns ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/05/the-american-revolution-and-the-marquis-de-lafayette/ Hello Summer! We're done being sick and we are ready to enjoy this beautiful world. I'm listening to Little L read a book to himself, I'm feeling anticipation about the days ahead, I'm smelling the fresh garden dirt, and I'm seeing a clear blue sky out the window. Today, I need ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/07/02/hello-summer/ My family has been hit hard by a stomach flu virus. First, it was my oldest son on Monday night. Then the youngest son on Wednesday night--throwing up every 20 minutes for four hours. Myself on Thursday night. Hubby Saturday morning. We're dropping like flies. It's a horrible, stomach churning, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/06/27/stomach-flu-tonic/ Happy Father's Day to all the amazing dads out there! I have a little of this and that to write about today. TRAIN. First, here's one of my favorite pictures from my photofiles: A little train depot we pass nearly every day had a surprise for us one fall afternoon last season. The ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/06/21/little-of-this-and-that-train-garden-france/ I so wish I could sit down and write all the wonderful details of my trip to Port Huron, Michigan, but I have too many pressing duties at the moment. But, so I don't forget, I'm making myself a short list of a few of the highlights. 1. Continental Airlines still ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/06/12/just-in-from-the-great-lakes/ I fly out of PDX (Portland International Airport) soon, not to be confused with PAX (Latin for peace). It's PAX that's on my mind, even as I prepare to board that flight out of PDX to attend a memorial service for my aunt. As I listened to a friend of mine ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/06/03/pax/ Life has been incredibly busy, but I wanted to take a minute and record the days. Memorial Day weekend has been wonderful. Family came to visit from the valley, and my kids enjoyed some precious times with their cousins and grandma and uncle. Lots of dirt and many baths later, we ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/05/25/memorial-day-taking-a-minute-to-write/ I took my sixth graders bowling several weeks ago and was reminded of something about the Lord. One of my students said, "Mrs. T., do you want to bowl with me?" I wasn't officially bowling because I wanted to be available to float around and watch over all the kids. ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/05/21/a-bowling-lesson/ God is meeting you and has some things to teach you even as you are ministering to others. It's not just about teaching the kids. Be open to and be prepared for the Lord's ministering over you. When I was with the doctor a few weeks ago, as he was fixing ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/05/10/be-blessed-as-you-serve/ Yes, this seemingly insignificant task has been a grand fait accompli for me. It really does deserve a blog post. The pantry was neatly arranged as well. People, it's been two years of utensil chaos glaring up at me each time I pulled open the kitchen drawers. Tongs and blades ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/05/03/i-organized-my-silverware-drawer/ We are watching the vegetable starts every day, the children with intense wonder at the new growth, me with a mix of hope and apprehension-- will we succeed in this gardening adventure? The sunflower in this photo has been the subject of the greatest amazement, as my son was standing ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/04/25/fun-with-seeds-and-seedlings/ Hello, friends. I've been learning lately about this mysterious property of the God-human relationship: in our weakness, He is strong. I think this concept must be outside of the laws of physics. Shouldn't a weak link break the chain? Here are my thoughts as I sit after a long and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/04/15/but-god-is/ I helped my 9 year old son plant part of his garden today (indoors in little planters until the last frost). He carefully dropped seeds into the fresh, rich soil-- carrots, lettuce, cucumbers, watermelon, radishes, pumpkin, sunflowers, corn, peas, and a few others. Wow, we'll see how it all does ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/04/10/reflections-on-the-resurrection/ This was a scheduled post to fit into my April theme~a magical, simple, and refreshing time of renewal. The dream began a few weeks ago with the gift of an Amish friendship bread starter. You take care of the dough starter for about ten days, then split it into four ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/04/06/finding-my-inner-amish/ I thought I was celebrating spring, not summer. But I have brave kids. Central Oregon, April 5, 4:00 p.m., 66 degrees. I'm wearing a sweater. But blue sky, bright sun, and no wind all make for swimming in April, at least for these country kids. It innocently began with chasing jackrabbits, then ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/04/05/swimming-in-april/ Hark, I hear a robin calling! List, the wind is from the south! And the orchard-bloom is falling Sweet as kisses on the mouth. In the dreamy vale of beeches Fair and faint is woven mist, And the river's orient reaches Are the palest amethyst. Every limpid brook is singing Of the lure of April ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/04/03/hark-i-hear-a-robin-calling/ This blog is not an April Fool's joke. Sorry about the mess up there on my header. I need my husband to fix it and he's committed to other more critical programming projects for a few weeks, so we may have to live with it for a while.   