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Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday snippets...
Big doin's around Granny's House...by this time next week we'll have a really full house with the Slaughters, Weltys, and Longenbaughs pouring in for our Fun Family Week, complete with family portraits and the inevitable 9 siblings pics and games and good food and drink and
This is also the week when we bring on the school year almost full-force. The boys have already started their co-op, and this week Caleb will start his classes at NWV (community college) and we'll start math here. We'll leave the start of history/church history/philosophy (Tapestry of Grace) until after the Labor Day weekend and reunion. We've got all our school supplies, backpacks, textbooks and a pretty empty checkbook :-)
Looking forward to seeing "The Debt". And "Sarah's Key". The latter was a book I very much loved.
Finished The Greater Journey: Americans in Paris. I always enjoy David McCullough's work, but I was afraid that this one might be a bit too narrow to keep me on board. Not so. I was very surprised at how he was able to take a sliver of history (Americans who visited, lived, and worked in Paris from the 1830s to the 1920s) and weave in enough other world events to keep it enthralling. This one probably does have a smaller audience, but I'm really glad I picked it up.
I've read lots of history this summer...think I'll look for a couple of good novels for the fall.
I've clearly caught the sewing bug again after many years of doing nothing but mending. Starting in the 7th grade, I spent every summer making my whole wardrobe for the coming school year, and then I made nearly all my girls' clothes until #4 came along. Still I managed to do Easter dresses and special things for a while, but as my homeschooling load increased and responsibilities as a pastor's wife and then a commander's wife were laid over all that, not to mention being a pregnant and/or nursing mom for so many years, the sewing melted away. But look out, I'm back.
Our yard is so sad. And about half of the money and work we put into landscaping last fall has been flushed away. No, bad metaphor...it's been burned up. Rain? Please, God?
Clear sign that you've done a good job of educating your kids: you have to struggle to beat them at Words With Friends. And sometimes you don't.
I hate buying a new iron. Not as much as I hate buying a new computer or a new vacuum cleaner, but still...
LOOOOVE Pinterest. Oh man.
Nathan and Cheyenne have set their wedding date: January 21st! We are rejoicing with them and enjoying seeing the plans take shape...can't believe we'll soon have five married kids, and our first daughter-in-law!
Time to start thinking about all the Christmas shopping ahead...
And I'll end this week's post by sharing the lyrics to a favorite hymn.
As pants the hart for cooling streams
When heated in the chase,
So longs my soul, O God, for Thee,
And Thy refreshing grace.
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Trust God, who will employ
His aid for thee, and change these sighs
To thankful hymns of joy.
For Thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;
Oh, when shall I behold Thy face,
Thou Majesty Divine?
God of my strength, how long shall I,
Like one forgotten, mourn,
Forlorn, forsaken, and exposed
To my oppressor's scorn?
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Hope still, and thou shalt sing
The praise of Him who is thy God,
Thy health's eternal spring.
When heated in the chase,
So longs my soul, O God, for Thee,
And Thy refreshing grace.
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Trust God, who will employ
His aid for thee, and change these sighs
To thankful hymns of joy.
For Thee, my God, the living God,
My thirsty soul doth pine;
Oh, when shall I behold Thy face,
Thou Majesty Divine?
God of my strength, how long shall I,
Like one forgotten, mourn,
Forlorn, forsaken, and exposed
To my oppressor's scorn?
Why restless, why cast down, my soul?
Hope still, and thou shalt sing
The praise of Him who is thy God,
Thy health's eternal spring.
Amen. Have a great week!
Labels: Books, Family, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Kids, Language, Movies, Music, Sundays
Sunday, August 14, 2011
Sunday snippets...
Tomorrow begins the 27th straight school year at Granny's House. As I've mentioned before, we have only two high school students left, our two youngest boys. Since we're using a co-op and community college for several courses, my role will be limited to math (geometry, this year) and history. Well, and driving! It's a far cry from the years when I was preparing all summer long to teach five or six subjects to five or six kids at a time. Occasionally I'm nostalgic for those years, but I'm also relishing the extra time these days to sew, read, decorate, and travel. Twenty years ago, I remember moms telling me, "I just don't think I could give up all the things I love to homeschool." And I responded, "I don't look at it as giving anything up. No, I can't do it all, but I prefer to think of it as doing the important things now and 'setting aside' some things for later." Well, later is here :-)
Yes, you need to try this recipe for cauliflower. Some people at my house tonight, and there were hordes, said it was as good as candy. So make it, and tell me what you think...
Can't tell you how distressed I am when people with graduate degrees don't know the difference between "then" and "than". Few errors make me madder THAN this.
