From the vacation hotel

I'm sitting in Indianapolis. It was 48 degrees today. I can't tell you what I think of the state of Indiana because we didn't see any of it. It was covered in fog all day from the melting snow. So if you are thinking of me, wondering how I'm doing...

I'm thinking about sunbathing tomorrow.

Don't you wish you came with us???

More about our trip when we get back!

Straight No Chaser - 12 Days of Christmas

Enjoy some Christmas music

Vacation plans

We are planning our first family vacation where we are driving more than 3 hours away. The kids are excited and my days have been filled with trying to figure out what all needs to be done for the various Christmas parties, plays, concerts, and get togethers to be excited about a vacation.

Our first major destination will be the Creation Museum. This is a place that Knight has been wanting to go to since it opened. From there we will head to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago and spend a day there. Then we are going to try out a new (to us) water park in Wisconsin Dells, Chula Vista.

I don't know what the kids are looking forward to more, Christmas or vacation. Either way, I hope that they enjoy the plans we have made for them. And I hope I can return to my house sane after spending that much time on the road.

Jelly Telly!

Anyone who has seen more than 5 kids shows in the last 10 years has watched and probably enjoyed the work of Phil Visher. You know... the guy who came up with those wonderful guys Bob and Larry. If you are like me, you were not really aware of all the turmoil that Big Idea has been through in the last 5 years (they just laid off 2/3 of the staff last week so be in prayer for those families), but if you are also like me, you became very aware of the softening of God in VeggieTales. The last movie that was in the theater didn't even mention God at all, just sort of hinted around.

What I hadn't realized is the Mr. Visher has moved on from Big Idea and has been working on a new format for Christian entertainment for kids. It comes in the form of Jelly Telly. Jelly Telly has a show everyday with a feature film on Sundays. They have games to play as well as the daily video. Jelly Telly has been out for about a month now and we have been really enjoying it. I signed up for a free months trial membership to see how the kids would like it. It is puppets, not animation, and I didn't know if the kids were getting too old for this kind of show. After all, I see them wanting to watch Disney online pretty often.

They LOVE it! It has the same quirky humor you saw in VeggieTales, great focus on God, and they have educational parts like Dr Sniffenhousen's Wonderful World of Science, Drive through History, along with my favorite Michael's Movie Reviews. One of the best things about this is that we can watch it when we have time. As long as there is Internet, we can watch it.

If you are interested head off to Jelly Telly, check out the grown ups page. Sign up for the free trial month if you are interested. Or if you really like it and want to help out a great ministry pay the $3 a month for a subscription.

And by the way... my kids watch less Disney. They love it. Even J-Bell who gets mad if they start the show without her.

This has been De's website reviews! Jelly Telly has no knowledge of this endorsement and I'm not getting paid for it (Although I wouldn't object to payment, Mr. Visher!)

Tis the Season

We have been busy getting ready for Christmas. We put up the tree, the Bethlehem village (my favorite decoration),

and took the family picture for this year.

The day we set up the tree I was doing some work on the computer in the living room and I heard a splash and thump. Thinking I knew what that was but thinking I HAD to be wrong I waited just a little then my conscience was screaming at me to check. So I told the kids that I thought one of the fish just made a break for it. They checked the tank. Sure enough there was only 2 fish in the tank. We checked under the Christmas tree and there he was laying under the tree, still alive. We put him back in the tank and he survived. His tail was somewhat shredded by the tree branches and he was slow moving for the first day and a half, but he's back to his old self. Desti named him Lucky when she first got him. Apparently the name suits him well.

Spouse Meme

I saw this meme on another blog and thought it looked fun. Plus I don't have much else to blog about.

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? A Wii game. Normally Madden 09. If we had cable it would be the history channel, but we don't have cable. We don't even have one of the digital boxes you need in February. We don't plan to get one either. Anything we could desire to see on the TV, you can get through the Internet so we are just going to use our TVs for movies and video games.

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Ranch.

