Rats! But All is Going to Be Ok.

My computer has hit a serious snag, and it is at the College IT room undergoing treatment. I have serious doubts as to its ability to recover. I am able to post using Hubby's computer. The WONDERFUL gentlemen at IT will have one for me to use today. They told me they could simply switch the hard drive from my computer to another laptop. I am very grateful on so many levels:  they are so very kind--all the time. We would be lost without them at the College. Moreover, since it is a school computer, I am not faced with the expense of repair or replacement. I have an online class this summer so having the computer accessible is crucial, and the IT guys are allowing me to use one of their department laptops until mine is either repaired or permanently replaced!  How is that for going the extra mile? No matter how much computers do for us, they will never be substitutes for human kindness! 

Thank You, Lord, for putting such blessings right in the middle of our lives!

The Gang's All Here!

They're all here!  Horace, Homer, Lucan, Virgil, Dante . . . and Dr. Frederick Wheelock . . .
they're all here with the Justus boys and mom!  We are so excited (at least mom is).  Today we began our LT 201 course for summer school. This course was designed and approved a couple of years ago, and I have had the blessing of having taught it once already.  This summer, I am teaching it for the boys.  No one else has registered for it, so we can do it right here at home. I can't believe this is actually happening. We had so much fun today.  I found two translation books which accompany the Wheelock's Latin:  we are moving through them as a method of review.  Once we finish with these first chapters, we will resume our trek through Wheelock's where they each left off in LT 102.

I think the wonderful Dr. Wheelock would be pleased that his marvelous text has inspired not only Classical scholarship, but also a means of strengthening a love of learning and family! What a day!

A Few Heartfelt Thoughts for a Friday Night

Well, that I am out of school is evident by the number of posts I have made the last few days, and here is one more I just have to share an experience we had tonight. We took the kids to a pizza buffet (where everyone can eat pizza until they're completely stuffed and at a good price). There were not many people there yet, and we could hear the TV show playing on the restaurant's television.  The show was "Modern Family." I knew of its existence and that it was not something I would want to see given the content themes. There are no words I can use which will adequately describe how sickening and appalling the show's content were.  The language was foul, and the relationships depicted were not "family" oriented--they were blasphemous and ungodly.  My husband said, "when you laugh, you have given your approval." There is definitely truth in his words.  Too many laugh at this program and others like it. I was told that "Big Bang Theory" was as bad or worse.

I have chosen a picture of the Cleaver family to include in this post.  The Cleavers have been maligned (particularly June) as being unrealistic and goody-goody. We may not all vacuum our homes wearing pearls and a beautifully-ironed dress, but the parents were figures to be respected. There was genuine love between the characters, and lots of good laughs at no one's expense, except perhaps the hapless Beaver.  What's wrong with the notion of Father, Mother and children living together in the same home?

Has our culture really moved so far away from the Biblical model of the family?  If so, it is so because we have moved so far away from the Bible itself and its holy Author.

God, give us Christian homes!

Homes where the Bible is loved and taught.

Homes where the Master's will is sought,

Homes crowned with beauty Thy love hath wrought.

God give us Christian homes. 

Mrs. Betty Greene

I am just amazed!  This photograph is a picture of two of my high school's language teachers, Mrs. Betty Villanueva and Mrs. Betty Greene.  Mrs. Greene  (on the right) was mentioned in a post below. She was such a patient soul, and I would love for her to know how much she taught me!  Latin gave me great joy all the way through college and graduate school. Now, I have been able to teach it, not only to my homeschooled sweethearts, but also to the kids at Truett. This looks like the very corridor of my classroom!  A few years back, I found a copy of our textbook in a used book store. I ought to find a way to use it in some of  our coursework.

Anne of Avonlea

My daughter reads in "fits and spurts."  Reading is either all she's doing or furthest from her mind. I know it has everything to do with what she is reading. I was tickled to death yesterday to see that she is working her way through the Anne books again. She had a copy of Anne of Avonlea, the second in LM Montgomery's lovely Anne series. I like to read this one just before school starts each semester as the story tells us of  Anne's apprehension about beginning the school year as a teacher rather than a student. I hope Virginia will read the entire series this time. 