If you came ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/04/01/excuse-the-mess/ It was for freedom that Christ set us free; therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery. Galations 5:1This is a verse that came my way today from two different sources. I don't know what it means to you, but I wanted to ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/27/it-is-for-freedom-weve-been-set-free/ Oh boy, I'll have to make this a quick post, but I hope to come back to this subject another time when I can deal with it more in depth. For now, here's a short list of some methods I've had great success with in regards to bringing some life ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/25/expressive-social-studies/ A little boy must have a shovel or two to be truly happy, I think! What is it about digging that brings such satisfaction and sense of adventure? Will I find a buried treasure? A forgotten city? I must dig and dig, and when I'm done at the very least I'll ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/23/boy-and-shovel/ A fun, creative way to do book reports--it's called a lapbook, or a folder full of mini-books to organize the main ideas and story elements of literature. The lapbook can be the whole book report for younger to middle ages, or a tool for gathering information as the student reads ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/17/inspired-book-reports-lapbooking-where-the-red-fern-grows/ My mother is now officially an octogenarian. I pray the 80s will bring her peace, grace, beauty, and good health. Here she is making her way down our driveway with a few of the kids this week, who love to go for walks with Grandma. Or be walked, as you can ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/15/happy-80th-mom/ "Get your journals ready," I tell my 6th grade students every morning. From 8:00 to 8:10 a.m. most school days, I have a short piece of classical music on queue in the CD player, along with a work of art from one of the masters displayed on the music stand ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/08/the-masters-and-the-classics/ How parakeet breeding led me to thoughts on a great moral issue: I stopped in the pet store yesterday to get some grit for the birds, to aid their digestion. While there, the kids reminded me of one of their pressing concerns. We have a boy and girl parakeet, and the ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/07/parakeet-morality/ My Aunt Beth died yesterday. There is something about death that leaves one so introspective. I wanted to immediately fly back to Michigan and be with family, but Aunt Beth had requested a spring memorial. She apparently didn't want people flying in from all over the country in the midst ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/03/aunt-bethin-spring/ I saw this over at Challies, and love this kind of feature. It's the story of Richard Wurmbrand, and is the latest in the Torchlighters Heroes of the Faith series (perfect for ages 8-12). Torchlighters are action-packed, award-winning animated videos, featuring real-life faith heroes that kids can depend on. Each DVD ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/03/01/richard-wurmbrand-movie/ Dr. John Sanford, retired professor from Cornell University, has done brilliant work in the field of genetics. His research and studies have led him to refute "The Primary Axiom" upon which modern Darwinism is built. The Primary Axiom is that man is just the result of random mutations and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/02/24/john-sanford-retired-cornell-professor-shows-up-darwinism/ A Poet's Cat, sedate and grave As poet well could wish to have, Was much addicted to inquire For nooks to which she might retire, And where, secure as mouse in chink, She might repose, or sit and think. - - - William CowperOur cat, Tawny is fond of napping, as most cats are. He's dozing ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/02/21/poets-cat/ Little L was so delighted to find a feather during our last hike about the property. Never mind we find them all the time, each new discovery still holds a bit of magic. Here's a little poem I wrote for him: The Black Feather Today I went out to explore I found a feather ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/02/16/when-kids-explore-the-black-feather/ The story and person of Benjamin Carson makes me so happy because he is just one more amazingly brilliant and talented individual in the field of science and medicine to blow a hole in the tired argument that Christians who believe in God the Creator and not evolution are just ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/02/08/benjamin-carson-star-neurosurgeon-sees-god-in-science/ A salon is a gathering of stimulating people of quality under the roof of an inspiring hostess or host, partly to amuse one another and partly to refine their taste and increase their knowledge through conversation and readings, often consciously following Horace's definition of the aims of poetry, "to please ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/02/05/today-at-the-salon/ Big L found a favorite perch. From here, he had a bird's eye view of the valley and the horizon beyond. Upon his rocky seat, with his hand steadied by the old weathered fence post, my son felt like king of the hill. I wondered what tales the worn, lichen and ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/31/a-favorite-place/ He has been named Islam's "Public Enemy #1" by al-Insan al-Jadid, an Arabic newspaper, and by merely looking at this elderly Coptic priest, one would fail to see why. However, mass conversions to Christianity as a result of his ministry are the reason for the label. About six million Muslims convert ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/25/zakaria-botros-unafraid-to-defy-islam/ Out hiking a few weeks ago. Near the east edge of our property is a stunning view of the valley below. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/22/overlooking-the-valley/ In Nazi occupied France during the dark days of WWII, there was a group of valiant and daring individuals known as the French Resistance. They dared to defy the vice-grip of Nazi Germany (as well as the French collaborators) using stealth, reconnaissance, infiltration, and whatever means necessary to save their ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/18/berthe-fraser-from-housewife-to-french-resistance-hero/ Just over five months ago, the Russian novelist and historian, Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn (December 11, 1918 – August 3, 2008), died in his homeland. What a loss to the world, this giant of the twentieth century who wrote from a Christian worldview to change the world. Through the writings of Solzhenitsyn, the ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/13/aleksandr-solzhenitsyn-literary-giant-light-of-truth/ Just wanted to say that. Because I am SICK of the thousands of protesters from D.C. to Denmark who scream Free Palestine, and whine and curse about the cruelty and "holocaust" that Israel is perpetrating against Gaza. How DARE they even use the term holocaust, that is completely revolting to ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/11/i-support-israel/ I guess it was my turn to have a harried day. I was running late, and felt a tightening in my stomach and race in my heart when JoJo, who was supposed to be buckled in the van, appeared in the doorway to declare that "I hate to tell you, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/07/a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-office/ Helen Suzman lived long enough to greet 2009, by one day. This extraordinary anti-apartheid activist from South Africa, whose name is as great as that of Nelson Mandela in the fight for true freedom for black South Africans, died on January 1, 2009. Suzman served in the South African parliament from ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/04/helen-suzman-voice-of-freedom-for-south-africa/ I rang in the New Year with a dreadful sinus infection, the kind that aches and stabs from your temples down into your teeth. I hope it gets better from here. New Year's Day was slow and steady, doing nothing much of anything, which is an unnerving feeling when there ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2009/01/02/under-the-weather-beneath-a-blue-sky/ A map of the northeastern DR Congo, Uganda and Sudan, showing attacks attributed to the rebel Lord's Resistance Army. Ugandan Lord's Resistance Army rebels killed more than 400 people in Christmas massacres in northeastern Democratic Republic of Congo, the Caritas aid charity said Tuesday. (from Yahoo News). The archbishop of Dungu-Doruma, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/30/call-to-prayer-for-the-drc/ The air warms, the snow melts, and the animals rediscover the earth. The thaw is a messy thing, leaving puddles of mud outside our door, and as icicles drop with a crack, it creates a long row of untidy divots in the ground along the roof line. But in the mess ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/28/the-thaw/ "Do the flying Hilda!" JJ shrieked in delight to her brother as he hung over the balcony, swinging a little plush goat. With four young children in the house, nothing surprises me anymore, not even a goat madly flapping through the air, puppeteered from above whilst a child below scrambles ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/24/cole-family-christmas-a-treasured-tale/ Big L out front today, with the dog joining in the fun. At this moment, there is nothing quite so lovely as living trees flocked with fresh snow, a child building a snow fort among them, and a blue sky above to offer winter cheer to the scene below. http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/19/december-view/ The blacktop road swirled in wisps of powdery snow as I drove home this mid-December evening. The biting chill of the