I thoroughly enjoyed seeing The Help this week. What a movie! I completely expect it to win at least Best Actress and Best Picture and hopefully a handful of other Oscars. I will stop short of recommending it here, only because there's some profanity which might prevent some of my readers from appreciating it. But the tender, and sometimes horrifying, insights into the racial segregation of our country makes it worth an honest look. I don't remember the last time I laughed AND cried so much at a film. And for those of you who've read the book, the movie will disappoint you only in that it is too short...
Is there a fast forward button on summer? Really, I'd be much more ready to start school if it weren't so hot. And yes, you can put that in the category of complaining.
First person to bring me some genuine, authentic mochi gets...gets...gets to share it with me :-)
Random thought: At some point in the past decade I came to the realization that I will never get to see the Mayan ruins in person. It was a lifelong desire. But even though I can still travel, I'm not good on my feet, and I'm sure I wouldn't get to enjoy them like I wanted to without trudging through the rough terrain that surrounds these wonders. I'm looking for a good virtual tour.
Is it time for Season 2 of Downton Abbey yet?
Our family is in the throes of one of the year's most momentous decisions: what to wear in the family portrait. No sooner has the group agreed on a color scheme or a theme than four people want exceptions, two think we should have picked something else, one person wants to know if prints are acceptable, one wants to be allowed a vest, and three or more are conspiring to put Granny into shock by wearing orange, the hue of her nightmares. This year we're hashing it out on a private Facebook group. Picture day is September 3. Stay tuned.
Whether this is your first week of school, just another work week, or whether you're still enjoying a long, lazy summer, make it a good one. And don't forget to give thanks to the Giver of all good things...
Labels: Family, Food, Language, Movies, Political Observation, Sundays, TV, Weather
Sunday, June 26, 2011
Sunday snippets, Ava June edition...
I've been at the Okla-home for nearly four weeks now. It's been one of the sweetest times of my life, waiting for and then greeting our little preemie granddaughter, Ava June. Wasn't it just yesterday that I was posting her parents' wedding pictures and making sure CJ had all the kitchen stuff she needed? And now they're a family of three...a perfect little family with a perfect little girl that doctors predicted shouldn't be here yet and certainly shouldn't have been strong or well enough to come home yet. We've been reminded that God uses doctors but He doesn't consult them on timing. On my way home from the hospital on Friday, knowing that Ava was just a couple of hours behind me, I was flooded with the praise chorus:
Thy lovingkindness is better than life
Thy lovingkindness is better than life
My lips shall praise Thee
Thus will I bless Thee
I will lift up my hands unto Thy Name
Don't know why that particular one flooded my heart, but it's exactly what I'm thinking and feeling this weekend...
This week I made the prediction, on Facebook, that the winner of the next election and the next president of the United States will be my state's governor, Rick Perry. I am a far cry from endorsing him, but I just feel it in my bones. That said, I'm growing increasingly interested in Michele Bachmann, a woman for whom I have tremendous respect. I don't know that she has the money or the backing to go the distance, but I'd be willing to bet that she has a future.
Yes to Hobby Lobby. LOVE that store. I'm glad to have one close to my house, but the one in Midwest City OK is the best one I've ever been in! And while I'm not one of those who will never shop on a Sunday, you gotta love a company that still has the courage to stay CLOSED on Sundays.
While I've been in Oklahoma, I've crocheted two baby blankets...one for Ava and one for Van. It's been a long time since I crocheted, and it was nice to have something to do to help pass the hours in the hospital as we waited for Ava to be released. Now I think I shall make one for Savannah, slightly larger since she's almost 1!
I'm also venturing into another area from which I've been absent for a long time...I'm going to make curtains for Ava's room. This would have been standard operating procedure for me a few years back, but it's been so long that I may have to re-teach myself to thread the machine!
During my long drives in the past three weeks, I finished A Patriot's History of the United States and Song of Saigon. Both were excellent listens. Echoing my previous recommendation of the former, let me add two points: 1) It's very long. But then the history of the US is, well, long. If you get the audio version and the thought of 50+ hours is daunting, choose the 2X speed. The narrator reads slowly enough that even at double speed it's perfectly understandable. It takes a few minutes of getting used to, but it really helped me to have this option. 2) If you really think you can't get through it all this summer, listen to the second half. We've all gotten much more misinformation about history in the 20th century than in the first few, so a review of the 20th from a non-leftist position will be extremely valuable if you got, as I did, the public school version.
Thoroughly enjoyed watching, via Netflix, the 4-episode Daniel Deronda.
I'll be returning home on Tuesday, with just enough time to do laundry, repack, and stock our van with enough groceries to get us through our one-week stay in Red River, New Mexico. We always enjoy the cool respite from the south Texas heat and the time to do absolutely nothing but rest and visit (well yes, and cook!). This year there will be more than 40 of us congregating in the little mountain motel--I can hardly wait to get going!
