Homeschool Odds and Ends for Sale!

I am terrible at getting rid of stuff... but eventually my bookshelves might just explode or collapse if I don't give it a try.  Here are a few things that we're not using, or that I have duplicates of that I don't need... check and see if there's anything you can use!

Vocabulary Cartoons, Elementary Edition - like new - $8 (see my review here!)

Rod and Staff Reading Level 4 (Exploring with God) - good condition

• Teacher's Manual - $5 
• Student Reader - $10

Rod and Staff Spelling by Sound and Structure, Grade 2 - good condition - Teacher's Manual - $3

Wordly Wise, Book C - brand new, never used - $6.00

Writing Strands, Level 3 - like new (no writing inside) - $11.00

Christian Kids Explore Chemistry - like new (no writing inside) - $20.00 (read my review here!)

Before Five in a Row - brand new - $28.00 (read my review here!)

The Story of the U.S.A. - Book 2: A Young Nation Solves Its Problems - brand new -$7.00 Sold

Shipping is $2 for one book, and $0.50 for each additional book. I accept paypal or money order, and will ship via Media Mail.  Email me at mrs.mike1998 at gmail dot com, or just leave a comment here to let me know you're interested - I won't publish the comments! ;-)

Thoughts of Spring Blog Party

Lynette Kraft at Dancing Barefoot on Weathered Ground is hosting a delightful blog party, called Thoughts of Spring! I decided to be social and join in (not to mention there's some pretty cool gift incentives for participants! But that wasn't my main motivation, I promise!) Lynette created a list of "get to know you" questions for partiers to answer... so... get to know me! Oh, and just to keep with the theme, I'll throw in some random pictures of the signs of spring that we've seen lately, here in the lovely warm South!

First off, a brief introduction! I am Erin. I am 31 years old and have been married to my awesome husband Michael for 12 years (yes, do the math, we were youngins when we got married!) and have 6 incredible children - Isaac, age 10, Ezra, age 8, Joel, age 6, Nathan, age 4, Judah, age (almost 2), and (finally!) a little girl, Rachel, who is a month old! We homeschool and live in the (usually warm) state of Georgia, although I'm technically a Yankee, being raised most of my life in New England. I am in love with Jesus and have been completely transformed by His grace in my life - I am so thankful to be a New Creation in Him!

Now with the formalities over, I'll dive on in!

Our first daffodil this year!

How would people describe your personality? (If they could only use ONE word.)
Gosh, what a question to start with! I have no idea how other people would describe my personality! I'd HOPE they'd describe it as "joyful" or "upbeat", or even "funny" or "kind", but for all I know people might also describe me as "weird", "uptight", or "annoying"! How do I know how people would describe me?

Are they right?
Probably yes, to any of the above, depending on the day.

What celebrity/celebrities would create a “Star-Struck” feeling if you saw them in real life?
Honestly, none. I don't idolize celebrities. They're just people like you and me! They just happen to have a talent that puts them in front of other people more frequently. Which I don't envy at all!

Who is your favorite blogger? Why?
This is a really hard question! I love Brenda at The Family Revised because she's so down-to-earth, funny, and just plain REAL. But there are tons of blogs that I love (see my two sidebars as proof!), so I'm always scouring lots of blogs.

What is your comfort food/drink?
Dark chocolate. And nice, hot food that I didn't have to make myself. Italian is especially good, but I also like regular "down home" cooking! Yum! I love food!

Be brave – tell us something very random and weird about yourself.
Well, I covered a few down below in the "strange talent" and "strange phobia" questions. I guess it would be that I AM random and weird! At least, at times ;-) As proof, here's a random and weird picture - our dog, on our picnic table, with snow boots, a potted plant and some dirty washcloths. Why I took this picture, I have no idea!


Do you have a strong desire to do something you’ve never done? What is it?
Yes!! My biggest desire is to adopt! Yes, more children! I have a huge burden for orphans and I think that adoption is one of the biggest "pro-life" statements that can be made.

