Losing Teeth and Personality Analysis

I was talking with our dentist this morning, and we got on the subject of losing baby teeth. It's interesting how this experience can give us some insight into each child's personality.

It's been many years since my two oldest first lost teeth, and I remember it being fairly uneventful. So uneventful in fact that both girls accidentally swallowed more than one tooth without realizing it. This is how these girls are. They are laid back and mellow; content to let life go by without a lot of fanfare. Of course, they are now teenagers and they are girls, so life has a certain amount of drama and trauma; but generally, they are laid back and life's little nuisances, like a tooth coming out, frequently go unnoticed.

Now, child number 3 is vastly different. His first loose tooth went untouched, literally hanging out of his mouth and across his lip by a tiny thread of flesh. It bounced up and down when he talked, hanging there and distracting his parents from any kind of conversation.

"Just wiggle it a little with your tongue," we would prod. "It will come right out."

He refused to touch it and we struggled to restrain ourselves from reaching in and pulling it out for him. Today, he is still a sort of neat freak and he is traumatized by change. The tooth coming out was a sign of change. One he would endure, but he would not encourage. He still abhors change, and he endures it, but never encourages it.

Our five year old just lost his first tooth. It took about one day. He announced that his tooth was "wiggly". We checked and conceded that yes, indeed it was wiggly. He pushed a bit more with his tongue and then cried, "GET IT OUT!"

We tried to wiggle it a little for him, but really it wasn't quite ready. As he insisted, I jokingly said, "Do you want me to just yank it out? That would hurt."

"GET IT OUT!" he persisted. His father came home that afternoon and assisted him in the removal of the wiggly tooth. He is much happier with his frontal gap than he was with the wiggler. This child is fine with change and adapts quickly, but does not tolerate any kind of unpleasantness. He has little patience and will accept anything that is reasonably proposed, even eating green vegetables and letting his dad yank out a tooth, so long as we can do it fast.

I wish now that I had paid more attention to the children's reaction to their first loose tooth because it is such a telling event. What does your child's response to these little adversaries tell you about his personality?

You have all the skills you need to teach your child

So, I was enjoying my coffee and reading an online conversation when this question was asked of a young mom I know who is raising her first baby, still a toddler, and considering homeschooling.

"Do you really think that you can provide for all of your child's educational needs?"

There was an internal instinct to jump right in to this conversation and defend her and my own ability to homeschool our children. I didn't though, because I knew my words would be emotionally loaded. But, the more I have thought about this question, the more I feel it deserves an answer. Not for the person asking, he already has his opinion, but answered for this young mom, and for all homeschooling moms.

The answer is YES! I can provide for all of my child's educational needs. And, you can provide for yours. I promise you can.

My initial response is that I can because I'm the only one who really knows them, and then I looked around at the children in my house and my mind reeled as I thought of all their different personality quirks and the vastly different passions in life. There is no one else in their life who could know them as well as I do.

A school teacher meets my child and knows them for nine months. The first nine months of my relationship with my child was spent with him in my womb. Our relationship is far more intimate than theirs can ever be. After nine months, their relationship ends; ours has only just begun.

As my child grows, I see what makes his eyes shine, what makes him smile and what makes him sad. By the time he is of the age where he would go to school, I already know the nuances of every facial expression; like when he really likes something and when he is just being polite. I already know the things that make him laugh and cry, what he will spend hours devoted to and what bores him silly.

I don't need a college class to tell me how to recognize a child's learning style, I've been watching it develop for years.

God gave me the privilege and responsibility of training them. God has given me all of the skills that I need to teach my child. He has also given me a keen ability to see my own shortfalls and weaknesses. That's why I buy curriculum, hire tutors and pay for classes in the areas that I need help.

Homeschooling moms are inherently insecure. We know every moment that our children's future is dependent on our ability to recognize and meet their needs. We aren't just parents who can blame the schools and we aren't just teachers who can send kids home at the end of the day and blame the parents.

We are it! We are the only ones to blame. And, we do hold ourselves accountable. Every time our child misspells a word, or struggles with fractions and percentages, we wonder what we did wrong. We ask ourselves if we are capable, if we are competent. Every time our child speeds past our own knowledge in an area and dives into a subject we know nothing about. We wonder how we'll find the right resources and if we'll ever keep up.

It is reasonable and beneficial to use experts. In just the past few months, we have sought out horse trainers, dairy farmers, art teachers, librarians, vocal instructors, theater majors, tree farmers, sharpshooters and wood carvers to help us meet the educational needs of our children. I would not expect one eighth grade teacher to be an expert in all of these areas, and I don't expect that I will ever be either.

If all does not go perfectly, we blame ourselves. We second guess ourselves and we wonder if we can or should do this. We don't need others to ask the question that we are already struggling to answer every day. The honest answer is No, I can not provide for all of my children's educational needs alone, but YES! I can with the help of God and all the smart, talented people we know. You can too.

Purging to make room for new life

It's that time of year again... when I start to think about moving. It's November, and we won't move until July, but I wonder how many other wives have allowed the glimmer of thought on this matter to permeate their mind.

You see, we are on vicarage, but I don't feel like we've really left the Seminary. I drove down for the wives retreat last month, I still chat with the same friends on Facebook, and I still get notifications from the SWA page and I still get all the issues of the student newsletter. I'm still taking classes at IPFW, albeit online only... but, so many things are still the same.

If you are a first year wife, unless you happened to rent from a family on vicarage and have to move at the end of this year, you are probably not thinking about moving just yet. In fact, you are probably just starting to feel settled in. For me, it's just about the time that settled in feeling comes along, that the thoughts of moving start to enter my mind.

I look around the house and it's ALL unpacked. Everything we own, out there for me to see. It makes me start to think about all the work of packing and moving it. Then, I think, it's such a big job... I better get started right away. I also start to dread Christmas, and the five birthdays that will happen in our house between now and the move. I just don't know how we could possibly find room for any more stuff.

Then, I think about how we have to do it all again, the year after next. I know that we could be happy with much less stuff. I clean out rooms, I sort through boxes, I organize shelves. Things get messy. But, as the weather gets colder and I spend more time indoors, the house becomes my haven and the process of organizing becomes my mission. It will never be as clean or as organized as I imagine it could be, and we will always have more stuff than we need, but as I get older and have the age and experience to look back on my life, I can see that this is a season for me.

This time of year, it happens to me whether we are preparing for a move or not. When the leaves are changing and the wind is blowing against the windows, I find I enjoy being in a home that is at least sort of organized and sort of clean - even if it only happens in one room at a time. Every year, as the leaves die and are purged from the trees, making way for the new life that will blossom there; I purge the dirt and the dust and the clothes that don't fit and the toys that have broken and the books we've all read. Every year, I purge the old to make room for the new gifts that will enter our home.

As I do this, I think about how God purges the earth with each passing season. I pray that he would purge my heart of the sin of pride that comes from thinking I can have a perfect home. I pray that he would purge my heart of the sin of anger that comes from seeing the imperfections in myself and others. I pray that He would renew my mind and my heart with fresh, beautiful life giving thoughts and words.

This year, like every year, I will clean more, I will purge more, I will read more and I will pray more. But, I will also tolerate and accept the mess more and when there is peace and order in my home, I vow to enjoy it more.