Okay, time to pay attention to the littlest Snippet...here are some favorite moments from the past three weeks. Hope your week is fabulous!
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| This was the very first time CJ got to hold her little one, 24 hours after delivery. |
Labels: Babies, Books, Grandparenting, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Political Observation, Sundays, TV, Vacations
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Sunday snippets...
Well, the Snippets are back after a two-week hiatus. I had a wonderful vacation in Hawaii with Lyric, and two nights at her house in California on either side of the Hawaii week. While in Hawaii we took a short cruise, read books on the sand, shopped for clothes and jewelry, got a little too much sun, and had unbelievably good evening here. I returned on Monday, refreshed and ready to take on summer :-)
During the past couple of weeks, I finished up reading Nurture Shock by Po Bronson and Ashley Merryman, Words that Work by Frank Luntz, and Poke the Box by Seth Godin. All three were excellent and are on my "Recommended" list. (Links are in the sidebar.)
Watching Herman Cain. Closely. Would still like to be "wowed" by someone I hadn't even thought of yet.
Ever signed the paperwork to enter a clinical trial of a drug? It's worse than buying a house!
This weekend I purchased two new vacuum cleaners. Have I told you about our vacuum curse? Yeah, I thought so. And no, I'm not divulging what brands I bought until I know if I'm going to keep them. After a week of research I'm convinced that there are no good brands. And I'm disgusted with Consumer Reports for highly rating brands that actual real-life users end up hating. What's up with that? If it turns on the first time and doesn't start smoking, it's Recommended?
So Kristen and children are with us as we wait for SlaughterBaby's arrival. Due date is Tuesday, and no sign of anything yet...but we're ready!
And yesterday, Aubrey and Cori gave a lovely baby shower for CJ and her little Ava LongenBaby, wherein we ate way too many delicious carbs and oohed and aahed over the sweetest little baby things ever. We still have a couple of months until we get to meet Ava...she'll be born on July 19th in Oklahoma City.
Are you watching The Voice? I love the concept even if some of the personalities really annoy me.
Tonight I'm going to make a list of the things I want to accomplish this summer. We're going to be doing so much traveling that I need to be very purposeful and organized about the things I want to do. The last two years I haven't done very well on that score and my intentions were, for the most part, never realized. See, I do really well with New Years resolutions...I just don't do well with summer.
Congrats and goodbye to our dear friend Nicole, who graduated yesterday with her BSN and will be leaving, along with her family, to reside in the great northwest. We love you!
Have a great week!
Labels: Babies, Books, Political Observation, Sundays, Vacations
Sunday, May 01, 2011
Sunday snippets...
Okay, just let me get this out there. I watched the Royal Wedding. From the pre-game shows until the Royal Kiss. Well, all right, just before the Royal Kiss. I did miss that part after falling asleep right before dawn. But I watched. I watched because I enjoy the Royals way more than I enjoy reality shows and Entertainment Tonight and the red carpet before the Oscars. But I have a beef. If you didn't care to watch it live, then I think you should be happy to watch short clips of the really interesting bits the next day. I get really annoyed when the news shows and other bona fide programming get pre-empted to show the ENTIRE. WEDDING. OVER. AND. OVER. But I suppose that if you've paid big bucks to send the likes of Shepard Smith over there to eat the overpriced food and stay in a fancy hotel at jacked-up rates, you want to get the most for your money, so you replay all his gaffes OVER. AND. OVER. AND. OVER. And I'm not picking just on FOX, though their choice of correspondents was particularly offensive. CNN seemed to be colluding with FOX to make sure they both replayed THE. ENTIRE. WEDDING. OVER. AND. OVER AT THE SAME TIMES. ENOUGH!
And while I'm on the wedding topic, wasn't The Dress exquisite? Do you think maybe, just maybe, sleeves and gorgeous necklines will now be back in style instead of every single bride in the country looking like a clone and worried to death (or hoping, in some cases) that her strapless bra is going to fail during the meet-and-greet at the reception? Probably too much to ask, but I can dream. Lace really is lovely.
Please. Don't even get me started on the hats. I'm so embarrassed for the Brits I can hardly speak about it.
Some of you may have caught my note on Facebook that I gave up on the book Fall of Giants. I would never watch a TV show or a movie with THAT level of graphic, lurid activity, so why should I have John Lee read it to me? It was shaping up to be a great story, but I have my boundaries and Ken Follett went way beyond them. Pillars of the Earth I could handle and truly enjoy...but World Without End (another one I couldn't finish) got worse and this one was promising to be off-the-charts pornographic. Some folks grew up reading this stuff in teen "romance" novels, but I didn't and I'm thankful that the needle on my meter can still be exploded.