3. What's one food he doesn't like? Chocolate. Makes him get headaches. Other than that, he will eat anything.

4. You go out to the bar. What does he order? Pizza. They still have food at bars, right?

5. Where did he go to high school? Menomonie High School. He still loves their football team

6. What size shoe does he wear? 10 1/2. We had to get him shoes a couple weeks ago. He went to the shoe department, I went to pick some other things up. We met at the register paid and went home. The next day I was packing the new shoes and noticed they were 9 1/2. When I asked him if he had tried them on, he said no, but he knew he wore 9 1/2. He tried them on, they didn't fit, we went and exchanged them for 10 1/2.

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? Probably something Packers, or Civil War.

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? Egg salad, or ham, or turkey, or Philly steak, or peanut butter and honey, or.... like I said, he's not picky

9. What would he eat every day if he could? Red meat. Steak, roast, burgers. He likes his meat

10. What is his favorite cereal? Fruity Pebbles, I think. At least it used to be when we first got married.

11. What would he never wear? Women's clothes. He would go naked before he put on a dress or a pair of panties. lol

12. What is his favorite sports team? Packers, Packers, Packers. Yet he rarely watches them

13. Who will he vote for? Anyone who has read this blog knows who he did vote for. Who will he vote for in 2012? We don't know who the candidates are but he's pushing for a Huckabee/Palin ticket.

14. Who is his best friend? Me, or the kids. We have to push him to do things with boys his own age.

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? Get hormonal. I don't cry when I get hormonal, I get short tempered. Crying he could live with. Crabby he could live without

16. How many states has he lived in? 1 unless you consider the state of wedded bliss

17. What is his heritage? He's told me German but I think there may be some more in there. Nothing too exciting. It would be Swedish, Norwegian, or something else pretty white. Reddish hair, blue eyes, freckles.

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what would it be? Funfetti. You know, white cake with sprinkles in it. Sprinkles on the frosting. No chocolate at all.

19. Did he play sports in high school? No. He was one of those scrawny red headed kids who always got picked on. The most sports he played was backyard sports with his cousins

20. What could he spend hours doing? Playing the Wii, talking politics, playing with the kids at the park

21. What's something cool about him? He truly enjoys playing with the kids. They will play baseball until it's dark, or play and discuss Wii games until it's time for bed. He's as interested in it as they are.

Homeschool Memoirs- Mom Help

Homeschool Mothers do a lot in a day…. I’d say they do more than the working mom because they have to care for the kids, the house, the meals, and much more. They are constantly on the go and with the kids! Sometimes you just need a break. You need to sit down and have a break. While I’m not a mom - YET - I know there I are times I need to sit down for a breather.

THEME:
This week I’d like to invite you to share what YOUR “Mom” help is. Some drink coffee, soda, or chia-tea. Others check email or read their favourite blogs. Some talk a walk…. what do you do when you need to clear your head and take a breather?

My "mom help" has changed over the years. I used to read blogs. I still do, but it is just down to my favorites and thanks to Bloglines I only have to check that to see who has a new post. I also used to talk on the phone. Now I am on the phone very little.

My "mom help" has turned into pet projects. I will organize a room, take or edit some pictures, or work on smaller projects. My smaller project right now is a family cookbook. I have emailed all of my side of the family with this and have been working on organizing the recipes coming in. Once I get all the bugs worked out I plan on contacting Knights side to do the same thing.

I also do run the Scholastic book club for our Homeschool group. I would consider that another "Mom help".

For me, my "Mom help" needs to have me accomplishing something. I know that homeschooling, and taking care of my kids is the most important job that I could ever have, but I also struggle at times with each day looking like the last. To help with that, I have smaller projects that I can fulfil my need for organization, creativity, and accomplishment.

sisters

my sis is turning the big 13 today on nov 11 so here is thirteen things i like or dis like about her
1. shes bossy
2. she treats me farly
3. she came into my room last night asking for a brush
4. she agrees with me thar shes a dork
5. she whanted to die her hair pink with like orange high lights
6. she got a new hair cut (its reily creepy)
7. she is a fashen diva
8. she shares a clubhouse with me
9. she plays dolls with me
10. she creeps me out
11. she loves me
12.i love her
13.she has her own language with me
by

Happy 13th!