Movies: Action, Drama, Romantic Comedy, Documentary, Comedy? What are your favorite genres?
I'm not a huge movie person, and it's hard for me to narrow down my favorite "type". If it's a good movie, it will keep my attention, no matter what the style. The only kind I don't watch at all are horror movies.

Books: Fiction, Non-Fiction, Romance, Biographies, True Stories, Self-Help, Devotional/Study? What are your favorite types of reading material?
I mostly enjoy devotional/study type reading, as well as non-fiction, and true stories. Even as a child I preferred non-fiction - I like learning!

Music: Funk, Rock, Country, Jazz, Classical, Film Score, Blues, Classic Rock, Crooner, Alternative, Heavy Metal, Techno? What are your favorite types?
I used to like Country music a lot, but the lyrics have been going downhill and I don't enjoy it much anymore. So I listen to Christian music 99% of the time, all kinds (popular, hymns, anything except the heavier stuff). I really enjoy Bluegrass style music, as well.

If you inherited a million dollars, what is the first thing you would do with your money?
I know this sounds so goody-goody, but the first thing I would do is give a bunch of it away! I find great joy in giving.

Name one weakness of yours (confession is good for the soul).
Perfectionism keeps me bound in guilt and feeling overwhelmed a lot. It's a horrible burden, and I know the Lord is slowly but surely helping me overcome, but it is still a struggle!

If you could live anywhere at all (and take all your loved ones with you), where would you go?
I love living in the South! I'm quite happy here in Georgia. I used to think perhaps Tennessee or Virginia would be nice. Lately, I've been thinking BEACH! So, Florida? The gulf coast! But then there are hurricanes to contend with. Hmmm... hurricanes vs. chilly winters... which are worse? I'll have to think on that...

Strange Talent? Can you juggle basketballs, put your legs behind your head or perform some other strange feat?
OK, this could be embarrassing, but... I do have a strange talent... I can fit my entire fist into my mouth, up to my wrist. Yes, apparently, I have a large mouth and a flexible jaw. Kind of like a snake. But not exactly. Oh, and if you know me in real life, please don't ask me to demonstrate. It's not pretty! It involves strange facial contortions and slobber.

What’s something you consider yourself to be good at? (Don’t worry, it’s not bragging, it’s acknowledging a God given gift).
Yikes! I had to think about this one. Organizing time, maybe? Not that I'm the best user of my time, but I can organize it pretty well. And I'm good with numbers, so, financial stuff like budgeting. I wish my skills were more creative, like sewing or baking yummy things, but I'll be thankful for what I've been given. My skills do come in handy for homeschooling a large family, so God knew what I'd need!

What is one of your favorite things to catch a whiff of?
Hyacinth! Aaahhhh... the perfect smell of spring! That and honeysuckle.

(not in our yard, but I hope to plant some for next year!)

When you leave a social gathering, do you wish: You would have talked more or You would have talked less?
Usually that I would have talked less.

If money wasn’t a factor, what stores would you shop in?
I would grocery shop at Whole Foods or some other natural food place. For non-groceries like clothing or household supplies, I'd still shop wherever they're cheapest. Just because you've got the money doesn't mean you should spend $100 for a pair of jeans, you know?! To me, that's absurd. No offense to people who are more style conscious than me!

What is your greatest fear or strange phobia?
I hate swimming where I know there are large fish. Small fish I can handle, but fish that actually weigh pounds?! Nope, won't get in the water. That's not my greatest fear, but I suppose it's a rather strange phobia. I also get super nervous in social situations. Even talking to the cashier at the store! I fake it pretty well, but really, I can be painfully shy.

What is your greatest accomplishment?
Hmmm.... giving birth to 6 amazing children! And second to that, making it through each day with all six of them ;-)

What are your favorite animals?
Horses. I was the epitome of a horse-crazy girl growing up! Here's some random pictures of me and some of my favorite horses, back in the day:

Turtles are pretty cute, too, but I don't have any pictures of me and turtles!

Are you a hopeless romantic?
Nope, I'm a pretty down-to-earth realist.

What movie or book character can you most relate to?