Part time Tiger Mother

It's so easy to make me feel guilty. Have you read Battle Hymn of a Tiger Mother ?
What did you think?

It made me feel lazy.

And... guilty.

When I read To Train Up a Child and The Well Trained Mind, those made me feel lazy and guilty too. Why haven't I trained my children to be perfectly obedient at all times? Because I'm lazy. Why don't my children know Latin? Because I'm lazy.

I look at my children, blessings from God, every one of them. I see their potential. I know that God has given me the privilege and responsibility of raising them and training them up to be Godly young men and women. But, I think I'm raising lazy adults.

I have a thirteen year old daughter, who can do this

But, she hates to practice. 

Well, actually, it's more a case of her hating to be criticized, which is what happens when you are practicing and trying to get better. Thanks to Gramma's help, she will have a chance to work with a professional this year. But, should I have done more? I've known for years that she could do this...

What if we had found a good vocal instructor sooner? Where would she be today? Did she miss out on something?

All of my kids are drama nuts. They write, create and perform plays all day long. They easily change character and memorize lines. They were meant to be on the stage. The other day, I took all the kids to audition for The Best Christmas Pageant Ever. When we got there, I couldn't find a place to park. There were hundreds of people in the small town where the auditions were being held. I drove around for about 15 minutes trying to find a parking spot. I thought about doing this again the next day for another round of auditions. I thought about the 20 minute drive to get there, the five day a week rehearsals that we would have to attend, the $45 per kid that was required for participation...

and then, I gave up. I drove home.

I explained my reasoning to the kids, who were disappointed, but very forgiving. But, I felt guilty. What if I had just taken away their BIG chance, or if I had just deprived them of some great friendship or learning experience? But, I just knew I couldn't deal with the stress of it all. Am I just lazy?

My boys were trying to sell $2500 worth of BSA popcorn this year. When they had each made it halfway, they decided to combine their sales, so that one of them would get to reach the goal. Very generous, I said. But, not ethical. They thought they would try anyway, but their leader agreed with me, but gave them one more week to try and reach the goal. A blessing, I said, let's go! But, no, they were so disappointed that they didn't want to try anymore. Here is where my Tiger Mother instincts kick in and I push them. But, then I feel guilty for not just being proud that they sold $1250 each. They are only 8 and 10 years old after all. But, if I push them and they reach the goal, then they will know that wonderful satisfaction of achievement and later in life they will want to strive higher, right? 

I used to push like a Tiger Mother, when I only had two children. Then, my oldest helped me to understand that she was not a mini-me, with giant ambitions just waiting for the right motivations. She has her own hopes and dreams, and they don't look like mine. 

I realized, thankfully, when she was young, that each of my children is gifted in just the way God intended them to be. Whatever He has planned for them, He has gifted them perfectly for that plan.

So, then, today and on many days like it, I need to give myself the same break. God has given me just the right gifts to be the parent of these children. And, even when it seems I've denied them something (like being in a really cool play or having professional instructors), I've given them something better - ME...

just the way God intended.

Writing for money

I've said before that if you are going to write, then you should do it for free, like for a good cause or on your own blog, OR you should get paid what you're worth. I've argued that you hurt yourself and other writers by taking jobs that pay very little, including some per word offers that end up being less than minimum wage.

On that note, I will mention that my for FREE (as in on my own blog) writing has been vastly lacking lately as I have pursued some $$$ jobs. Having just finished one such assignment that seemed to swallow me whole for two weeks, I venture back into the world in a daze. But, just long enough to take a breath and jump right back into my workload.

I hope to work on some travel articles with the kids later this year. We are working on a script for a "Christmas DVD" that we will be making for grandparents this December. More FREE writing on my part, plus lots of reading to climb the learning curve involved in filming, editing and burning a DVD.

My advice to my fellow writers, once again is to write for FREE for causes you love or write for a fee that values your time and talent.

I have learned a lot from www.odesk.com a networking site for freelancers looking for work and for the companies that like to hire them.

For a fun and interesting challenge, I suggest trying out http://www.nanowrimo.org/ this November. If you have been working hard on nonfiction writing, like I have for the past few years, you'll appreciate a chance to whip out a crazy, spastic, energetic, even sleazy and cheesy novel, just for the love of it.

God, What is Mine to Do?

Last Saturday, I had the opportunity to attend the Forgotten People conference at Lifebridge Church in Fort Wayne, IN. I learned a lot, but I think the most important thing that I took home was this one quote: "God, what is mine to do?"

In the context of a speech on an entirely different topic, pastor's wife, Lynne Hybels shared this phrase. She said that when she felt overwhelmed with grief and compassion for people in need, she asked, God, what is mine to do?

I am not faced with the same challenges, but my life is filled with callings.
There are so many things that I WANT to do.
I want to spend $25 an hour and drive half way across the state so my daughter can take the horse riding lessons that she wants.
I want to drive back to Fort Wayne every time there is an invitation for my daughter to see her friends there. I want to send my musical child to Juliard.
I want to help my small town to organize a Cub Scout Pack, but I also want my boys to enjoy their time in the pack their in even if it's in another town.
I want to take my fighter half way across the state so he can train and wrestle with the best.
I want to make sure that my children brush their teeth properly so that they never have another cavity.
I want to compose every lesson so that they learn exactly what they need to know, and are never confused.
I want to say yes to every job offer because they always sound so interesting.
I want to take every class that the local college has to offer, just for fun.
I want to say yes to every ladies night, writers group, and SWA invitation.
I want to attend the Tuesday Bible study, and the Thursday Bible study and the Sunday morning Bible study, and I want to help in my children's Sunday school classes too.
I want to be there every time my child sings, her sister acts, her brother wrestles, his brother wins...
for every award, every honor, I want to be there. It's why I homeschool.

But, then I can not always have everything that I want. I can't give her the riding lessons, or him the best wrestling team. I can't get her to Juliard or be in more than one place on Sunday morning.

I can't feed the hungry or clothe the poor or save the world.

There are many things I want to do that I can't.

I could feel guilty when I have to choose who's award I'll witness, or which drives I'll make, or what charities I'll support because every time I say yes to one thing, I'm saying no to everything else that wants that hour, that day, that dollar.

I can't do all the things that I want to do.
But, I can ask God, what is mine to do? I can listen for His answer, and I can try to obey.

Before you go to the store...

I'm still cutting out coupons as I begin to write this, so I don't yet know how it will all turn out. Follow me along on today's adventure.
It's 11:30 am and we are done with math, science and history. I was up at 5:30 to keep up with my course work. Then, I began to work on one of my many Mom duties: grocery shopping.
This is not my favorite task, and I go out of my way to avoid it. In fact, my most creative meals are made when we have little to no food in the pantry and I have to improvise. It is in my nature to be lazy about the tasks that I don't enjoy, so if there is easy to make food in the house, then, that is what we eat. The really good recipes come out of necessity.

I do, however, find great pleasure in the challenge of meeting my family's needs without spending money. Our family of 8 has a grocery budget of $300 per month. It's my job to stay under it. Some of my tricks are explained in other posts, but today I am going to try out our local Sav-A-Lot. I am driving my daughter to the equestrian center this afternoon and there is a Sav-A-Lot store seven miles away from where she will be.