13 years ago I officially became a mom. I am amazed at how quickly the time has gone, yet I have learned so many things. In honor of J-Bell I will list 13 things you may not know about her (Bwaaa Haaa Haaa)

1. She was my biggest baby at 8lb 13 oz.

2. She was born on her due date.

3. By the time she was born on her due date, I had been in labor a day and a half

4. She is my only baby I didn't have pitocin with.

5. She was never a good sleeper. She slept through the night at 3 weeks old, but she only took 2 30 min naps during the day. She gave those up on her own at 9 months.

6. When she was 1 1/2 and I needed a nap, I could put on the tv, put her on my bed and tell her she couldn't get off until I woke up. She didn't leave my bed, ever.

7. She was reading pretty fluently at 4.

8. She was one of my most difficult child to potty train.

9. She is not boy crazy (yet)

10. She wanted the new Barbie Christmas movie for her birthday.

11. She got a new haircut (and styling product) instead

12. She is already saving up for Drivers Ed (she knows that if she wants it at 16, she needs to pay for it)

13. Her full nickname to this day is "Jurnee Ju Ju Bumpkin Boo Boo"

Homeschool Memoirs-Games

THEME
This week I want to invite you to share what different games you use for learning in your homeschool. Outside games, board games, or card games, and what purpose or subject you use them for.

I have used a variety of games throughout our schooling. Some more than others.

Ten Days in ____. This is a series of games (Ten Days in Africa, Ten Days in Asia, Ten Days in Europe, Ten Days in the USA) that helps with geography. The premise of the game is to create a 10 day trip through the land. It can be a challenge, but the greatest part is that you are studying the map the whole time figuring out how to get from one country or state to the next. Highly recommended!

Blokus. A strategy game for all ages. Fun, fast moving, and challenging. Another favorite in the home.

Zookeepers Nightmare. Another strategy game. Looks easy but is more difficult that you would imagine. Great fun thought and the pieces are 3D!

Bookworm Adventures. Helping Lex the bookworm fight bad guys by spelling words. The bigger the word, the more power to his punch. This even got Knight hooked! There is a lot of mythical creatures in this so if that bothers you, I would not recommend it.

Those are some of the games that we use in addition to our schooling.

from knight

I am struggling with what I am teaching my kids, I was teaching them the value of hard work to get ahead of life. But with the new government that is going to punish hard work I'm wondering if I should teach them to work less and fish more. I am even wondering if I will want to cut back. I was told in order for the president to pay for his promises he will have to increase taxes on everyone making 42,000 a year or more, if I would drop a town or two on my route I would get under that and could fish more.

On my route their was a wife whose husband is trying to get her to move to Chili. Another woman said she feels like she just waisted 4 years of her life( she is going to graduate from collage soon) and why is she trying to get ahead when she will be punished for it. Another person is looking at moving to Costa Rica. I hope this new government isn't going to be about rewarding the lazy.

A new leader

As the election is over (I am so thankful!) we will have a new leader come January. I have heard the fear from many people on what Mr. Obama stands for. I also know God is in control. Just as he was in control during WWII, just as he was in control right before the Exodus, and just as he has been in control during the good years of this country.

Remember the prophet Daniel:

"Blessed be the name of God forever and ever,
to whom belong wisdom and might.
He changes times and seasons;
he removes kings and sets up kings;
he gives wisdom to the wise
and knowledge to those who have understanding;
he reveals deep and hidden things;
he knows what is in the darkness,
and the light dwells with him.
To you, O God of my fathers,
I give thanks and praise,
for you have given me wisdom and might,
and have now made known to me what we asked of you,
for you have made known to us the king’s matter."

Let us now turn our focus to praying for the man God has put into power. It is his perfect plan that we will have Barak Obama as president. Let us live in peace that His will is being done.

Blessed be the name of God forever and ever!

Homeschool Memoirs- Field Trips

THEME:

This week I’d like to invite you to share your favourite field-trip that you’ve been able to go on since you’ve started homeschool. I’d encourage you to include photos, but you don’t have to.