arctic wind was numbing, but not piercing enough to cut off the beauty of the glacial billows hovering above the road, suspended for a moment in a wintry waltz. I ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/15/the-magic-window/ I sat holding my four year old son last night, cherishing the moments that are so fleeting. He began a long and lovely conversation with me that went something like this: Mommy, you are beautiful! Your hair is beautiful, your skin is beautiful, your "these" (pointing to my eyebrows) are beautiful, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/11/i-think-hes-in-love-with-me/ Do you have a favorite Christmas song or album? I discovered my latest rave last Christmas, as I heard a completely unique rendition of "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen" come over the airwaves.See what I mean? I'm talking an amazing mix of contemporary Christian with classical strings that is now ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/06/christmas-music-annie-moses-band/ I felt like a modern-day shepherd, or maybe a wiseman, as I drove home last night, the brilliance of the convergence of Venus and Jupiter juxtaposed next to the crescent moon causing me to breathe deeply at the magnificent sight. What a perfect and fitting way to herald in the ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/12/02/my-star-of-bethlehem/ For Today...Monday, November 24, 2008 Outside my window...the dark of early morning, but day will break within the hour. I see the bold outline of Juniper trees against the rising sky which now displays several horizontal streaks of the palest pink clouds, changing every second, it seems. I am thinking...why can't I ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/11/24/simple-woman-november-24/ I've been thinking about text messaging and whether parents are concerned about their child's use of this social media. My own children are too young for this and don't have cell phones; however, as a middle school teacher, I've been seeing how widespread texting has become, and I have concerns. A ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/11/22/text-messaging-concerns-for-the-adolescent/ When Trials Come, sung by Margaret Becker (a long time favorite artist of mine), words and music by Keith Getty. You'll love this Celtic-style song and the images of Ireland on this video. The album it's from is full of Irish hymns and it's on my wish list! Stand fast in ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/11/19/when-trials-come/ "Jane is spending the night," I announced to my kids yesterday. From the wild whoops of joy that followed and the "happy dance" of my five year old, no one would guess that Jane was not a favorite classmate, but an octogenarian. Part I of the story of Jane is here, ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/11/15/sleepover-with-an-84-year-old-friend/ Enjoy your Friday, friends! I'm grabbing my coffee and kids and rushing off to another day of school. The kids want to take the mice to school for show-n-tell, and I also need them in my classroom for my students' science experiments (nothing harmful, I promise). Oh boy. My room ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/11/14/cheers-a-random-note/ Before You Go, a Tribute to our aging veterans. For my Grandpa T., who served in WWI, and Uncle Doug who served in the Korean War. Do you have friends or family members who have served in wars to protect our country and our national and individual freedoms? If so, be sure ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/11/11/before-you-go/ Give me a few days and I'll have the mess up there on my header fixed. I just need my tech guy (husband) to finish the hunting season and then we'll clean it up. I'm looking forward to a Saturday of catching up around the house. It's as bad as my header ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/11/01/oops-sorry-about-the-mess-up-there/ Two days after our wedding anniversary this year, my husband says to me, "Honey!! We forgot it! Again." An even dozen deserves to be remembered. But we both are wise enough to know that the act of timely recalling a significant date is not nearly as important as what's in ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/22/the-anniversary/ Welcome to the 68th Carnival of Homesteading. It's that time of year...fall is here with a chill in the air, and winter stands at the door. We've been putting up wood. There is a comforting warmth of a wood fire that can't be matched, and I'm so pleased we have ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/19/68th-carnival-of-homesteading-the-putting-up-wood-edition/ A few weeks ago, I found Tawny high up in a tree, meowing rather pleadingly. After spending an hour finding a ladder tall enough to reach the cat, coaxing him with soothing kitty calls and finally food, I rescued the feline. The cat could starve or freeze to death, trapped ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/18/cat-up-a-tree/ An "inventor's box" full of odds and ends that has a permanent place in your home play area or in your classroom--this is the child's invention kit, the perfect tool for science exploration and innovation. The idea is to create the atmosphere