Another tough one! Honestly, I think I relate to Peter in the Bible... my heart can be so full of passion and love for the Lord, but then I can go and make the lamest mistakes, or even neglect Him outright. It is so comforting to me to see the love Jesus still had for Peter, the forgiveness He poured out, and the power He sent to Peter through the Holy Spirit to do His work. I know He does the same for me, despite my weaknesses!

Just a pretty tree!

Happy beginning-of-Spring! Thanks for coming by!

The New Look!

As you can tell, things have changed around here (yet again...!)! I mentioned previously that I was blessed to win a giveaway from Tonya at Safe in HIS Arms for a blog makeover by The Design Girl. This is the result of her hard work!

I love it - its so perfectly "me"! Danielle (the Design Girl) was great to work with, especially considering that I am clueless when it comes to digital design stuff - she was patient and helpful, and worked SUPER fast to get things done. If you're ever considering a professional blog makeover, I would recommend her in a heartbeat!

Thank you Tonya, for the giveaway, and for Danielle, for the awesome work!!

A Few Random Things

I wanted to take a minute to post about a few random things that are new in our world, but don't really deserve a full-time post. Here's a few snapshots of life lately:

• Nathan is now totally daytime potty trained! For a while, it was more like I was the one potty trained, as I would be the one reminding him to go sit on the potty, which he dutifully did when I'd ask... but take no actual initiative of his own. But now he willfully goes and sits on the potty whenever he knows he has to go! Sometimes he does need a little reminder - I'll say, "Nate, why are you doing that funny dance?" and he'll say "I don't know... Oh! I have to go potty!" He's reliable both at home and out and about, so we're all very happy :-)


• Guess what? After all my polling and tweaking and excitement over my new blog design... I won a professional blog makeover by The Design Girl, from Tonya at Safe in HIS Arms!! I had to laugh at the irony, but I am really so, so excited! I've been looking around at Danielle's other work, and am so looking forward to having a custom, one of a kind, beautiful blog made just for me! Now I just have to narrow down my theme choices... its really hard - there are so many beautiful themes out there! Hopefully it will be in the works within the next few weeks... and maybe I'll have to do another fun giveaway to celebrate... hmmm....

• We have a LOT coming up in the next few months. Between now and January, we've got 4 birthdays and a wedding! One of which is mine. Not the wedding, obviously. I feel like I'm about to officially enter adulthood - I'm turning 30! You'd think having 5 kids would make me feel like an adult, but that hasn't really done the trick. It still feels like an out-of-body experience when I think about saying "I'm 30". Didn't I just graduate from High School?! (actually, self, that was almost 13 years ago.. yikes!) But apparently, 30's is the new 20's, whatever that means. So its all good ;-)
  

• And just as a really random note, for any of you who enjoy a nice Coke-A-Cola every now and then (or, perhaps, more frequently, such as someone-I-won't-name-whom-you-all-know-very-well) but are worried about the HFCS ("high fructose corn syrup" - its really bad for you, and is in, oh, just about everything), did you know Coke made in Mexico does NOT have it? It has regular, plain 'ole sugar. I found some in the international aisle of Kroger. In a nice old fashioned glass bottle, too - how fun! Michael and I shared it and both agreed it was yummy. I thought it taster "fresher" than American Coke, not so "syrup-y", but perhaps that was just a mental thing.
  


• I will confess that I have gotten REALLY bad about exercising. *sigh* That and a few too many Cokes (who, me?!) has sort of hindered the post baby weight loss thing I had going on. For my birthday I've asked Michael for an iPod and some spending money to get some good running shoes and support garments. I'm eager to begin running again... the energy in the fall air makes me awfully restless. I'm also just going to go ahead and BUY a DVD of "The 30-Day Shred" so that I don't have to keep checking out from the library, only do it for a few weeks, and then have to return it and wait in a 30+ person hold list to check it out again. That makes for slow results, to say the least!

My little ones have woken up, which means I'm on duty again. I've got more to share, but those things will have to have their own posts, soon to come!

Poll Results

The poll results are in! I looks like I'm going to go ahead and give the Wooden Fence template a try here! Its going to take me a few days or so to go ahead and get everything in order... and once its up and finished, I think I'll celebrate the new look by having a give away! So keep watching!