". . . . I don't believe a teacher should be cross. Oh, it seems to me such a responsibility."

A Nice Cookout

The semester at school is winding down, and we actually had time to catch our collective breath yesterday afternoon. We all loaded up and went to a local State park to have a cookout. The weather is warm, but neither the temperature nor the humidity were oppressive. Hubby did his usual fabulous job grilling the burgers and (turkey) franks. He heated a can of baked beans on the grill, too. It all tasted so good.  4/5 of us have had a bug that has hung on with annoying tenacity. A couple of us would get better then come back down with it all again. However, sneezing, coughing, finals and grading were all forgotten as we enjoyed our burgers and beans and the joy of each other's company. 

Spirograph

This has to have been one of my favorite "toys" ever. My parents weren't ones to get the latest toy just because I asked for it, but they did indulge me here by buying me a Spirograph set. It really was one of the most exciting things I remember receiving. The tricky part was getting the pins positioned in the paper and cardboard--the Spirograph today I'm sure doesn't have the pins. The company came out very quickly with a younger edition called "Spirotot."  Again, Moma and Daddy bought that one for me. It was much better suited for my age (probably 5 or 6). 

I still love coloring and drawing although the best I can do is to stay in the lines.

What were some of your favorite toys?

The Secret to Success in Dieting

The past couple of weeks, I have been trying to get some weight off. It is a battle I have fought unsuccessfully all my life. (note that the first three letters in DIET spell "DIE")  I have had a little encouragement but I hit a stopping point despite being disciplined with what I ate (no snacks, no seconds) and walking about 30 minutes every evening. I couldn't get past that point . . .  until . . .

To celebrate a promotion I have wanted for 22 years, we went to Longhorn's last night.  I had a SIGNIFICANT portion of this dessert. Guess what?  This morning, I dropped past that plateau phase!  

What might we take from this? Chocolate, ice cream and loaded baked potatoes are good for weight loss!

Ginger, The History Cat

As I sat at the table working through the Morison book, Ginger came and decided to take a little rest on my notes and index cards.  I never knew she had an interest in US Naval History.  I tried to move her, but that didn't work. I finally just gave up. She wouldn't get up until I did. Oh well, I have needed a research assistant a long time. Anchors Aweigh, Ginger!

And by the way, here is a question we won't be able to answer until we are in heaven, but why is it that cats want to lay on whatever you are doing, reading or writing?

I Still Laugh Out Loud . . .

In my 10th grade year, I was placed in Latin, but had wanted to take Spanish III.  Little did I know how Providential that scheduling  conflict would be.  Latin turned out to be life-changing in the long run and full of laughs in the short.  One of the Seniors in the class was Alice Ann Gregory. She was the funniest individual I have ever known.  Our teacher was the kind and long-suffering Betty Greene. I hope that when we meet in heaven I can tell her how much I loved her class and what it meant to me through the years. Mrs. Greene's good nature was never more evident than in her dealings with Alice Ann. I think Alice Ann chewed bubble gum every day of her life. Several times each week, throughout the year, Mrs. Greene would tell Alice Ann to spit our her gum; on each of the occasions, Alice Ann would respond by telling us all, "It's ASPERGUM, Ms. Greene."  Once in a while, Mrs. Greene would have enough and tell Alice Ann that she would in the future need a doctor's note for her to be able to chew the gum in class. Of course, no Doctor's note was ever forthcoming, but Alice Ann continued with her Rx gum!   I still laugh out loud at that (and am laughing as I type this). Oh dear . . . .

Hope your day is filled with pleasant thoughts . . . .

Off to Sea . . . .

This summer, I hope to spend quite a bit of time with Samuel Eliot Morison (1887-1976), one of our finest American historians. He was a true patriot who chronicled our past without the politically correct agenda that so often plagues the profession today. Although Morison wrote about a wide variety of historical topics surrounding the exploration and founding of America, he seemed to be most at home at sea-- his biographies of great men of the sea like Columbus and John Paul Jones won Morison Pulitzer Prizes and no doubt inspired more than one generation of young scholars.