So what did I do? Picked up an audio book about the history of Hawaii (Unfamiliar Fishes, by Sarah Vowell) that I couldn't wait to be done with. I did finish, but I'll recommend that you not bother with it. After living in Hawaii twice and visiting there quite often, I love the state and its history, and I grieve over how the US treated Hawaii. But I had little interest in hearing a pseudo-historian with a hatred of all things American read her caustic, one-sided rant. To make it even worse, she read her own work, and her voice is the most grating I think I've ever heard. No wonder she does silly voices in animated movies...but does she have to do the same voice while reading books to grownups? Fortunately she reads at a snail's pace, so I dialed up the audio to 3x normal and just gritted my teeth and got through it. Not sure I'm any the better for my trouble.
On a happier note, this past week we had our upstairs re-carpeted (with vinyl in the bathrooms and one bedroom), and that gave my kids the impetus to a lot of cleaning, de-cluttering, rearranging, and decorating on the second floor. Every single one of them got involved, signaling that it really is a different era around Granny's House :-)
Tomorrow Kristen and the elves arrive for an extended stay...they'll arrive with five children and leave with 20% more than that, and in the meantime we'll enjoy their presence with us, not to mention that we'll enjoy having another one of them born in our home. If you've got an extra slot on your prayer list, please use it to ask God to get Dave down here in time to see the little one born! (And no, we still don't know if it's a boy or a girl. Some of us are positively medieval that way!)
Summer around here is going to be much more math-heavy than it usually is. Due to some hiccups that I won't go into (or for my daughters: "into which I will not go"), my remaining two students need to put a couple more months into finishing this year's math, so none of us will get a complete summer break. I think I'll schedule summer math for 6 am on weekdays, and maybe that will encourage them to speed through the rest :-)
So I see that Mitch Daniels, GOP governor of Indiana, signed into law a bill that will make his state the first to ban federal Medicaid funds from being used to slaughter babies (or to fund organizations that say they give mammograms but make their profits from the slaughter of babies). Looks like he's trying, as I heard someone say this morning, to "get right with the right"--as he should. I think his statements about not fighting cultural wars hurt him even though many misunderstood him, and this will go a long way toward regaining the trust of those who acknowledge the sanctity of every life, no matter which end of the birth canal a baby occupies.
Will Daniels run? Perhaps...it's a strange field so far. My opinion is that we've got a lot of people that are right on many of the issues but they're either annoying for some reason or another, or they have a habit of shooting off their mouths, thinking they need to have expertise or opinion on everything all at once. Gingrich? Please, no. Trump? Uh, can we talk? Bachmann? Smart lady, but something about her just doesn't say "President" to me. Romney? I may have to eat this, but right now I say NEV.ER. Huckabee? I think he's already decided not to run and I don't think he has the fire to raise the obscene amounts of money necessary. Pawlenty? Still has the "Pa-Who?" factor going against him. Paul? I might have softened a LITTLE on this guy, but I'd rather wait for his son, who seemed to inherit the brains and respect for the Consititution without the wacky factor. Palin? She peaked during the last campaign and she's definitely climbed higher on the annoying scale. Stay tuned...maybe The Papa will run.
Note to self: next time you get a survey in the mail on how you feel about your military medical care, don't be specific. Every time you do, that particular aspect of care gets worse. (And David C., that was NOT about you!)
Labels: Books, Family, News, Political Observation, Social Observation, Summer, Sundays
Monday, April 25, 2011
Monday edition of the Easter Sunday snippets...
I bid you good morning (it is still morning as I write this) after one of the loveliest Easters ever. When it was over last night I had no desire to blog or to do anything but bask in the light of the Resurrection and the joy of being with family and friends. Alas, the snippets went to bed unwritten.One of the joys of the day was my completion of a goal I set right before New Years: memorize the book of Philippians by Easter Sunday. I actually finished two days ahead of schedule and had some time to review the entire book a couple of times before yesterday. It was a beautiful feeling to have done this with thousands of others on the Partnering to Remember journey this year. So..."Thanks be to God who gives us the victory through Christ Jesus our Lord!"
This Easter, my consistent thought has been that someday I will have my own Easter! If Christ is the firstfruits of the Resurrection, then something else follows--ME! And YOU! For all those who belong to Him, we will follow Him into an eternity of being like Him...He "will change our lowly body to be like his glorious body, by the power that enables him even to subject all things to himself." (PHILIPPIANS 3:21)
After Easter, I can always "smell" the end of the school year and I begin looking forward to the change of pace (if not the heat) of the coming season. We have two vacations in the works and another one or two in the talking stage, so we intend to make full use of the summer. Never mind that a couple of our students (guess which: we only have two left) will be scrambling to finish their algebra courses this summer...they'll be lugging books along if necessary. I remember my days in school. If we got only 2/3 of the way through the book, oh well, it was over. I don't remember that we ever finished a textbook, math or otherwise. But algebra isn't the place to do that, so we'll plug on until the last page.