Remember: travel time and expense must be calculated when figuring your costs and savings.


I've not been there before because it is 28 miles from our house. So, I will be dropping her off and driving 14 miles total (7miles each way) to try out the Sav-A-Lot and see how much I can get in my budget. Now, I'm not an extreme couponer, I don't buy coupons - in fact, currently, we have a lady at church who gets her paper at 5am, reads it and then brings it to church for us, so I'm not even buying a Sunday paper at this time.

Now, my van averages 21 miles per gallon, so the 14 miles will cost me 2/3 of a gallon of gas. At $3.79 per gallon, that is about $2.53 that I am spending before I even get to the store. You could calculate wear and tear on the vehicle also, but I'm not quite that detailed... yet.

Remember: Nothing is really FREE, even when it says FREE.

I have shopped at Sav-A-Lot before, so I know that I will need to provide my own bags and boxes, so I am packing those. If I don't bring them, I end up at the checkout, tempted to buy the bags they sell for ten cents each, and I don't want to do that, so I'm putting them in the car now.

Previously, they did not accept coupons, but I checked their website today and now they do, so that is why I'm trying them out again. I want to see how their prices minus coupons compare to my other shopping options, so I will take with me: my COUPON BINDER (this link goes to Couponing 101 where she has a great video demonstration of a coupon binder) and my PRICE LIST (scroll to the end of this article for a copy of my price list) I am making sure that my coupons are organized, and that I have all of them in the binder so I don't miss anything.

I also know that I tend to spend more when I bring my children. They distract me, they ask nicely for things that I wouldn't normally buy, but don't mind them having, and generally, I just end up spending more when I'm not focused. So, I am taking one child to an activity, and asking my teenage daughter to watch my two preschoolers, and taking just one or two of the middle kids. This will help me to stay on task and spend less.


Check back later to see how it went.

FREE! Get FREE! stuff here

FREE TOWEL
That's what the ad on my table says. The word FREE is in BIG BOLD lettering. The word TOWEL slightly lighter and smaller text.
The bottom left hand corner of the ad tells me to go to www.zest.com for details. (I'm providing the link, not because I think it's a great deal, but because I'm using their ad to make a point, and it only seems fair)


So, in a really, really, really tiny font size that I can barely read it says, "*with 5 UPC's plus $5.00 shipping and handling."

That is what I call NOT FREE! Technically, the towel may be free, but the soap you have to buy to get the UPC's is NOT and $5 is not the world's cheapest towel.

I bring this up because, I often see blogs and ads about free stuff or nearly free stuff, or hear people talking about the free gift and free products that they received, and I'm here to tell you to read the fine print.

So, I challenge all my readers to check the prices of towels the next time you are out. Can you buy a towel for $5 where you normally shop?

My son WANTS to be homeless, and it's all my fault

Today, my 10 year old son told me that he wants to be homeless when he grows up. Perhaps, I have said "How are you going to survive as an adult when you waste so much?" one too many times.

Sometimes, we say things to our children with the best intentions, and they backfire.

Ask my daughters how much a gallon of milk, or gas costs and they know because I've told them over and over again. Usually, I am sharing this wisdom when I see them wasting something and I spout off how much it costs per container. Then, I even make them measure out a serving and measure how much they've used and I make them complete an entire advanced math lesson on the exact amount of parmesan cheese they just put on their spaghetti down to the penny.

Maybe I've gone too far...

It isn't just food. I do this when they forget to close the door and the heat or air is on. Just to be clear, we don't even pay for this. We live in a parsonage and our utilities are all included, so this isn't money out of my pocket. But, I did pay these bills for long enough that I know how much it costs, and I can just about figure out how many seconds can go by with the door open for it to cost a dollar.

I stopped at the bread store on our way home from homeschool co-op today, and spent the rest of the trip home explaining to my children how much money we were saving by driving only 8 minutes out of the way in order to get bread for 69cents or 89cents per loaf. When it takes one loaf of bread to make a snack of PB&J sandwiches, the savings add up fast.

After we got home and I was putting away the bread, I made another comment about the bread, and my son said, "Oh, are we still talking about that?"
I answered, "How are you going to survive as an adult if you don't understand how much things cost?"

He said, "I'm going to be homeless and live in a cardboard box so that I never have to worry about bills." He is brilliant, and I imagine that he really will live quite a simple life when he is grown, and it will be all my fault.

This article was blatantly stolen from the Albion E-News, but it is an email only publication, and they don't include a way to "SHARE", and since my girls are featured, I had no choice but to resort to thievery.


The two blonde girls are mine.

ROTARY CLUB OF ALBION HEARS UPDATE ON ALBION YOUTH THEATRE

At the Sept. 1, 2011 meeting of the Rotary Club of Albion, Rotarian Dolores Manthei introduced guest Rainbow Weldon who is associated with both Albion College and Children's Theatre groups. She introduced seven Albion youth involved in theatre who presented three skits that she composed from Alice in Wonderland. The skits were Alice Meets The Tweedles, the Tea Party Scene, and the Queen Scene.

Then Dory Lerew, secretary/treasurer of Albion Youth Theatre, told about Teen Theatre Summer Camp. The Mazoola Children's Theatre sends directors to Albion for one full week. The children and youth, ages 5 to 18, practice every night during the week and then give two performances on Saturday. The shows they have produced are King Arthur, Pinocchio, and Jungle Book.


Photo caption: Members of Albion Youth Theatre: Nathanael Kurtz, Sumita Strander, Summer Johnson, Vikram Strander, Daryus Mastin, Brennen French, Caitlin Johnson.

Photo courtesy of Miriam Daly.

Getting paid to write

So, I'm reading this book The Well-Fed Writer by Peter Bowerman. He wrote it nine years ago, and at that time the going rate for a copywriter was $65 - $75 an hour, and this rate was for a freelancer with no overhead; agencies and designers that hired writers charged their customers even more.

A few weeks ago, I answered an ad for a copywriter; the pay? Well, there was no hourly rate, but they offered a flat rate of $5 for 3000 words. Now, I type about 50 words a minute, so it would take me one hour to type 3000 words. That does not include any time for conceptualization or research. That is less than minimum wage, and it's depressing because someone said yes to that job. It wasn't me.

Even more depressing is that people are lining up to apply for jobs like these. So, what do I do? I write for free. I hang out here on my blog, sharing my wisdom with all of you, and I'm grateful that you don't seem to mind when I miss a day. But, I suppose if you were paying me, then you would probably mind too. I also write to sell my own stuff, like when I listed my NOOK for sale. And, every now and then, I take on a paying job, but not at $5 an hour!

I would not be considered a Well-Fed Writer. My writing skills do not pay the bills; my husband gets that honor. But, I don't try very hard... I'm unreliable - see how my daily tips don't really come every day? You can make money writing, and lots of people do. That $65-$75 range may be a little out of sight since the onset of blog mania and plenty of people out there selling their wares for a pittance. But, I would venture to say that the writers who take a job for $5 an hour or less aren't very good writers. If they were, they would know that they could charge more and get it.