In 1942, President Franklin Roosevelt (who fancied himself, along with Churchill, an old sea dog) commissioned Morison to write a multi-volume history of American Naval Operations in the War. Obviously, much of Morison's subject matter was at that time yet to be played out. Morison completed the magnificent 15-volume work in
 1962.

Our course on The Era of the World Wars cycles back around in the Fall. This is one of my favorite classes to teach, and I am so grateful that I am able to do so. I want to spend the summer reading as much of this series as I can. As a slow reader, I don't anticipate getting through all of the volumes, but I am going to give it a good shot. Young historians today don't understand the role of sea power in our founding and colonization and in the subsequent wars to maintain our independence. Hopefully, we can visit this great theme together through our look at the World Wars.

The Dana Girls

 I have decided to start a new collection (just what I need), and I think The Dana Girls may be just the ticket. They share the same "author" as the Nancy Drew series, "Carolyn Keene."  The Dana Girls series were published in two different series, the first from 1934-1968 and then from 1972-1979. The stories involve two orphaned sisters, Jean and Louise Dana.  They reside at the Starhurst School for girls.  The first in the series is By the Light of the Study Lamp.

My understanding is that this series was not quite as popular as the Nancy Drew books. There aren't as many of the editions out there in used book land as there are the Nancy and Hardy Boys series, but I think I have a good shot at collection them if I am careful and smart about how much I pay. I know that I will find the best buys (and the best seller) at Jennifer's "Vintage Series Books for Girls . . . and a Few Boys."   www.series-books.com   

I have a handful now in addition to the first installment:
The Secret at Lone Tree Cottage (1934)
In the Shadow of the Tower (1934)
The Mystery of the Locked Room (1938)
The Sierra Gold Mystery (1961).

Tomorrow is payday, and after making sure we have water and electricity for another month, I may just visit Jennifer's shop. This will be fun!

Happy Birthday, Nancy Drew!

My understanding is that today is Nancy Drew's 84th Birthday. She has been a friend of mine for quite a few years.  Nancy, Bess, George, kindly Hannah Gruen and Carson Drew all kept me and countless other young ladies company with wonderful mysteries that always ended well. Nancy and her entourage were the creation of Edward Stratemeyer--he had previously established the Hardy Boys mystery series. Given their success, he pursued a similar series for girls. Stratemeyer employed a series of "ghost writers" to develop the stories.  The first of these to write under the pseudonym Carolyn Keene was Mildred Wirt. 

 Within the original series, Nancy's look has changed quite a bit. I am no expert on Nancy, but I read that in 1959, the stories underwent revisions to make Nancy a little more modern. She became a bit more feminine and a little less assertive, but by no means did she change into a helpless wallflower. Another key feature of the revisions was the removal of "racial stereotypes." A few years ago, the original Nancy Drew stories were released, and they did seem a bit awkward to this reader. I grew up with the Nancy you see on the covers above.

Sweet Thoughts

Our daughter has displayed remarkable self-discipline in losing a few pounds to fit into her Spring Formal dress. She was and is absolutely lovely. (I will post some pictures ASAP)  Now, she is enjoying indulging in some sweet treats she has passed up the last few weeks. She has especially missed the sweet tea we have at supper every night. I will have a big glass for her at the table tonight.

Here is the Answer to Laundry Fatigue

Hmm . . . Classic television comes through for me once again.  As many of you know, laundry never gets caught up!  If we wash everything we own, before it is all put away, another 15  new loads are ready for the washer!  If I could put hubby, pets and children in the Lost In Space freezing tubes, I could get caught up once and for all. When the last pair of socks is matched and put in the drawer, then I could defrost the family.  I bet June Robinson figured this one out, too. 

Here We GO!

At last, I have all the Lion's Brand Heartland colors. Each color commemorates a National Park. I have been gathering these colors for some time. Every time I thought I had them all, I would discover there was still a missing member of the color family. This collection includes some new colors. Virginia is starting the foundation row for me--we are doubling the pattern length as it is written in the Vanna White pattern book. It should be wide and long enough to make a nice coverlet for DS 1's bed. His birthday is in later May, but I don't think I will get it done--maybe for Christmas.