Thanks to everyone who voted... and to those who prefer this tan and blue template better, don't worry - I plan on saving it just in case I want to use it again down the road. :-)

Who's Who Answers

I was impressed by all the people who got it right, especially those who have never seen the boys in real life! ;-) Thanks for playing, here are the answers for Wednesday's Who's Who:

1. Joel
2. Ezra
3. Judah
4. Nathan
5. Isaac

Thanks for playing! :-D

Quick Survey

I am looking over my blog and trying to streamline it a bit, especially the sidebars. So my question for anyone who visits me is this: Do you like/use the "Encouraging Blogs" or "Family and Friend's Blogs"? I am considering moving them to my Google Reader, unless they are regularly used by others who spend time here. I have so many I'm afraid its a little "clutter-y" looking. But I do love seeing the latest updates... so, what do you think? Should I keep them on here, or get rid of 'em? Do you use them at all? Leave me a comment with your thoughts! Thanks!

Wordless (?) Wednesday - Funny

(HT: Mother Hen at Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch...)

Random Ramblings

In my middle of the night ponderings (probably more than a bit abstract) there were a few things on my mind I wanted to blog about, but none are really "worthy" of their own posts, so I thought I'd throw together a conglomeration of them here.

• First, my favorite soft soled shoe company is going out of business, and having a huge clearance sale. I'm seriously considering on stocking up before they're gone forever. I LOVE these shoes - great quality and the price is so much better than the "high end" (read: more expensive!) shoes, in which I find no difference. The smaller sizes are a soft suede sole, and the upper sizes have a thin rubber sole for traction and outdoor protection, but they are still super soft and flexible. Anyone who knows me in "real" life has seen Nathan's frog and turtle shoes - this is where they are from! So, check out Wiggees and use the code SAVE15 when checking out to save an additional 15% off their closeout price. This will only be until March 31! (and no, I don't get anything for sharing this, lol! I just wanted to pass along a great deal)

• Second, let me ramble about cloth diapering for a minute. I started using cloth diapers when Joel was a few months old, and have tried what seems like everything out there - I was really into getting the "latest and greatest" for a while. But now that its been 4 years, I've learned that simple really is "greatest", at least for me. While I love the convenience of All-in-Ones, they are a bit too pricey for me to have enough of them to use exclusively. Fitteds are fun because they can come in cute colors and prints, but over time I've decided they're a bit too bulky for my taste, especially when under a cover, which is necessary for outings. Pockets are also a bit pricey, even though the adjustable absorbency can be a plus, especially at nighttime. So where does that leave me? With good, old-fashioned, tried and true prefolds! And some fun, trim covers. I don't even pin or fasten the prefolds, I just fold them into thirds, lay them in the cover, and TaDa! instant, easy diaper. And so inexpensive, comparatively! The funny thing is, the mama who introduced me to cloth diapering used this method, and I was lured away from its ease and reliability by all the other tempting systems... only to find myself back after spending too much time and money trying everything else under the sun. For some good info on cloth diapering, check out The DiaperPin. And, if you're curious about cloth but don't want to invest alot of money just to decide it isn't right for you, check out Jillian's Drawer's 21-day cloth diaper trial for just $10! Its a pretty neat way to try the different "systems" and see what suits you best! A few other cloth diaper websites I enjoy are Abby's Lane (free shipping on all orders!) and a local-to-me one, Emi Beans!

• Next, I'm considering actually decorating the nursery! I've never decorated a nursery for any of the other boys, its always been something I considered a little bit frivolous, especially when we went through our season of really bad budgeting ;-) Little niceties such as decorating just weren't priority. But now we've become more frugal, and I've grown in confidence in my "decorating on a budget" skills, and I think I can pull it off with paint we already have, plus some chair rail, which Michael assures me we can find room in the budget for! There are two different color themes I'm trying to decide between, inspired by this bedding set and this bedding set...bedding set itself I'm not sure will be included, that is something still considered a bit "frivolous" and definitely not a necessity, no matter how cute. But I love the colors, so I think its a good starting point! Please feel free to share your opinion with me - blue and green, or green, cream and brown?
  