Things that make you go "hmmmm...": Facebook's brand logo on their site and other places is spelled with a lower case f. But if you're typing a status on facebook and you use the word "facebook", with the lower case f, you get the squiggly red line that indicates it's misspelled. Then if you type it with an upper case F, you're good to go. Go figure.
As I type, there's a lot of banging going on upstairs. The carpet and vinyl installers are here, hoping to do the entire upstairs by the end of the day. This is one project that is WAY overdue and I'm going to be smiling really big when it's done...
Enjoying the epic Fall of Giants via audible.com. John Lee is a great narrator.
I've written many times before about Peggy Noonan and her uncanny ability to step back out of the blur of current events and visualize with clarity "the big picture"--politically, sociologically, culturally. If you agree with me that it's important to have people who can do this, go over and read what she wrote late last week about our efforts in Afghanistan and other parts of the world where we find radically different world views. This issue isn't going away any time soon.
Not sure whether I should be giddy or depressed over the fact that there are, as of yet, no serious challengers on the Democratic side to Obama's re-election. Part of me knows that a Democratic "Obama Shrugged" could be less damaging than what we've got...on the other hand, Hillary Clinton could be a much more formidable challenger for what seems right now to be a weak field of Republicans. So I'm watching with interest...
This week I'll attempt to do some bulk cooking to get ready for the swelling of our household for several weeks. It'll be nice to have some large-batch meals already done!
Happy Easter Monday--have a great week!
Labels: Books, Holidays, Homemaking, Homeschooling, Political Observation, Summer, Sundays
Sunday, April 17, 2011
Sunday snippets...
I've just returned from seeing Atlas Shrugged with Steph K. and we had a great time. The movie was almost exactly what both of us expected, very much like what we'd envisioned as we read the book. So what did I think about the movie? For a film that was made on a meager $10m budget and shot in 26 days, it was remarkable. This is the movie that Hollywood didn't want made and that was rejected at every turn for the past 20 years, so the fact that it made it to the big screen at all is surprising. There were places that it was a little rough and that showed the lower production costs, and there were places that would have been fairly mysterious to those who haven't read the book...and of course it's a little disconcerting that it stops a third of the way through the story. All in all, though, I was delighted with it. If you've read the book, even part of the book, go see the movie. If you haven't read the book, go see it anyway and then dive into the book and get it read before Part 2 is released next year! (Better yet, get it from audible.com and listen to it.)And please, listen to or read the biography of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. It might just change your life.
We're getting ready for a major upheaval here. Sometime in the next two weeks we'll have the entire upstairs re-carpeted or re-floored. I'm about to find out what's under the kids' beds. I think I should be afraid.
You know your kids are growing up when you have to spend a day helping them with their tax returns :-/
Can it really be Holy Week already? I'm thinking I just now made my New Year's goals. Looking forward to our church services this week...
Don't know what to make of Donald Trump. Should I be petrified or just laughing?
If this is true, it's very sad. Not that I would take 60 Minutes' word for anything, but once in a while they've been right.
Okay, update on my Mac story. Thursday I took it in to the Apple Geniuses, and guess what? They're geniuses. Who knew? I do still have "issues" with the Mac, but do you know what the main and most worrisome problem turned out to be? FIREFOX. Firefox 4, to be exact. Evidently it has major memory leak problems and it was eating up 25% of the 4 gigs of RAM just by being loaded. I was using it because I really do not like Safari, Apple's preloaded browser, and so I thought I'd minimize my adjustment to the Mac by sticking with the browser I already loved. FAIL. Lesson of the story: if you're a Firefox user and you are having trouble with your Mac OR your PC slowing down, especially after it's been on a while, check and see how much of the memory Firefox is using. You will probably choke. Answer, for me: Google Chrome. LOVE.IT.
One more week and I'll have memorized the book of Philippians with tens of thousands of others. Speaking of memory leaks, it hasn't been easy...even after learning the last few verses this week I think it will take me several weeks to really solidify the whole thing, but it's been oh-so-worth-it. I'm looking around now to decide on another book or chapter to work on next...
Yesterday The Papa returned from a 16-day trip to Australia. He came back loaded with stuffed kangaroos, boomerangs, Australia ball caps, and Tim-Tams. He said he was tired of living in the future.
And since the present day is quickly drawing to a close, I'll close also and wish you a beautiful Holy Week and a blessed Easter at its end. Hosanna!