Floss Storage

Years ago, I used this little bag system to keep the floss organized. I went back to it for this project, and I can tell a difference already. This provides an easy way of keeping your stray strands. I like the little floss holder boxes, too, but they are sometimes difficult to keep in order. How do you organize your crafting materials?

WIP

I am not moving very fast, but I am moving along steadily.  The colors are just wonderful, and I are easy for me to work with. 

He is Not There!

A Wonderful Day at Home and a Family Favorite

The next few weeks promise to be the busiest of the year. There are so many things going on and coming up--activities and responsibilities will be popping up like popcorn. I asked hubby if we couldn't stay at home this weekend as much as possible--getting ready for  Easter morning and the rest of the week.  We agreed we would be ready to sit down at supper at 6:00 and watch our favorite movie, The Ten Commandments. We watched it on the DVD player, but I think it was on television as well. We had our traditional Saturday favorites--hamburgers, hotdogs, (frozen) french fries and baked beans.(Our version of this meal really isn't as unhealthy as it seems) We watched the movie in its entirety. I loved seeing the boys sitting on the edge of their seats at the dramatic scenes. I was able to sit and cross stitch through the movie, but I had to put it all down at certain points, too.

There are many stressful situations swirling around our family at this time--we needed the respite from the difficulties of the past week and those facing us next week. The Lord has not only been with us this past week, but has reminded us repeatedly that we are in His care. Our oldest son stated last Sunday that Holy week is a time of great Spiritual battles.  For him to make such a statement was unusual, and he said it to the Church during our morning service. He was certainly correct, and he himself faced a very difficult scenario during the course of the week.. I am proud of how he handled it, but there promises to be more fallout to come. None of these situations are traumatic, but they are perplexing.  We have all found ourselves to be angry and frustrated through the week, and have unfortunately, taken it out on each other here and there with fussing and snapping at one another. These are not complaints, and I can see that what our son said is correct--they are symptoms of Spiritual warfare. As I was getting our lunch in the crockpot just a few minutes ago, I could not help but think of the blessings that have come to us this week. How many things have I taken for granted that have gone our way this week?

The Lord is with us, and He is with you. He loves us all and has His eyes upon us.  He died for our sins, but didn't stop there--the Father sent the Comforter, the Holy Spirit, to live inside our hearts and to guide us through  the maze of life.  Jesus promised an abundant life --not one free of difficulties or tears this side of heaven--but one full of His love, compassion and wisdom. Whatever you are facing this week, remember that you are not alone--He is with you and is concerned about you, and has the power to overcome the most difficult of situations you may be facing.

A Laugh for Today

This is just so funny.  I couldn't help but post it  this morning. 

Hope you're having a great day.

This Little Light of Mine [Live]

A Great Night At Home Together

Our oldest is house sitting this week, and we are deprived of his company quite a bit.  He is coming home for supper in the evenings. I celebrated with a fancy meal tonight--I will post the recipe later--complete with baked Italian chicken dish, a fabulous tossed salad, garlic bread and yellow rice (no respectable Floridian forgets the yellow rice). The tea glasses and blue bowls belonged to my Mom. She had those glasses for so many years. There just so happened to be 5 of them!  One of the greatest gifts our Lord gives us is love for one another --cherished around the table!

UPDATE:  Our friends who needed JT to house sit called to tell us they had a student who needed a place to stay.  This student could take over dog- and house sitting duties. I am so happy to have my boy back with us for this upcoming week off. I think he is a little disappointed, but we made it up to him with apple pie (Mrs. Smith made it for us) and two episodes of Gilligan's Island. I told them (the kids) that since everyone is home safe and sound, we would have oatmeal for supper tomorrow night. Haha.

Coloring Fun . . . .

There are few things I enjoy more than coloring, and there is nothing better than being with the family. God is so good to have given us patient teenagers who still like to color with Mom!  Haha!  Our oldest will be house sitting for some friends all next week while we are on the Easter break.  I asked him if we could have a "coloring party" tonight.  We all had so much fun. He wanted to listen to Adventures in Odyssey so I went on the Odyssey web site. They have a special promotion on the club membership--1 month for $5.  This membership allows access to all of the episodes.  We have been listening for almost 20 years, but they all got excited (even Dad) about this opportunity. We signed up and listened to two episodes. I am sure everyone will be listening to more as we go to bed.  What a great night!  Thank You, Lord.