So, I'm a little bitter when I see my skills sold for so little. My Daily Tip for today goes out to all my Professional Writer friends. It's simple. If you are good, you can make money doing what you love to do. So, don't sell yourself short. Let cheap customers pay for bad writing. When they are ready for something good, they should know they'll have to pay for it.

Writing a novel in 30 days, the finish line

So, midnight tonight was the deadline to complete the 50,000 words in the National Novel Writing Month challenge, which I discuss in a different post. I had 3000 words left to write because yesterday was my son's birthday party, so I didn't add any words then. So, 3000 words to go at 7pm, with a midnight deadline. Just five hours.

I made a pot of coffee and I went for it. I managed to pray with my children, read one chapter of Charlotte's Web, and give kisses goodnight. I even sort of watched a movie that my husband had on during part of that time. It was a crazy night.

I slid into the final moments and hit 50,004 words just as I ran out of time.

I strongly suggest that anyone who thinks they want to write a novel, first read No Plot No Problem
and then just go for it. I made a chart with each day's word count goal on it and every day, I crossed off the counts as I passed them. This allowed me to see each day how far I needed to get to.

I think I will join the thousands of novel writers and wanna be's who will attempt to write a novel in 30 days come November, but for tonight, I will go to bed proud that I have completed this challenge and glad that I don't have any words to write tomorrow.

My Professional Writing tip of the day: Read good books and Go For It!

Learn to catch with a balloon

Playing catch. It's a great American pastime. Well, it's actually a great anywhere pastime. One of the first physical athletic skills that we teach our children is how to catch a ball. How early should you start and with what. If you've ever tried teaching an eight year old to catch by throwing a baseball towards his face, you know that this can be frustrating for you and terrifying for him. He may learn to catch, but first he'll instinctively duck and cover.

So, how can you start them young, while being certain that they will stay safe and not be afraid of "being hit by the ball"?

I suggest a balloon.

These are cheap and little kids love them. They take some skill to aim, but can quickly be volleyed back and forth over a short distance. What makes this tactic particularly successful for children who otherwise have no skills is that the 'ball' comes at them slow enough for them to catch it. A beach ball or bouncy ball when tossed, even gently, comes at a child pretty fast, and usually bounces off of them at first. But, a balloon ball floats just enough to slow it down so even a small child can catch it with just  a little practice.

So, my parenting tip for today is Have Fun with your Kids!
Play Ball!

The Fruit Fly Trap

With the glut of fresh fruits and vegetables from the garden, and friends gardens, and neighbors gardens, and sometimes even the gardens of generous strangers...
there really is no way to store it without attracting fruit flies.
Those sneaky things get in any old way they can. But, I have found a way to trick them.

The FRUIT FLY TRAP

It starts with one banana peel - if you have fruit flies, you probably have bananas - it's their favorite. 

By placing the banana peel into a seal able plastic bag (zipper style works best), and poking small holes into the bag, you allow the fruit flies in. They find their way in by following the scent of the banana. 

Once they get in, they can't find their way out.

When you are satisfied that you have caught enough of them, just throw the bag away.

It's cheap, it's simple and it's very effective.

Batman guarding the trap is optional. He does not actually effect the trap, but if you have little boys hanging around at your house, they will all agree that it can't hurt to have Batman on your side.

This is today's frugal living daily tip.

Mama's Got Drama Queens

This mama spent her day at the fairgrounds, watching two episodes of SUMMER perform as a snooty orchid with the Albion Youth Theater at the fair this afternoon.
Then, I spent the evening listening to all the competition in the Hometown Idol competition, then cheering when they announced the first prize winner - CAITLIN JOHNSON

We drove over to the fairgrounds in the morning, checked out the ponies and walked through the 4H buildings. Shortly after we arrived, an announcement came over the broadcast system that the National Weather Service had issued a severe weather watch.
We know the theater adage that "The Show Must Go On!"
It helped that the community stage was in a tent, so the Youth Theater was just getting warmed up when the storm really hit hard.
Don decided to take the boys home since there wasn't anything for them to do under the tent accept get in the way. But, he came back in time to see the final performance and to hear the announcement.

It was a lot of work to haul four little boys home, feed them and haul them all back to the fair by himself.
I was so proud of him for doing this!

So, my Parenting Tip of the Day is BE THERE! Even when it's hard, or the weather doesn't cooperate; when your kids are performing - BE THERE!

Don't Let Your Children Drown

Drowning is the second leading cause of accidental death in children; second only to car crashes. I have always been a strong swimmer, but when I nearly drowned at an indoor water park, the lifeguard never left her post. She didn't even know I was drowning. It was my daughter who saved me, NOT the lifeguard.

This advice spread quickly back in June when everyone was just beginning to get into beach mode. Now, that the summer is nearing its end, and everyone is thinking about school starting and gearing up for fall, we have become comfortable with the water. We've been hanging out at the beach or our favorite swimming hole all summer; we have lost some healthy fear.

So, whether you're spending the last days of summer at the beach or signing up for your membership at the local indoor pool, prepare yourself. Don't count on the lifeguard to save your child.

Start by reading this article. from the Coast Guard on what drowning actually looks like.

This is my parenting tip of the day. You can find more info HERE

You Can Have Too Many Blogs.

I started the blog OneCrazyLady as part of an assignment for a Women's Studies class. I had to post something every week. It was a great habit to start. But, then the class ended and I got on with my life.
When I'm not forced to read a bunch of stuff outside my comfort zone, then I don't have as many interesting things to say.
When I decided to start blogging again, I remembered the name of the blog, but I couldn't find it, so I started over on Blogger. I mean really what's the point of having a blog if you can't even find it.
Well, today, I was searching for an article I had written about coffee filters, and found my blog - on wordpress

It's mostly anti-feminist rantings, so feel free to ignore it altogether. Or go check it out if you like.

My point here is a DAILY TIP for writers. If you are going to bother starting a blog... try and remember where you put it.

The Root of Frugal Decision Making

I don't buy things that I don't need.
This is usually my answer when people ask me how I raise my family on so little money. But, I know lots of people who would say the same thing about themselves, and they spend a lot more money than I do. What causes this discrepancy?
It's all about how we define the term 'need'.

I just read How to Survive Without a Salary by Charles Long, so I'll share insights using some of his terms and examples, although the same concepts can be found in either of these two excellent books; Your Money or Your Life and The Complete Tightwad Gazette. (All three titles are excellent reads and probably easy to find in your local library) 

Long suggesst that when you are defining a need, you must first identify the problem that is causing the perceived need. I might say "I need a car" when the ACTUAL need is for transportation to work. If I focus on my need for a car, then I would spend time devoted to searching for an affordable car. If I instead focus on my ACTUAL need of transportation to work, I am more likely to find an alternative solution. These might include carpooling, a bus ticket, a taxi service, a bicycle or my own two feet. All of these may have a cost, but they also might be something that I already own and would require no expense. Using an alternative rather than purchasing a car could potentially save me thousands of dollars each year.

In fact, as a family of 8, we have "gotten by" with just one vehicle when most of the people we know have at least two per family and some have more automobiles than licensed drivers in their house. But, when we assessed the ACTUAL NEED of transportation, we found that the number of times we might need the van in more than one place were so few, that they could easily be solved by sharing a ride, biking or walking.