Labels: Books, Holidays, Homemaking, Kids, Movies, Political Observation, Sundays
Sunday, April 03, 2011
Sunday snippets...
It's been a strange week, getting used to the new MacBook Pro while trying to carry on my normal tasks. So far I'm loving most things about it...I don't like the fact that some of my treasured programs won't run on a Mac and so I'm forced to decide between trying to shuttle back and forth between two computers or putting software on the Mac which will run Windows. Neither seems a happy prospect, given what I've heard and read from all but one person about the Windows for Mac option. So. My decisions aren't all behind me yet.(Anyone have a recommendation for some good Mac software for a recipe database?)
The Papa and I found a nice new restaurant Thursday night. Actually a new iPhone app found it for us, and I want to plug the app as much as the restaurant. It's called Urbanspoon, and it's a great way to find a new place to eat. We get stuck in a rut when we go out, afraid to take a risk on a place we know nothing about. This app uses your present location and gives you suggestions based on your choice of cuisine, how far you want to drive, and how much you want to spend. Then for each suggestion there are maps, reviews, etc. to give you an idea of what you're in for....So, we spun the dial and came up with Roaring Fork...and we were delighted! A nice pre-Australia date. And any place that makes a Fried Avocado and Crab with Chipotle Mayo is doing something right :-)
I'm so glad our taxes are done. Even though we had to pay, it's DONE. And I'll be snickering at the lines of people at the post office on the 15th. Yeah, I'm that way.
Loving the new season of Army Wives...and also loving seeing Season 1 of Downton Abbey via Netflix. This weekend I also went back and watched most of the first season of Pushing Daisies, which I never saw when it was on TV, and caught up on some old Monk episodes. Yeah, I go through these phases...
The Papa and I also finished up book #7 in the #1 Ladies Detective Agency series (Blue Shoes and Happiness) before he left. And I've ordered the next one...oh, what will we do when we're out of Precious Ramotswe??
And during the past week I finished The Red Queen, which I adored, and began the audio version of Metaxas' Bonhoeffer biography. There just aren't enough hours in the day!
Recommendation: If you're homeschooling and haven't yet discovered or switched to Teaching Textbooks for math, cut your losses now and run to their website as fast as your fingers will carry you. Even if you're not homeschooling, your kids could benefit from the excellent help in this program.
Have I mentioned how excited I am that we are gaining TWO new grandbabies this spring/summer? CAN'T.WAIT!
A man and his John Deere--happy combination.
I think I would like to see The Donald become president just for the fun of seeing what would happen to his combover while walking away from Marine One. (Oh, come on, you know you would too.)
This spring seems to be so beautiful. We don't have as many bluebonnets as some other years, but the greens are so lush. I think the milder spring temps have a lot to do with it even though we haven't had enough rain. This has been a weird year...tomorrow night our low is to be 43! April? In San Antonio?
This morning in worship, we shared a song that's been played but never yet sung (waiting for our CCLI license) in our services, and it was so meaningful as to bring tears from a lot of us. This exquisite piece, "In Christ Alone," is becoming one of the new but soon to be classic anthems of the faith...
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
"In Christ Alone," lyrics by Stuart Townend and Keith Getty
Enjoy your first week of April!
Labels: Books, Church, Food, Grandparenting, Homeschooling, Music, Political Humor, Sundays, Technology, TV
Sunday, March 20, 2011
Sunday snippets...
We're just back from our very pleasant, uneventful spring break in north Texas. I will sum up 
its loveliness with a comment from Shelley, our 18-year old: "You know why I love spring break? No one judges you for taking multiple naps in one day." Yep.
its loveliness with a comment from Shelley, our 18-year old: "You know why I love spring break? No one judges you for taking multiple naps in one day." Yep.And while much of the country has succumbed to March Madness, we in San Antonio are still consumed with our NBA favorite sons. The Spurs have the best record in the NBA, far ahead of our nearest rivals, and they are one of only three teams in the country to have already clinched a spot in the playoffs. Of course, what happens in the playoffs is often very different than the season at large, but we're hopeful for a great end to the season. Yeah, we're kind of nutty around here, already counting down the weeks until the first pre-season NFL games, and, naturally, the Fighting Irish season!
Spring, of course, wouldn't be complete in this part of the country without bluebonnets, and as we drove south yesterday we were welcomed home by just a few 
whispers of our favorite flower, as well as by the many precociously cheerful Texas Redbuds, two of which were planted in our yard last fall and were definitely showing off when we arrived.
whispers of our favorite flower, as well as by the many precociously cheerful Texas Redbuds, two of which were planted in our yard last fall and were definitely showing off when we arrived.Before we left, we made the purchase that wouldn't wait: a new lawn tractor. Ten years had made ours a shadow of its former self, so the Papa used this as his permission to buy himself a bigger, badder John Deere. It will be delivered tomorrow, and I think he's outside right now watching for the Lowe's truck.