BBN Bible Institute

 Just wanted to provide a little information about a program I have participated in for some time that is provided by BBN Radio.  They have compiled a tremendous amount of sermons and Bible lessons and organized them into courses for study.  All you need  (in addition to your computer) is your Bible, perhaps a notebook on which to take notes and pens, pencils and maybe a hi-lighter.  With each lesson is online test that you may take as you are listening or afterwards. This is a great way to supplement your understanding of Scripture and Doctrine. 

For more information, just log on to 

www.bbnradio.org

Getting Ready . . .

Our daughter will be attending her first formal dance this month, and we had to find a dress for the occasion. We set aside yesterday to go to "the big city" to look around for something she would like within the budget. She found a dress at a consignment shop for formal wear. The shop itself was very interesting and the staff were extremely helpful and pleasant. DD picked out a dress and tried it on, and then we went across the street to look at a department store to compare costs and style. She came away feeling even better about the dress she had selected.

Everyone else in the family had a great time "doing their thing" as well.  Our oldest spent the weekend with his friends on campus. They play chess and computer games and eat massive quantities of chicken nuggets.
Our youngest son went with us to the Big City to participate in a Board Game event at a game shop. He had the added blessing of hot dogs and Dr. Pepper for the participants there at the store. Dad was able to find a seat in the Food Court at the mall and read.  He is happiest when he has his books and notes all spread out in his own little corner of the world. So, we all had a great day and accomplished some tasks on our lists.

We all arrived home about the same time, and that was the best moment of the day! I think the rest of the week is going to be pretty hectic, particularly with school work--tests, grading, etc.  Our little excursion was a nice little get-away.  Today, we will be with our Church family together--hope you will, too!

That;s us, for sure. We loved getting to go, but loved coming home even more!

Just Trying to Get Through the Week

Ginger has a difficult daily schedule.  She spends some time outside watching things in the neighborhood; she spends time each day foraging for food in her bowl in the kitchen.  She even has to squeeze in time for personal grooming. The result is complete exhaustion as you can see from the photo above.  I am sure that she gets no more than 22 hours of sleep a day!

This cat enjoys her sleep more than any I have ever seen. She is so photogenic, particularly when she is sleeping. She is particularly attached to our oldest son. She likes to go in his room when I call him in the morning. He is not particularly a morning person, but he will wake up enough to call her--she bounds up on his bed and they have a love fest. You can hear her purring all over the house.

Typically, Ginger likes to find a very quiet place to sleep. In this picture, she went to Virginia's room. There were no barking dogs or playful felines to disturb her beauty sleep. She always makes me feel more relaxed just looking at her. Sleep tight, Ginger!

Such Wonderful News!

As you can see, BBN Radio  www.bbnradio.org  will be adding to their programming the wonderful Elisabeth Elliot. BBN featured Gateway to Joy for many years until Elisabeth retired from broadcasting. Many of us have been hoping and praying that the old programs would be turned over to BBN for replay.

At long last, they have returned to us. I can't tell you how much you will enjoy listening to her.

Years ago, when Virginia was on the way, I had accepted a very challenging teaching assignment. I had morning sickness EVERY DAY and taught for the Community College in three locations. In fact, I administered a final exam the night before she was born and graded papers holding her in the hospital. I could not have come through that so well had it not been for the Lord.  He spoke to me every day through this tremendous program.  I would listen to Elisabeth as I drove between two of the teaching sites. I cried almost every day as her gentle teaching touched my heart.  As I type this, those tears are welling up again--not unhappy, just joyful memories of how the Lord sustained me.  In every broadcast Elisabeth said,

"You are loved with an Everlasting Love, 

and underneath are the Everlasting Arms . . ."

Please tune in to hear here beginning on April 14.  If you don't have a local BBN station, you can access the station on the internet. Wishing each of you a wonderful day . . . . . .