I know we have been on a lot of field trips but I am going to talk about our most recent.

Living in Wisconsin we have a lot of dairy farms but we went on a "future farms tour" The first farm we went to was the NorSwiss Farms just about 15 minutes from our house. They are milking about 1400 cows right now but are moving up to 4000 cows!

Each cow has a computer chip strapped to their legs that monitors everything about them, especially their activity level so they know if the cow is getting sick or it is time to breed it again. They milk the cows on a raised surface right now which eliminates all the bending down for washing and milking so many cows. (If you look closely at the cow being milked you will see the ankle bracelet that holds the computer chip)

They are building a carousel to milk the cows on. On the carousel they will be able to milk 400 cows an hour with 78 cows able to be on it at the same time. The day we were there they were ready to install the carousel, but they were still waiting for it.

They also are a very "green" farm, recycling many different things. They turn the manure (30 lbs per cow per day!) into electricity, fertilizer, and even bedding for the cows! They use the heat that is generated by cooling the milk to heat water to clean out the milk pipes. They are also using sand bedding and have a sand sorter so they can reuse some or all of that.

At the second farm we were able to see robotic milkers in action. So cool!


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Photo Printing - Photo Books

what to pray for

I find myself struggling what to talk to God about. I must admit I think about if the Democrats get into power in all 3 branches of government all of the freedoms I will loose and will it get as bad as Germany in the 1930s except instead of Jews it will be Christians. Christianity seems to be the only religion that is slammed and people don't care. It makes me want to pray for God to judge this nation and show us why we should fear him.





During the last two months I have argued abortion, I have argued having a good work ethic instead of having the government provide everything for you, I have argued for traditional families. I have tried to argue what I think Jesus would want, the more I talk to people the more I see how easy it was for people to spit on him and beat him and nail him to a tree. People want sin plain and simple.





Thank God for my wonderful wife who reminds me that God is in control and he puts in leaders and takes down leaders. I hope he doesn't give us what we deserve.





I talked with my Grandpa over the weekend who has never told me who he votes for, but he did say vote for whoever makes the least amount of promises. I asked him about the great depression because people say we are almost in one. He said this is nothing compared to that, people are just saying that to get votes.

I just wish that people who claim a relationship with God, would vote on the issues that are in line with the bible. I don't see how anyone can vote for a pro choice candidate and claim to follow God.

God, Teach me what to pray for.

B-day/christmas list

Great! Now grandma is giving me assignments. When will school end!?!?!? Well I guess this one is fun so, grandma gave me the assignment to send her my b-day wish or put it on the blog. So every one knows I'm putting it on the blog. A lot of this stuff I'm not going to get I'm positive about that. I'll get started.



1. Laptop computer. ( I don't think I'm going to get it though.)

2. Cellphone. (If I do get this I won't be able to call anyone. Why cant my mom just let me?!)

3. C.D player ( The one aunt Michelle gave me when I was 10 went bye bye )

4. The 39 Clues cards. (We have the book but need more cards )

5. I-pod.

6. Digital Camera

7. Football Cards. ( Got to beat J-Bird. )



I got my stuff down. Other than that, money will work too.

Quotes from Reagan

It seems to me that both sides of the political aisle talk greatly of Ronald Reagan. So I thought I'd share a few quotes from the former president. All great quotes. It's amazing how this is so applicable today

All great change in America begins at the dinner table.

Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free.

I don't believe in a government that protects us from ourselves.

Politics is supposed to be the second oldest profession. I have come to realize that it bears a very close resemblance to the first.

Man is not free unless government is limited.

The problem is not that people are taxed too little, the problem is that government spends too much.

The nine most terrifying words in the English language are, 'I'm from the government and I'm here to help.'