Well, that's a lot said about spring, seeing as how it's my second least favorite season, stealing my favorite winter away each year. Maybe it's easier to welcome spring this year since we had such a lovely, unseasonably cool and long winter! Can I hope for the same next year?
Nathan comes home this week! He'll arrive from Biloxi on Wednesday, having completed both AF basic training and tech school this year. We will be glad to have him back in the fold, even if he'll soon be looking for his own place :-)
You know you have a house full of young adults when the decibel level and the calorie consumption go up AFTER 11pm. I've learned to enjoy it rather than fighting it...just like every other season of life, it doesn't last long enough.
Halfway around the world, this season will always be remembered for the historic earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear "event." Hundreds of thousands are still homeless in bitter cold, and tens of thousands, maybe more, injured and bereaved. May God show mercy to the hurting and show us all ways to help...
I have no idea what to think about Libya and our involvement in yet another conflict. Seldom is something like this attempted without it escalating, and I ache for the men and women we may lose along with all we've lost in two other ongoing wars. I fear that, in the long run, there is nothing we can do to make a difference in Qaddafi's territory...and yet the people there are hurting and I long for something to make a difference. Earthquakes aren't the only things that ruin lives.
Plans are piling up for our next school year: co-ops, dual credit college classes, driver training. It will be John Caleb's senior year, and most of what he's taking will be done away from home...in this case, homeschooling means "home-directed" education and not necessarily the kind that's done at the kitchen table. Tim will be a sophomore next year, which means that we have only three years remaining in this homeschool journey. My eyes and ears are already open for ways I can participate more actively in the education of the grandkids!
Speaking of homeschooling, if you haven't already read this excellent post by Susan Wise Bauer, please click over and read it when you're through here. She's been one of the steadiest, most seasoned voices in the home education arena for years now, and she's worth hearing out.
In the next few weeks we will undertake the huge job of recarpeting and reflooring the entire second floor of the house. We had the downstairs done about four years ago and the upstairs has been begging for it ever since. I dread the whole process of moving everything, but it will certainly be an impetus to clean everything out!
During the trip this week, I "Kindled" (new verb, with a capital K) John Piper's Think: The Life of the Mind and the Love of God. I highly recommend it.
And I've taken up a new book, Moonwalking with Einstein: The Art and Science of Remembering Everything by Joshua Foer. My interest in the power and the workings of the brain seems to know no end, and this is my latest fuel for that interest. When I took up the challenge to memorize the book of Philippians in 16 weeks, I had my doubts that a brain like mine, unaccustomed to memorization, could even do such a thing. I didn't embark on it as a mental challenge...I really wanted to plant the Word in my mind and heart to a greater extent than I had in years. But now that I've gotten halfway through the third chapter of the book and think that my goal might just be accomplished by Easter, I am even more interested in the theories involved in memory storage and active memorization.
Hope you're having a wonderful Lord's Day and a wonderful first day of spring!
Labels: Books, Homemaking, Homeschooling, News, Political Observation, Sundays, The Papa
Sunday, March 06, 2011
Sunday snippets...
The week sped by...last week started with me in Virginia drinking in the time with the Welty's and the new week begins with a glorious day at Covenant of Grace, fellowshiping with friends old and new and hearing the Word preached powerfully. In between, many reasons for giving thanks and praising God, living a life of moment-by-moment gratitude...How to love a liberal (if you really must): Kirsten Powers on the fraud of Planned Parenthood.
My husband surprised me with tulips this weekend--my favorite flower! (And Ava, they're purple!)
Got to hear a fun concert this afternoon with dozens of Broadway tunes. Why don't the shows from post-1970 hold a candle to the ones before that, huh? Seriously, RENT? (And I'd make a snide comment about Cats, which is my least favorite of all time, but some of my kids would make a snide comment about my taste. Happily, the concert bypassed Cats.)
I'm hungry for fish. Just thought you should know.
The Westboro decision this week by SCOTUS was one of those where you don't want to see either side win. Given the importance of freedom of speech I come down on the same side as the eight in the majority, but I so understand the the minority opinion. May God protect the families of fallen servicemen from the likes of the pseudo-Christians who would torment them. And may God bless the selfless veterans/bikers/other heroes who act as shields at the funerals.
This trip: one body scan, one patdown that bordered on sexual assault. Guess which one I would do again?
Still listening to Half the Sky, and still reading Azar Nafisi's excellent Reading Lolita in Tehran: A Memoir in Books. Both books are horrifying, important works on the plight of the world's women. We have no idea how blessed we are.