That's about it for my random thoughts. And just to make this post worth your while, here's some cute pictures :-)

Random Stuff

I was tagged on facebook to list 25 random things about myself. I've done a few 5 or 7 item lists here already, but I thought I'd go ahead and share my list of 25. Some are probably repeats, but it was fun to do. :-)

1. God's incredible mercy and grace still leave me amazed every day

2. I don't like peanuts. I don't like chocolate MnMs. However, I love peanut MnMs

3. I love my house. I used to get the urge to househunt every few months, but now I am really content where I am

4. I hate decluttering. Just the thought makes my heart race and me feel jittery. I'm terrible at it. My garage is proof of it.

5. I adore my husband. He is awesome! I could go on and on... he's just the best.

6. My mom tells me I've always said I wanted 5 boys when I grew up. I wonder if that will come true?

7. I am really very shy, until you get to know me. Then I talk too much.

8. I love, love, love homeschooling and being at home with my children. I couldn't stand it if I had to miss their milestones, struggles, and accomplishments, even small ones.

9. I am finding it really difficult to come up with 25 random things. I'm pretty transparent to all who know me, so its not like there's anything new to share.

10. I have lived in 8 different states, and moved many more times than that.

11. I am very sensitive to light. During the day, I need LOTS of it. I don't know how I survived Northern Winters for so long.

12. I never thought I would say this, but I really enjoy living in the South.

13. Even though I hate decluttering, I hate clutter. What a dilemma!

14. I wish I were more feminine - that "meek and quiet spirit" thing does not come easily for me.

15. Too much noise overwhelms me. I think God gave me a houseful of boys to help me in that area!

16. I love brown. And blue. But brown the most.

17. I really enjoy being physically active, but often have trouble making that a priority in my day... there are so many other things to get done.

18. 7 more to go. 7 is a nice number, but my favorite number is 3. Its like an "E" backwards... "E" for "Erin", of course

19. I think I use smilies and exclamation points too much when I write.

20. Perfectionism is a mixture of a really great attribute and a really detrimental one. Ask me how I know.

21. I absolutely believe in absolute truth

22. I am adamantly pro-life. If I had a "cause", that would be it, hands-down. That was the very first thing the Lord changed in my heart. I used to be adamantly pro-choice.

23. I never liked babies when I was growing up. Another area the Lord changed in my heart, obviously!

24. I am a math nerd. I love numbers, budgeting, etc. But I also love to read and learn through good literature.

25. I love God. That sounds so simple, but there's way more to it than that. He is everything to me.

My Roots are Showing

I spent the majority of my teenage years growing up in a small town in New Hampshire. Life was so different there than it is here in Suburbia, Atlanta! We didn't have a WalMart, public pool, city parks, 6 lane highways... anywhere we needed to go, we could usually walk to. In the winter, my parents would cross country ski to work when the roads were too bad to drive. In the summer, when it got hot, my friends and I would drive into the woods and find a swimming hole to jump in, or go rock diving at the quarry. We'd camp out wherever we wanted, there were no designated "camping grounds" - and camping usually did not include a tent, just sleeping under the stars or in the bed of a truck! Students at highschool had gun racks in their trucks, loaded with hunting rifles... one student even brought his hunting puppy to classes with him to help socialize him! Flannel was the fashion, and not because of the grunge movement - simply because it was COLD!

Anyway, all that to say... I was molded alot by spending my years growing up in the small town/country life. I enjoy country music, so in honor of my roots, I wanted to share what I consider to be the absolute best country song ever. The louder you turn it up, the more fun it is! Enjoy :-)

(Oh, and the playlist generator has it wrong - the group is not Diamond Rio, it is The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band!)

7 Random Things

Marcy tagged me a few weeks ago, but because of traveling for Thanksgiving and then having computer issues (which are all better now, thankfully!), I hadn't had a chance to post my answers. So, a little late, here are 7 Random Things About Me!