Now for a New WIP from an Old Friend

This pattern is from the online source, www.Patternsonline.com  I found the company when we first moved to our current state home almost eleven years ago. They have a very unique approach to patterns. You can order them either in a paper copy and have them mailed, or you can download them and print them instantly. I bought this pattern from them when we first arrived and had kept it in a notebook stuck away somewhere.  With the help of  Mary Ethel the Floor Lamp and my new glasses, I am happily cross stitching with confidence again.  This will be a picture of a mailbox in front of a picket fence, surrounded by all manner of blue and violet morning glories. The pattern is called "Mailbox and Morning Glories." I can't tell you how happy I am to be working on this. I love the colors. There is a "sister pattern" with crepe myrtle blossoms in front of the same  picket fence, and it is about the same size.  They are by the same designer, Ursula Michael. I wish I had done this on 11-Count, but the 14 isn't too hard with my visual assistants.

Oh no, it's me!  We are back from Church (I love Sunday night services), and I asked our daughter to take my picture before I put on my housecoat and slippers!  Haha! You can see my new glasses and Mary Ethel. She is such a blessing as are the glasses. I have worn glasses since 3rd grade, and because of an assortment of issues, finding the right Rx has been a challenge over the years. These are THE BEST I have had in sooooo long!  They told me at Lens Crafters that the next time I have an eye exam with them, it will all be done with a laser scan that will read my prescription needs. No more, "which is clearer, 1 or 2? 3 or 4?"  

The box you see on your right, my left, is a vintange yarn box I found at a local thrift store. I just love it. It has to date back to the 60's. I need to take a picture where you can see the pattern a bit better. 

I hope your Sunday has been a blessed and restful one.

God bless you and sleep tight!

What a Blessing!

An area in our house that stays cluttered is the piano and the surrounding surfaces upon which mountains of music and hymnbooks are place.  There is no order, and anytime one of the kids looks for something in particular, it is lost in the confusion and endless stacks. Well, yesterday I took the bull by the horns and put everything on the table and asked DD to help me sort out what was used and what could be put away or thrown away.  We have had the three crates you see in the picture below, but they were worthless in that stuff was just crammed in them. Once upon a time, each child had his/her own crate for his/her own music, but that didn't last. Now, each crate contains a different set of materials and each of the kids know what is where. In the picture above, you see our hymnbooks arranged for easy access. The little shelf they are in is quite sturdy and everything is right there at their fingertips. I am a happy mom. 

The Merry-Go-Round of this Week

This week has been a whirl-wind of a week, with lots of emotional ups and downs. This post is not meant to be a post of complaining--just a little of "phew, glad that's done."  We have had "Capstone" presentations at the College:  the graduating History majors have to discuss  their research (30 pages minimum) papers to a panel composed of three faculty members. Hubby, Dr. G and myself have heard 8 of these papers presented this week. All of this took a big chunk out of the week.  I feel that I am so behind in my school work otherwise; dear daughter has been on her own too much, and I am lost with regards to where she is in her school work. The van had a minor crisis, but even a minor crisis sets us back tremendously financially. The house is a MESS!  LAUNDRY is taking over. A dear friend of the family has faced a tremendous health crisis but  the Lord has intervened, praise HIS HOLY NAME! One of my cubs is out of the house this weekend, and I am missing him.

On the positive side:  as I said, the Lord has made a terrible health scare for our friend much easier to handle, and the prognosis looks much better than feared. The capstones were completed with a minimum of weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth (but there was some); the car repair bill was less than $50 and it seems to be running ok. Last night was a great night at home--DS2 and DD watched a movie they had been wanting to see, complete with many snacks.  I cross stitched and watched Murder, She Wrote in our room while Michael read and snoozed.  The day today is rainy and cool, perfect for staying indoors and reading and NOT spending any money!  I have a fridge full of hot dogs for supper, and we should all be back together tonight  to watch a western or Emergency!.

I am hoping to take some pictures of the current WIP--I did finish the pink and white Vanna's Choice afghan, and it is at the foot of our bed.  I crochet most of the time on the way to Church (about a 30 minute drive each way), but my cross stitching is better done here at home with Mary Ethel. My new glasses have made EVERYTHING better--I think I am seeing better than I have in YEARS! They have made school work so much easier.