A problem statement is easily solved by the purchase of the latest, most advertised, seen on TV and sold in stores everywhere product.
But, it can also be solved in a variety of other ways. These usually require more creativity and patience, but are also cheaper and often last longer. In the above example, the more often I walk, the better I feel about it, but if I had bought a car, then I would be paying maintenance, repairs, gasoline, oil, wiper fluid, car washes and more just to keep it going. It eventually will break down and leave me walking anyway.

Long uses an example of his wife 'needing' a clothes dryer to solve the problem of winter line drying taking too long and children running out of clothing to wear in the mean time. A few extra outfits purchased second hand for a few dollars a piece solved the problem. Now, a dryer would have solved the problem as well, but it would have also brought its own set of problems such as hiring an electrician to run wiring for it, installing a vent, higher fuel/power usage and bills, maintenance and repair costs. Plus, once you have one, won't you feel the need to replace it when it quits? Another problem to solve.

His point and mine is that when it comes to frugal living - an evaluation of the actual problem to be solved is the beginning of the search for a frugal solution.

Free Lessons in Social Studies

Would you like access to videos that you can use to supplement your classroom experience? Of course, you would. Here are some of my favorite resources for free streaming educational videos.

This is a homeschooling Daily Tip.

First, I highly recommend the free magazine called "The Idea Book for educators" You can subscribe for FREE here.

This magazine provides activities and discussion questions to use along with videos you'll find on A&E, Lifetime, History Channel and Biography. This is a great way to start collecting materials for unit studies.

Don't have cable? Neither do we!
You can stream educational videos free from these sites:

A&E

Biography

History

Pick and choose from a long list of available videos, streamed free over the internet, without commercials.

If you would like to see more Daily Tips on homeschooling, vote here.

I have so many books I can't find the one I want

Do you have so many books that you can't find the one that you really want? When my son was interested in astronomy, I knew that I had some books on the subject, but where? When you collect lots of books, which is not a bad thing, they can become a burden if you don't keep them organized.

For those of you who are voting for your favorite Daily Tip topic, the subject of Organization is in the lead. Remember, you can vote for more than one.

Now, I've tried all sorts of methods to organize my books; alphabetical, kids books in one area, teens in another and adults in yet another, even by the Dewey Decimal system.

But, I've found the best way to organize anything, especially books is by use. So, the books in our house, now fall into one of the following categories, and each category has it's own designated space.

Categories We Chose (your family may choose different categories based on how you used your books)

Science - All astronomy, biology, chemistry, physics, etc.

History and Geography - This includes biography/autobiography, map-making and so on. We store our globe on top of this book case.

Art and Music - Songbooks, lesson books, etc go here. Also, we put this section next to history and geography so that we could include art history and music history in this section.

Math and Puzzles - This includes sudoku books, logic books, and of course our math textbooks.

Handwriting - Here we keep handwriting lessons and handwriting paper. Next to this, we have coloring books and crayons for our little ones to "practice" writing as well.

Classics - There are certain books that I consider classics and would like my children to read. When I assign reading, I allow them to choose from this area. By keeping them apart from general fiction, I don't have to search for a "good book" because I have them all in one place.

General Fiction - This area is away from the classics so they don't get mixed up, and includes many children's books that we enjoy at bedtime.

Writing - This is different from handwriting, and includes Vocabulary Builder, Dictionary, Thesaurus, Manual of Chicago Style, and so on. This is primarily a resource shelf for me as I work on Professional Writing, but the children use it frequently as well.

Language - This area is just below the writing section as some of these are related, it includes spelling lessons, English from the Roots Up, Grammar books and our foreign language materials as well.

Hobbies - This shelf has a variety of books, but includes all sorts of things we've been interested in over the years, but do not necessarily fit into an academic category; like gardening, antiques, electrical systems, tropical fish, puppetry, theater, woodworking, etc.

Crafts - Some of our art could really be crafts, and some of our hobbies could be crafts, but I keep a bucket just for craft project items. It includes some books, but also includes paints and brushes, markers, colored pencils and chalks, etc.

All of these book cases line the walls of our school room, and are available to us all day long, and we always know where to look when we want a resource for something. Some books that myself or my husband own for personal reading are kept on a shelf in our bedroom, but pretty much all of our books are in one room, and organized by use, so that they are available to us easily, and we seldom have to search for material on a topic. 

This method also helps us quickly see what we already have on a subject so that our library trips are devoted to filling in areas that we don't have at home.

If you enjoyed this organization tip, and would like to see more like it, please vote here.

Ten Commandments for the Classroom

Who rules your school? How do you keep things under control? Here's a list of our ten commandments for the classroom / homeschool room. These rules are good for every room in the house, but we've posted them in our school room as that is where we seem to need them most.

First, I think the methodology of creating the rules is important. If I had just arbitrarily made them up, I think they would be far less effective. So, first I wanted ten rules as modeled by God's gift of the Ten Commandments. This number fits well on a piece of printer paper, it is not too many for children to be able to memorize, and I think God knew what he was doing when he gave us His rules.

Next, unlike God, I did not make the rules and then pass them down to my children. I asked them to tell me what they thought the rules of our classroom should be. Here is some of their list:
No name calling
No potty talk
No nose picking
No whining
No hitting
No cheating

This is just a sampling of the list that they made. A pattern that I saw was that they were quick to provide a list of things they thought others should NOT do; but, I thought I would rather have a list of Always do's rather than Shall nots.

So, before you get impatient and click away from my site, here is my list:
1. Always turn to God in times of trouble. He will tell you what you should do.
2. Always use kind words, and always mean the things you say.
3. Always work diligently on your task. Your day of rest will come.
4. Always display good manners, even when no one is looking.
5. Always treat other people and their possessions with care.
6. Always be faithful, first to God and then to your future spouse.
7. Always ask before you touch.
8. Always give a good report of others.
9. Always use a soft voice in the school room, and anywhere that others are working.
10. Always Do Your Best. You're hard work will be rewarded.

WANT THIS LIST? Click here for Print Version.
This Daily Tip is in the Parenting and Homeschooling categories. If you'd like to see more of these, vote here.

Blogging Daily Tips Survey

Every successful blog offers daily tips. I plan to offer pseudo-daily tips. That means that I intend to offer daily tips, but I accept my tendency to forget things - that's how I support my local library, but forgetting to return my books and paying the late fees. For you, my dear reader, that means you may have to miss my wit for a day, now and then. Maybe I'll offer two tips now and then to make it up to you.

So, I just read this book about starting an online business. See my e-business here.
It said that a successful blog offers it's readers some new and interesting every day. So, here is my first attempt.

I'd like to know what kinds of tips you would most benefit from. Click here to submit your answer.

Kill Weeds, Not Your Kids

Today's Frugal Living Tip:
How to kills the weeds, without harming your kids or your pets.

This weed in the sidewalk crack is a common problem. The retail stores offer all sorts of solutions; mainly poison. This one was sprayed yesterday with Roundup. It's still green, but it's starting to brown. This product is popular and its users tell me that it is effective. I've never used it. 2.5 gallons of the stuff sells for $135. I don't shop like that. Here's what this frugal mom suggests:

1) Leave it - who cares if you have weeds growing in your sidewalk?
Can't leave it? Okay, me either. I'm cheap, but I do like things to look clean, including my sidewalks.