of an inventor's workshop, where there is no ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/12/the-childs-inventors-box/ Our first October hike around the property began with a surprise greeting from this rust-colored fast-crawling spider. If the image is fuzzy, it's because my hand was shaking a bit as I took the photograph. I'm not a big arachnid fan, however, I'm always fascinated with a new species, especially ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/05/october-exploring/ What does one do when her life feels like she's looking right into the exhaust pipe, ingesting toxic fumes? When I took this cute picture of our cat a few days ago, these reflections were far from my mind. I just thought, "isn't that a sweet little photograph - Tawny ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/10/02/looking-up-the-exhaust-pipe/ “There is no place more delightful than one's own fireplace.” Marcus Tullius Cicero, Ancient Roman Writer and Statesman, 106 BC - 43 BC. I'm totally delighting in this lovely fire my husband built tonight. The woodbox is full and the house is warm! We are halfway moved into our new ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/09/24/the-home-fires-a-going/ Following up on my last post about teaching patience to children, here is another great resource I discovered on overcoming anger. I'll be going through this short worksheet with my own children as well as my students. If you are battling with anger or have a child who does, I'd ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/09/18/dont-get-mad/ The information below comes from The Patient Parent. I've been praying for strategies to deal with a few (many, actually) of the students in my class who deal with anger management issues. What's the best way to handle the child who breaks pencils, rips up papers, and bursts into angry ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/09/13/teaching-patience-to-children/ Just wanted to share this wall hanging sign my mother-in-law gave me for my birthday last month. I love it. Do you ever feel this way? After my first hectic week of teaching, I'm needing my children! I've been mostly away from them for seven hours a day, and what a ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/09/06/that-holds-a-mother-to-life/ Hosted by Peggy at The Simple Woman For Today...Outside my Window...is a pale blue September sky, a hint of chill in the air. The day is warming up after a *freeze* last night! I am thinking...about God, His plans for our future, how He will provide our needs, how we can be ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/09/01/a-simple-woman-september-1/ Hello friends, You can hold the Homeschool Blog Awards, I won't be qualified. I'm headed back to the classroom and all my kids are going with me. I'll be teaching at a private school somewhere in Oregon, and that's all I'll say because I'm a security freak. So if you know ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/08/25/back-to-the-classroom/ Local field trips for children are lurking around every corner, even in some everyday places if you recognize the opportunity. Every town will have its own unique chances for family excursions, but here are a few around my Central Oregon town for the budget-minded. The Greenhouse I needed to buy some houseplants ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/08/20/frugal-field-trips/ Hi, I'm still around, just crazy-August-busy like the rest of the world, I guess. I have some carnivals to catch you up on, family news, blogs to visit (my apologies for not returning visits lately!), a feature post to write, a house to clean, etc., etc. But I have to ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/08/17/still-here/ Welcome to Word-Filled Wednesday - a place for sharing a photo and a Bible verse. Here are two of my children getting refreshed on a hot day last week. This is peace, two siblings drinking out of the same hose and not spraying each other up the nose! For this is ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/08/13/peace-like-a-river/ The plan was to pitch the tent in the yard, gaze at the stars, enjoy a campfire, roast some hotdogs and marshmallows, and generally enjoy the great outdoors. We almost made it, and did everything but pitch the tent. I know, that's probably the most important part, but we were ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/08/11/backyard-summer-fun/ Part I It's a landmark day. Today marks the opening of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Unlike any opening ceremony in Olympic history, China has outdone itself, and the sleeping giant awakens. My niece, Karen, recently returned from China with her school band. The Catalina Foothills High School Marching Band ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/08/08/olympics-open-russia-invades-georgia-i-get-breakfast-in-bed/ Two summers ago, my husband had a family reunion, and I received a cookbook compiled from that great gathering. My husband's grandma, Donna Alice (pictured on the left there with my hubby), was the sixth out of twelve children of Frank and Hilda, and eleven of those twelve are still ... http://www.diaryof1.com/2008/08/04/summertime-recipes-from-the-family-cookbook/