1. I can't wear nailpolish on my fingers. I can wear it on my toes fine, but if I wear it on my fingers, I feel like I'm suffocating!

2. My "career goal" up until I got married was to breed and train horses, and I was pursuing an Equine Business Management degree.

3. Michael and my first apartment was above a show horse barn where I worked - we had a balcony off the bedroom that looked over the stalls!

4. My dad picked my name for me with the intention that it could not be made into any nicknames. Unfortunately, it turns out that names that don't have natural nicknames are easy prey for unnatural nicknames - just ask Michael, who loves to make them up for me ;-)

5. In my teenage years I thought it would be cool to give my firstborn son the first name of "Harley" and the middle name of "Davidson"... I think Michael, Isaac and I (and probably many others) are all thankful that I didn't follow through on that!

6. My favorite part of pregnancy is labor. I'm not some weird sadist, I just really enjoy the challenge and excitement of it, and the beauty of the way God designed life to come into the world. I'm also terrible at waiting, so when labor finally starts, I know I get to meet my new little one soon!

7. I only like Dark Chocolate. Milk Chocolate is way too sweet for my taste! Unless its mixed with something, like, say, peanuts or peanut butter!

I'm supposed to tag other people, but in the past few tags/memes I've done, I've tagged about everyone I know... so... I'll leave this open for anyone who might want to join in!

Another Tag!

Meghann from The Jones Family blog tagged me in a fun "6 Things I've Learned" tag. I'm supposed to list 6 things I've learned in the past month, and then tag 6 others. I won't be officially tagging any others because I recently did another tag and don't want to become the annoying tagger ;-) but I do invite anyone else to join in. This question was a very thought-provoking one for me! Here are 6 things that I've learned in the past month:

1. How to make whole wheat bread my husband LOVES!

2. Taking my prenatal before bedtime helps me wake up with more energy

3. A church isn't just about denomination - its about the people in it, the love that's demonstrated, and the fruit that's borne there.

4. Something I've known but He's proving to me again and again - God is so, so good. Always. Even when it seems like nothing else is.

5. Just how much I truly need and love the mercy and strength of God

6. Just how much I truly need and love my husband

What have you learned lately? Feel free to share, and comment to let me know you have!

A Fun Meme

Brenda at The Family Revised did this meme and invited any and all to join in... so here I go!

10 Years Ago I ...
1. was 18 years old
2. was newly married
3. was newly Christian
4. didn't know what love really was (i'm learning more each and every day)
5. had no thoughts of having children

5 Things on my to do list...
1. Go grocery shopping (done)
2. Take Ez to his allergy shots (done)
3. Fix dinner (meatloaf, mashed potatoes and veggies)
4. Drink more water
5. Reschedule boys' dentist appointments

5 Snacks I enjoy...
1. Chocolate
2. Pickles
3. TLC Crackers
4. Apricots
5. Ice Cream (does that count as a snack?)

5 Things I would do if I were a millionaire...
1. Give
2. Pay off home
3. Buy land and build custom home
4. Help parents and in-laws retire/pay off homes
5. Save for children

5 Places I have lived...
1. Virginia
2. Massachusetts
3. New Hampshire
4. New York
5. the Carolinas

5 Jobs I have had...
1. Waitress
2. Retail (Walgreens, Bath and Body Works)
3. Groom for show horses
4. Stable hand
5. Quality Assurance Editor something or other

Join in the fun! If you decide to post on your blog, leave a comment and let me know! :-D

One Word Answers

I tend to talk too much :-) So this will be fun! My cousin Sarah tagged me in this one-word only meme - I have to answer each question with only one word. Then I pass it along to others to do the same. Here it goes!