2) Free physical labor; this is the no cost option. Just get out there and pull the weeds from the cracks. Be sure to get the roots as much as you can. This is a free option, but it does require some diligence as the pesky plants do grow back.

3) Vinegar. This is a cheap alternative to poison. It is safe for kids - it's what you use to make pickles.  One gallon costs about $1.
You can fill a spray bottle and squirt it right on the plants OR you can just pour it directly on them.
Here's what you get with that method: The plants are dead, but I still have to clean up.

My best suggestion, after some experimenting, is to pull the weeds, and then pour the vinegar directly into the cracks. This is the most effective and will last the longest. It is the acid in the vinegar that kills the plant.

If you would like to see more FRUGAL LIVING tips, vote here.

Was I born a quitter? Or did something make me this way?

I've been doing this NANOWRIMO thing. Write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Well, I started out great, see my first week progress here. But, then something happened around day 10. I suddenly found myself doing everything except writing my novel.
I jazzed up my website.
I updated my Facebook status.
I read library books.
I washed dishes, tried out new recipes, and folded laundry... all when I could have been writing more words in my novel and getting myself closer to the 50,000 word mark.

At the end of day 11, I had fallen 1000 words short of my goal. I was devastated. I felt like a failure. And yet, at the same time, I was bored with my characters, bored with my story line. I just didn't care what happened to those people, and there were more exciting things to do.

I was developing ideas for new products.
I was cleaning house, writing lesson plans, organizing rooms.
It was when I found myself looking for work-at-home writing jobs instead of writing that I realized I'm a quitter. I have a pattern of started projects that I've never finished, like a box full of half baked novel ideas. I opened an Ebay store several years ago, and closed out estates selling items on consignment, and eventually my excitement waned and I closed the store. I started writing a series of unit studies, and wrote three books, but then my excitement waned and I haven't written a new unit in two years. This is my habit. I get excited and I work hard, but after awhile I get bored and some more interesting project comes along, I get distracted, I quit the project to start a new one, and later, in hind sight, I feel like I failed. I am always sure that I could have had great success if only I had stuck with it. I wondered if I was born this way, or if there was something that I could do to change this habit.

I have discovered that I work best when I am externally motivated. Basically, this means that I am more productive when there is something on the line. This could be an imaginary result, as in "people will mock me if I fail." It doesn't matter if the mocking will actually happen or not, it is the internal belief that this negative result will come about by means of a specific behavior that moves us to modify our behaviors. I use a negative motivator as an example because those are often the strongest for us.
However, positive motivators can work just as well. Again, these can be real, as in "I will get a promotion if I finish this on time" or imagined, such as "I will make millions once this is finished and people see my masterpiece."
These external motivators are very effective for most people. They show up to work to get a paycheck, and the mow their lawns so the neighbors won't complain.

But, those who have discovered the glory of the internal motivator are the most successful in life. You see, an external motivator is easily removed. An imaginary one goes away when you simply stop believing in it.
An internal motivator is a passion, a purpose, a love for that which you are doing. This is what drives people to complete long term projects, even when there are setbacks. It is the thing that keeps people persisting in the wake of tragedy.

It is day 12 of the 30 day challenge. I will keep typing. I will find something interesting in these characters or I will make something up. Perhaps, I will search for what it is that motivates them; not externally, but internally. What is their passion, their purpose, their mission? What is it that drives them to behave the way that they do? It's time for me to close this blog post and return to their world, and catch up on my word count.

Maybe after I see if internal motivation can be bought on Ebay.

A Smart Girl Can Always Find a Reading Hideaway

One of our favorite hobbies is reading. But, in a family of 8, it can sometimes be difficult to find a quiet place to get really lost in a book. But, smart girls like mine can always find a reading hideaway. Here's Caitlin enjoying her book in the linen closet.

Moving is a Sad Business

After a month in our new home, I have finally unpacked everything, and even had a day out with a gal pal - Yard Saling! my favorite pastime. But, there is a sadness that still lingers.

Just when I think we are really settling in; the girls are finding friends to invite to the park, people are sharing their garden surplus, the children are being invited to play, and the calendar holds promise of exciting days to come...

just when I think all is going well I am struck, completely off guard, by something that brings a wave of sadness.

It may be my daughter's offhand comment to a friend back home, "I hate it here."
She doesn't seem terribly unhappy, it was probably just a moment of missing the familiar.

Or it may be the realization that my son is having a birthday party for the first time in his life (we only do them at ages 5, 10, and 15), and he has yet to meet any children to invite. I know he will have fun because his siblings will make it special for him, but I feel guilty anyway.

I know that soon I will be busier than ever, the kids will be running in and out to this friend's and that friends, to and from this and that activity...

but right now, in the quiet, there is a sadness that lingers.

Writing a novel in 30 days, week one

So, today is day seven of my personal attempt at writing a novel in thirty days. If you are curious you can read about why I am not waiting until November to participate in National Novel Writers Month.

If you think you can write a novel in 30 days,(or just want to know what I'm talking about) you can join the challenge here.

As I was saying, today is day seven of my thirty day attempt.
So far, I am keeping ahead of the word count, although just barely.
My count  vs (goal for the day)
Day One 5,069  (1,667)
Day Two 6,260 (3,334)
Day Three 7,021  (5,001)
Day Four 7,803  (6,668)
Day Five 9,487  (8,335)
Day Six 11,221  (10,002)
I'm over 12,000 words now as the seventh day is coming to an end. I may add a few more before I say good night.

It has been a challenge. The hardest part is NOT fitting it into my day, as it doesn't really take that long for me to type 1700 or so words. No more than a couple of hours, even when I frequently stop to ponder what I will say.

The hardest part is figuring out what to say in those 1700 words.
I  have to keep reminding myself of the mantra
"It's not about quality, it's about quantity".


I have found that I can spend hours producing just a few sentences, especially when I am trying to figure out exactly how someone should say something. For example, when Chelsea has to tell Tad that she is pregnant, I go over and over their relationship as I have created it in the last 10,000 words and wonder exactly where and when and how would she do this? After I've made myself crazy, I have to stop and repeat:
"It's not about quality, it's about quantity."


Then, I type
Chelsea tells Tad that she is pregnant.
Tad reacts.

Then, I move on to the next scene. See, I have to keep reminding myself that this is not the final version of anything, and perhaps when I reach 50,000 words, NO ONE will ever even read a single word of it. Perhaps. But, it doesn't matter, because this is a challenge about getting 50,000 words of story on paper (or screen). It has a beginning, that's what the first week is all about. It has inherent conflict. It will have a middle and it will have an end.
It doesn't have to be good. I don't have to get every piece of dialogue perfected before I can finish telling the story. It's about getting to the point. Get the story down, get to the end, get to the point. I have the rest of my life to go back and fill in all those little details, like when I finally decide whether Chelsea is sitting or standing or kneeling in prayer when she breaks the news. It's a tiny detail and I can fill it in later. For now, I have three weeks to get to the point.

The blessings of a homeschool schedule

Two years ago, we packed up everything we owned and moved to Fort Wayne, IN so my husband could attend CTSFW.

Since then, we have made two more moves as part of the Seminary process.