How has your week been?

Thoughts

I hope you all were able to hear the short message by Ken Ham in the post below. He said what I have thought for a long time:  if you question the 6-day Creation, how can you argue the Truth of the 3rd day Resurrection?  When I saw this clip, I wanted to add it to the blog. Unfortunately, because it is from you tube, other "related" videos come up. You may be able even to see comments. I apologize for the content there.

Can Christians Reject Six Literal Days?

Under a Rock

 Yesterday was a good Saturday in that we were able to stay put (for the most part) at the house. I got a minimum of housework done (I really mean, 

minimum) and some laundry. We had petros for supper, which everyone always likes. Michael and I watched a great John Wayne western called Rio Bravo. As you can see from the pictures, Dean Martin, Ricky Nelson and Walter Brennan were also in the movie. It is a long-ish movie, so the Pastor snoozed a little; I snoozed a little, too and crocheted a lot.  We really needed a quiet day at the house. It has not been a great week--lots of things and issues pulling at our hearts.  I told Michael today I just wanted to crawl under a rock. Do you ever feel that way?

Gratitude dramatically outweighs complaint, though. 

It's good to have all the kids at home, and these days, I am more than ever grateful to have a home. I think the economy is far worse than anyone in the media will admit. Staples like milk, bread and hamburger (not to mention peanut butter) have sky-rocketed where we live. Gas is creeping back up. Why is this not in the news?  I am old enough to remember the old "Whip Inflation Now" buttons. 

Well, as long as I have enough money to keep my yarn addiction fed, I really have no worries! 

The Busy World of Richard Scarry

This morning is my nursery morning at Church, and I am thrilled to be taking some of our Richard Scarry books and coloring sheets for "The Littles."  Our teenagers, especially the boys, love Richard Scarry even to this day.

We had all of these books, and I remember seeing them when I was growing up. All of the little details and elements of everyday life seem to captivate little minds through the generations. 

He Speaks and the Sound of His Voice Is So Sweet . . . .

 . . .the birds hush their singing.

Wishing you a wonderful Lord's Day. What will you do this day to worship Him? 

Special thanks to Abby at 

www.littlebirdieblessings.blogspot.com

for this beautiful graphic. 

WOW!

I read a post on the Lion Brand Yarn site about creating a "sacred space" for your crafting. This is a picture of one of the Lion Brand studio rooms, but I had to show share it so you could see the lovely yarn colors.
One of my first memories of visiting a yarn store was in my home town with my 4-H group.  The store had a wall full of beautiful yarns (mostly Red Heart, I think) and an open area in front of the yarn wall to sit and crochet or knit.  Virginia and I went to a store in Atlanta a while back that had a similar set up, but the yarn was much more exclusive (and expensive). All of it certainly made a colorful and beautiful setting.

Our crafting area is primarily wherever we are at the moment. We both carry a bag full of yarn or a sewing basket with us when go somewhere. I know that Twyla and Lindsey at Two Crazy Crafters have a beautiful craft room.

Where do you do your crafting or reading?  Better still, what is your way to escape the pressures and stresses of the day? The Lord is our True Resting Place, isn't He?

Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 

Matthew 11:28

May each of you find rest in Him today. 

Returning to a Old Favorite

When we first began homeschooling years ago, we started off largely with Rod and Staff books. I can't say enough about these kind and thorough books. We went with A Beka for a while, and I think it served the boys well and got Virginia off to a good start.  In fact, we may return to them next year for some help with Literature and math. The past couple of years, we have used older textbooks from the public schools, circa 1967/70 for Virginia. I can't tell you how good they are.  But, it's time to move on, and I think we will pick back up with Rod and Staff's English course, at least for a while. We just need something with a gentle spirit and sound method.

I am also going to pull out the old Pathway Readers we have. They are tried and true. 

It's been a good week, but a busy one. I managed to get quite a lot done at school, but very little around the house. I am about to take my crochet bag and do a little of that before turning in. Hope your week has gone well.