1. Where is your cell phone?
counter

2. Where is your significant other?
basement

3. Your hair color?
brown

4. Your mother?
joyful

5. Your father?
athletic

6. Your favorite thing?
God

7. Your dream last night?
none

8. Your dream/goal?
service

9. The room you're in?
office

10. Your hobby?
pregnancy ;-)

11. Your fear?
loss

12. Where do you want to be in 6 years?
wherever

13. Where were you last night?
hospital

14. What you're not?
male

15. One of your wish-list items?
homebirth

16. Where you grew up?
Northeast

17. The last thing you did?
typed

18. What are you wearing?
pjs

19. Your TV?
off

20. Your pet?
lab

21. Your computer?
compaq

22. Your mood?
joyful

23. Missing someone?
parents

24. Your car?
suburban!

25. Something you're not wearing?
socks

26. Favorite store?
dunno?

27. Your summer?
hot

28. Love someone?
many

29. Your favorite color?
blue

30. When is the last time you laughed?
today

31. Last time you cried?
unsure

I'll tag 5 people to continue the game!

Marcy
Manda
Jessi
Heather
Stephanie

Have fun!

Fireproof!

I have been waiting for this movie to come out for MONTHS! lol! I actually wrote the date on my calendar - anyone who knows me knows that I usually don't even notice movies much. I am really excited about it! Its by the same group that did Flywheel and Facing the Giants, which were both excellent. Fireproof is a marriage movie, and it deals with issues ranging from arguments, temptations (for both men and women), and divorce, to taking advice (both good and bad) from family and friends, and most importantly - where God fits into it all. Michael and I have a date to see it tomorrow night, so I will be sure to come back and share what I think afterwards. But, I would honestly say - don't wait for my review! Go see it this weekend!! I'm sure it won't disappoint. Check out the trailer by clicking on the banner above :-)

Also, if you see it, let me know what you think!

To My Friends with IE (Internet Explorer)

I have recently been notified by both Manda and Jennifer that my blog is missing the right hand column when viewed in IE. :-( What a bummer! I use Firefox, so I had not noticed - however, when I downloaded this template, there was a disclaimer that it might not work quite right with IE. So I will be diligently searching for a cute, 3-column template that looks nice in both IE and Firefox... until then, please forgive my lopsided look!

And just incase anyone is interested, we have found Firefox to be much faster and more user-friendly than IE... and its a free download if you want to give it a try ;-)

For my Mom :-)

Growing up, we had an Anne Murray children's record (yes, record!) called "There's a Hippo in my Tub" that we listened to alot. I found the CD at the library, so now my boys are listening to it, and wow! does it bring back memories. This song especially reminds me of my mom. She's always been a big advocate of keeping your chin up and having a positive outlook. She also loves to sing and dance - I have so many memories of her singing to and with us! Now that I have children of my own, this song has even more meaning to me. So, mom, I don't know if you'll see this... but here's a little something to make you smile :-)



On a funny note, one of the other songs on the album is called "Teddy Bear's Picnic" - a silly song about Teddy Bears picnicing in the woods, and what you might see if you happened upon them. One of the lines in the chorus says "See them, catch them, unawares..." and I always thought it said "underwears". I grew up with images of Teddy Bears throwing and catching underwear at a picnic in the woods! And to be sure, when we came upon that song on the CD with the boys... they said "Mom! They're having a picnic in their underwear!"

Really Random - But Too Funny

Michael and I came across this picture last night, and we were laughing so hard about it. Call us weird, but it just tickled us... enjoy!

Michael suggested that she must have been whispering "Mc-Cain! Mc-Cain!" and tried to act innocent when he turned around. Or possibly throwing things at the back of his head.

Some Good Reads

Despite what I said below about the Sarah Palin issue, I still enjoy hearing other's opinions ;-) Here are a few posts I really enjoyed on the topic:

• The Evangelical Two-Step at Truth in Love Blog
• Frogs, Epitaphs, and Pragmatism at Generation Cedar
• I'm Finally Figuring Out What I Think at The Kissack Chronicles

Totally unrelated to the Sarah Palin issue, and just a beautiful post on the sacrifices of motherhood, I highly recommend What a Mother Must Sacrifice at Holy Experience. So touching and convicting! It brought me to tears (ok, that happens easily when I'm pregnant, but this one would have regardless!).

Another one I enjoyed is "Just" a Homemaker? over at Ginger-Pie.

Please take the time to read and ponder, if you can. All are enjoyable and food for thought!