During this time of change my children have never had to attend a new school. They have had to work at making new friends and learning their way around a new town, but they've never had to change schools.

It is the one constant.

Due to the demands of these moves and changes I have been lax about our schooling schedule, allowing the children to work when they are comfortable, and where they want to. We've not had a 'school room' or even a school area, and I could see my children falling behind in their work and falling apart emotionally. The one thing that they had been able to count on was slowly deteriorating right before their eyes.

I'd thought I was doing them a favor by relaxing my demands.

But after our last move, my husband suggested that we get back into a scheduled routine of school and chores and then play. So the kids and I mapped out a schedule for our school day including recess times, snacks and lunch breaks.
The first day we were back into our routine we had a great time, we got a lot accomplished, and my most 'depressed' child told me he was glad to be back to school and that

"we did lots of fun things today"


Isn't that really why we homeschool?.... so we can do fun things with our kids. That's my favorite part.
Here are my top three reasons that I think a strict schedule is a blessing.

1. Everyone knows when to begin. There is a feeling of security that comes from knowing what is expected of you and when you are supposed to show up.
2. Everyone knows when things will end. Even the most dreadful tasks can be tolerated when we know that they have an end time, and we can see those minutes ticking away on the clock.
3. There is always something to look forward to, whether it's a favorite subject that's about to start or the next recess.

Oh, and one more! With a schedule that demands schoolwork and chores be completed before free time; my children can take pride in knowing that they have worked hard and earned their play time.

Life as a Vicar's Wife, Week 3

So, yesterday was Don's first official day as the Vicar. We've been in town for three weeks, but Sunday we said goodbye to the previous Vicar, and Don began to move books into his office on Monday morning. It is a bittersweet experience for the congregation, I'm sure.

They love their Vicars. I can tell by how well they have cared for the property and home that they provide for us. But, to say goodbye to one and hello to another... and to do it again and again, every year. This takes a strong and committed congregation. I am proud of those who continue to do this. I had never consider how challenging this is for them until we had been here a couple of weeks, getting to know the people and the congregation, and then watching them say goodbye to their beloved Vicar.

I can only hope that we too become someone that they love and cherish and are sad to say goodbye to. I already feel the sadness of knowing that the goodbyes will come.

There is no hope of building a future here (I know that Vicars sometimes to get called back, but that is very rare, and won't happen for most). The truth is, it's hard to leave the house. It's hard to muster up the courage and motivation to go out and experience life here.

I'm not afraid of anything bad happening. In fact, just the opposite is true. I'm terrified that it will be great! So great that I will be heartbroken when it inevitably has to end. So, I find that I am protecting myself emotionally, by simply staying home.

This is completely out of character for me. I am a joiner and a doer, and always involved in something. But, now, I wonder, what is the value of participating? I know that I will have to leave soon, probably just about the time that I really get to know people and get the hang of things. Or worse, I'll spend a year trying to get involved and just when I find someone or something that I really care about, before I even get to enjoy it, it will be over.

Do you think like this?
I know it isn't logical, and it isn't they way God made me to be.
But, here I am.

So, I've said yes to a dinner invitation. I've said yes to teaching Sunday School. I've said yes to joining, to participating... even though I'm terrified, and I'll tell you why.

Just two years ago, when we started at Seminary, I felt the same way. But, gradually, I joined, I signed up, I participated, and soon we made friends, found a place to belong, and fell in love with life in Fort Wayne. And, before we knew it, the time came, as we knew it would; the time came to move on.
We packed up everything we owned, for the third time in three years, and we said goodbye to all our friends. People we'd only known for that short time, were knocking on our door, organizing our truck, cleaning our house, making us lunch... laughing and crying with us.

It wasn't easy.
My heart still aches just thinking about it.
But, we survived.
And, we'll survive the move next year, and the one after that, and then...

God willing, we'll never have to say goodbye again.

I started this post when I was unpacking and found this book in my collection "I'm more than just a Pastor's Wife" by Lorna Dobson
I thought I would write about loneliness and feeling like a stranger here, but when I think about it, I know that it really is just fear of the unknown; fear of being vulnerable, and fear of being rejected that stops us from moving forward.

So, wherever you are in your journey, I encourage you to move forward into the great unknown and try it out. Something great awaits.

Writing a Novel - off to a good start.

Okay, so, being impatient, I couldn't wait until November for the Write a novel in 30 days challenge.

There is some logic to my decision to jump right in.

I am registered for classes this fall and they start on Aug. 22, so I really need to have this project completed by then, because come November, I'll be in the middle of classes AND I'll be in the middle of the kids school programs too.

But, I didn't want to make so many excuses that I talked myself out of it because I really believe that I can do this and I believe that I will be a better writer for it.

So, I didn't wait for any special day. I just dove right into the project.

Day One: Goal: 1, 667 words (that's 50,000 divided by 30)
Day One Accomplishment: 5,069
Day Two: Goal: 3,334
Day Two Accomplishment: 6,260

But, in no plot, no problem, it is made very clear that the first week is easy because it's exciting. So, right now, I'm just working on staying ahead of the daily word count. Week One progress here.

Also, I'm contemplating posting what I have so far, just for laughs (because it's an exercise in quantity, not quality).
Here's a clue:
Chelsea Harris is a middle aged woman, stay at home wife, and mother. She is somewhat OCD, somewhat ADD, somewhat depressed, somewhat anxious, somewhat delusional. Chelsea is taking a class to learn how to write her life story - her memoir. The text alternates between her writing and her current life. Here's a snippet from her Memoir.

I would wake up in the middle of the night, and feel like there was someone under my bed. Not just an imaginary vision of some creature under my bed, but I could actually feel movement, like there was someone on the bottom bunk pushing their feet against the underside of my mattress.

I remember asking to sleep on the bottom bunk, but it didn’t make a difference. I could still feel movement in my mattress.

I know now it was probably mice.

NaNoWriMo - Can I really?

So, the other day, I stopped by the local library and found this book. No Plot, No Problem
As a writer and reader who loves to read all things on writing, I grabbed it.
I read the entire book that afternoon, and recalled the NaNoWriMo concept as I had run across it before.
NaNoWriMo stands for National Novel Writing Month. The concept is that you write a 50,000 word novel in 30 days. Crazy, right?

Well, not really such a crazy idea. In fact, by the time I finished reading the book, I was convinced that I should start right now. It's not the first of the month, but it's Saturday and there is nothing on my calendar, so I decided to do a test. How much of a story could I actually get down on paper in one day?

See, I've already started to make excuses to myself as to why I will fail to reach the 50,000 word mark. I have six kids who are relying on me to be their teacher and provide them with an education. That is a full time position.
But, others have held down full time jobs and still accomplished this enormous task.
Then, I also have six kids and a husband who expect to live in a clean house with clean clothes to wear and three meals to eat every day. I could eat junk for a month, but could they?
Then, there is the fact that I have registered for classes this semester and they will be in full swing come November...

But, really? It's all just excuses right?

Now, then, there is the question: apart from all my excuses, can I actually do this?
Well, I say, if I can count the words I write on my blog, then I'll make it for sure.