And now, off to enjoy my Pei Wei Thai Curry and watch the season of premier of Army Wives. Enjoy your week!
Labels: Books, Church, Music, Sanctity of Life, Sundays, Vacations
Sunday, February 06, 2011
Sunday snippets...
It was a strange weekend. San Antonio got hit with a freak 3/4" snowfall on Thursday, which would have been very welcome under normal circumstances (well, there's nothing normal about snow here)...but the precipitation and the icy air ruined all Nathan's BMT graduation activities AND made it impossible for all the north Texas and Oklahoma family to get here to see him before he leaves for Mississippi tomorrow morning. Nevertheless, we partied as hard as we could with the San Antonio crowd and we LOVED having Nathan at the house for two days. What we failed to do was to get many good pictures, but we'll make sure we remedy that on the next visit.
Too bad he couldn't have hung around for the Super Bowl...we've had a good time watching the game and playing Super Bowl Bingo with all the commercials! (The game ended well.)
The Papa missed most of the game as well, since he's once again in the Islands and made it to his hotel room just in time to catch the 4th quarter.
Yep, that's a snowball in my freezer. Who put that there?
Happy to see that Planned Parenthood is again getting some of the press they deserve. Shocked, they say. "We were profoundly shocked when we viewed the videotape released this morning, which depicted an employee of one of our health centers behaving in a repugnant manner that is inconsistent with our standards of care and is completely unacceptable." Uh...right. The whole organization is built on repugnance.
Is it just me, or has Hillary been looking REALLY tired lately? I don't think she could wake UP to a 3am phone call, do you?
Can you OD on corn dogs? Okay, just wondering.
And wouldn't this be wonderful. (But if you think your LAST flu shot made you sick...)
Did I mention that this week I ate the World's Best Fried Chicken Livers? Yeah, well I knew you'd want to know, even if you're glad that I ate them and you didn't have to. My brother definitely got whatever cooking genes were to be had in our end of the pool.
And this month...another one of our kids starts driver training. How many more times do we have to get to do this? It's not having young drivers that I mind...it's the stupid state laws that change every three weeks so you can never be sure of what they're going to ask for this time.
Ummm...is there a mute button on Ron Reagan? Just checking.
Tomorrow: Sourdough Banana Bread. Definitely gotta use these bananas.
If you're reading One Thousand Gifts, you'll understand: this week I want to make progress in living eucharisteo.
Have a great week, y'all!
Labels: Family, Food, Kids, Political Observation, Sanctity of Life, Science, Sundays, Theater of the Absurd, Weather
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Sunday snippets, Oklahoma edition...
Oklahoma is OK!
CJ and Tony have such a darling house and are fixing it up so cute. I have no married sons yet, but one of the greatest joys of my life has been to be in the homes of my married daughters and watch them building lives with their husbands. Nothing like it.
Boehner has obviously been a busy man this week. No time for the tanning bed. But I did love his answer to Chris Wallace about smoking.
It's sad watching Egypt go down in flames. But I've wondered many times in the past few years what in the world was holding it together.
Bravo to the cast of "The King's Speech" for taking the equivalent of Best Picture at the Screen Actor's Guild Awards tonight.
I love my son-in-law. On the way home from church we stopped at Lowe's and he bought a fireplace screen and tools so he could build fires during the coming ice storm. We pulled up in front of the house and saw that while we were gone a tree had fallen down in the yard. So Tony turned around, drove back to Lowe's and bought a chain saw! Two hours later we had a gorgeous, roaring fire!
Tomorrow I head home, trying to
If you hear a rumor that I have succumbed to Words With Friends, it's false. Completely, totally, utterly, almost false. Nope. I don't have time for that.
However. I won't be driving fast enough to miss something else: tomorrow night my brother is making me fried chicken livers and cream gravy! That man knows how to please his sister!
On the drive home I'll be finishing up Some Sing, Some Cry and starting a couple more audio books. These companions make the long drives very pleasant!
But though I've enjoyed the audio books, I can't wait to get back into my hard copy of One Thousand Gifts by Ann Voskamp. I can't tell you the treasure this book is. I'm sorry to see that the price has gone up at Amazon, but get it anyway.
From my Scripture memory work this week, a verse which has been precious to me for most of my adult life:
"...as it is my eager expectation and hope that I will not all be ashamed, but that with full courage now as always Christ will be honored in my body, whether by life or by death." (Phil. 1:20)
It's going to be a wild week at Granny's House, what with Nathan spending most of the weekend at home and lots of company coming in during the week for the festivities (not to mention the spectacular Green Bay win I'm expecting on Sunday!). I should have lots to report on the next edition of the Snippets! In the meantime, stay warm and off the roads and check back in during the week...