To all my writer friends, I invite you to visit the site http://www.nanowrimo.org/ and see if you are up to the challenge. I invite you to join me in a little bit of craziness. Week One Progress

Shocking Talent

My daughter has a talent for vocals. I know this. Other people know this. It's just part of who she is. We try not to make a big deal of it, although she is working on getting some videos posted on YouTube
She walks around the house, belting show tunes for everyone to hear - literally everyone because when the windows are open, you can hear her from the street.

Even though I get to listen to her every day, she still manages to surprise me every now and then.

We attended the Albion Community Band Concert at Victory Park last Sunday night. Caitlin chatted with the conductor a bit about music, and just before the show started, he asked if she would like to sing the National Anthem for them.

My first thought, and yes, I actually said this out loud, "Do you even know the words to that?"

Keep in mind, I only ever hear her singing show tunes, cabaret and opera. I've never heard her sing the National Anthem. She looked at me like I was crazy and said, "Every American knows the words to The Star Spangled Banner"

"Well, maybe not every American, but if you know it, you go for it."

And, She did.

So, just like that. Last minute, no preparation or rehearsal. She just walked up in front of the crowded pavilion and stood in front of the band.  Veterans presented the flag, while everyone stood, the band played and Caitlin sang. Perfectly.

In fact, the director later met my husband and told him that she had "perfect pitch"

Proud, proud, proud was I, but admittedly surprised as well.

Fire In the Hood

Okay, so maybe I'm not the WORST photojournalist in the world, because I did grab my camera when I saw my neighbors car on fire.

Sure, the first thing to do is call 911, but the police had already arrived and we could hear the fire engines on their way.

Now, I'm not even suggesting that I'm a good photojournalist, only that I might be getting better. See, if I was a really good photojournalist, I would have had the camera with me and gotten pictures that include flames. But, no, I had to run up to the house and get my camera, then run back to the end of the driveway and by then, they guy was spraying the car with his garden hose, and the fire fighters had arrived. We actually watched the activity for several minutes before getting the camera. See, not a good photojournalist, but at least I didn't miss it altogether.

I thought this shot from my front door was pretty good. Fire in the Hood.

How many days until we go to Walt Disney World?

How many days until we go to Walt Disney World?

If you are planning a trip to WDW or anywhere else, you probably hear the question, "How much longer?" over and over again... well, at least if you have kids, you do.

Here is a tip from the book  Vacation Education EPCOT. A series of Unit Studies inspired by your favorite vacation destinations.

3. Here's a tip to help keep little ones from going bonkers waiting for the big day. Cut a piece of construction paper into strips. On the first one write "We leave today" and then turn the strip so the words are on the inside, and tape the edges together. On the second strip write, "We leave tomorrow" and then loop this through the first ring and tape its edges together. Continue writing messages such as "Today we pack our suitcases, you can help" or "Only ten more days, count them on your fingers" and looping them onto the previous ring. When finished, hang this string of rings in a prominent part of the house where your children will see it every day. The last ring should be for the day you start making them. Each morning, your child can cut one down and read the message. The string of rings will be a visual reminder to help your children answer for themselves the constant questions of "How many more days until we go to Disney World?"

Now, if you are planning a surprise, you should not use this tip. One of our most memorable trips was our first. Our oldest was 6 years old, and in dance class. On the night of their final performance of the year, we dropped her off an hour before the show, and went home to pack the van. After the show, we drove as she fell asleep, still in her costume, makeup, frizzy hair and all. By the time she woke up, we were half way there. We handed her a United States map, told her the route we had driven so far, and let her guess where we were headed. It took her about two minutes to figure it out.

Kalaflodge

Over the years, we've encouraged our children to earn money, save money and plan BIG purchases.

For the last year, we've been setting aside money for Walt Disney World.

Today, two of the older children were discussing the differences between Great Wolf Lodge and the Kalahari; since they cost about the same, are the same distance from us and have basically the same park elements. As they were discussing this...

BTW, my husband taught the children "parliamentary procedure" so they frequently hold "committee meetings" trying to persuade each other to vote for certain things. We vote on how to spend the money we've saved up, and everyone is allowed to lobby for their personal interests and try to gain votes for their side. We own Hagrid's Hut and The Burrows because of one ten year old with exceptional salesmanship skills, who convinced even his sisters to vote with him. Perhaps he'll go into politics...

But, back to today's story. The ten year old and thirteen year old were debating the pros and cons of the Kalahari vs The Great Wolf Lodge, elaborating on all their favorite parts when suddenly, their eight year old brother piped in with,
"I want to go to the Kalaflodge"

My first book

So, I suppose now is as good a time as any to talk about my work.

Tying my Christian (LCMS) values with my homeschooling experience to my husbands love of all things DISNEY; and packaging it all within my passion for writing, we came up with this book

Vacation Education EPCOT

This series of unit studies based on the exhibits in the park was not my first attempt at writing a book, but it was the first one that I ever brought to completion.
The sales and feedback from this book led me to write two more
Vacation Education Magic Kingdom and Vacation Education Animal Kingdom.

Also, it's fun.

As I write this blog, my life is full and busy. But, we are also down to just a few cases of EPCOT's second printing. I'm thrilled!
But, now, I must consider whether or not to order a third printing of this title or to begin a new edition.
I have so many ideas for things to add, AND I've spent the past two years working on a degree in professional writing and journalism. I've learned so much about layout and design and writing that I can't help but see all the improvements that could be made if I only had infinite time.

So, who knows what God has in store for me next.
Subscribe to this blog to see the next chapter...

The Worst Photojournalist

I would love to be a photojournalist. I would travel the world, taking photographs, meeting and interviewing people, writing their stories. Aaah, if only...

Now, don't think for a minute that having six kids is what stops me. Not at all.

What's stopping me is that I am the worlds worst photojournalist.  AND I don't learn!

Last year, when I was taking photojournalism as a class, I carried my camera everywhere because I was working on assignments. But, then, the one day that I didn't have my camera, I pulled into the parking lot at IPFW, only to see, directly in front of me, a car in the river. Now, that is a photojournalism moment if ever there was. I'd show you a picture to prove it, but, there I sat without a camera.

A year later, I usually have a camera in the car, but I'm still a bad photojournalist.

This morning, barely awake, stumbling in the dark to find the coffee maker, I look out the window and see two baby deer playing together in the street. I grab my camera and try to take a shot through the window. Nope. Then, I try to sneak out the front door - that was totally LOUD. Then, I take another couple of shots. They're terrible. Then, I realize that my camera is still set from yesterdays AIR SHOW. I change the setting and then I tiptoe behind a big tree, hoping to get a closer look.

For a moment, I realized that I was standing in front of the church in my pajamas...

but, it was 6am... no one's looking, right? And, besides, I'm committed to this photojournalism thing.

Anyway, just when I have the settings right, and I've lined up my shot, the battery goes dead. Of course, the spare battery is in the camera bag, back inside the house.

By the time I got back to the house and replaced my battery, I had caused enough of a disturbance for the momma deer to shoo her babies off.

May this photo long be a reality check when I think I could be making my fortune as a photojournalist.

Now, I did manage to get a shot the next day: There must be something really yummy on the road. BTW, the reason I find this so amazing is that we don't live in the country, we live in town, on a city street, with plenty of neighbors.

When cars go by, the don't even move. They just look around.