Happy Birthday!

it is daddy's birthday to day i just want to say how happy i am to have my daddy if i had the choice i wouldn't want to have any other daddy in the world things
10. good things about my dad
1. he is patient
2. he teaches me about the bible
3. he loves me very much and he wouldn't want any thing to happen to me
4. he teaches me stuff i need to now when I'm a grown up
5. he brings me on the rout to introduce me to the real world (tho i don't like it)
6. he does thing with us just to be with us
7. he helps me with math if i don't get it
8. he cheers me up when i feel sad
9. he kind of has his own language for me
10. when I'm doing stuff wrong he corrects me
these are just a few things about him that are great happy birthday dad

Homeschool Memoirs- Timely Facts

Since I skipped last weeks homeschool memoirs (That assignment was hard!) I figured I needed to get back in the saddle and actually do the assignment this week. So here goes...

THEME
This is our 10th Homeschool Memoirs so this week it’s going to be about 10 timely facts about you! Write 10 interesting, crazy, weird, fun facts about you! Include facts about you as a woman, a wife, a mommy, a homeschooler, a homekeeper, a taxi-driver, a cook, etc . I only put 10 facts because I didn’t want to overwhelm you, but you’re welcome to do more!

1. I am almost 8 years younger than my husband. That makes me feel pretty young today.

2. We have hundreds of books. Our own library, plus our "school library" which has easily 400 books on it's own. Next school year my school list has a couple hundred books on it, and I have a wish list of probably 200 books on top of that. I love books. And I love to have them at my fingertips.

3. I would love to have a place in the country where I can grow and raise most of our own food. I would have apples, pears, berries (strawberries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries), garden, chickens, beef cow, pig and probably some other stuff. That is one of my dreams.

4. I am not willing to go into great debt for my dream, therefore I will probably stay in town.

5. I made a pumpkin pie from a can for the first time on Sunday. We had a can of pumpkin so we thought we'd try it. We didn't' like it as well. We will stick to using the pumpkin we bake down.

6. We use the barter system, a lot. The items we trade for the most is corn, bread, and milk. But it is not limited to that at all. We will also trade for chips, soda, firewood, maple syrup, auto repairs, or whatever anyone is willing to trade with us that we can use.

7. I don't like driving. I will do it without hesitation, but I prefer not to be in a car. I guess I prefer the destination over the journey to get there.

8. My favorite subject is history. I love learning about the past, but I couldn't care less about exact dates. I want to learn from history, but I don't see the point in having to know if something happened in 1843 or 1844.

9. I am the spender of the family. Sort of. I tend to spend a little more in daily life, but when Knight wants to take a vacation, get a new car, or something that is more substantial I can't see the point. Our cars run. I don't need a different one. So what if it has 283,000 miles on it (it really does). We don't spend much on repairs, and it starts when I want to drive.

10. I am the one who talked Knight into getting a Wii. He didn't think we'd really use it. I pushed and won. I am the only one who doesn't play it. I will play if I absolutely have to because someone made me feel guilty. I don't remember the last time I played. But Knight LOVES it.

Happy Birthday!

Knight turns 40 today. For some reason this seems weird to me. Not because I think 40 is old, but it just seems more... grownup. Good thing that I'm younger than he is or I might have to grow up too!

Happy Birthday Darlin'!

Warning--Politics in the house

This came in an email. Some really great points. Just as a side note, I went to Snopes.com to check out if this was real. Mr Brown has a note there on why he wrote the email and how he feels about it being sent world wide. Again, some good points and worth the read. Sad that he is receiving hate mail for this.

This article is from Huntley Brown - he is a fabulous concert pianist, man
of God and is a black man. I appreciate so much his reasoning for not
voting for Obama. I would like to see this article published or spread out via
Email to as many as possible. It's good stuff!

Why I Can't Vote For Obama By Huntley Brown

Dear Friends,

A few months ago I was asked for my perspective on Obama, I sent out an
email with a few points. With the election just around the corner I decided to
complete my perspective. Those of you on my e-list have seen some of this before
but it's worth repeating...

First I must say whoever wins the election will have my prayer support. Obama needs to be commended for his accomplishments but I need to explain why I will not be voting for him.

Many of my friends process their identity through their blackness. I process my identity through Christ. Being a Christian (a Christ follower) means He leads, I follow. I can't dictate the terms, He does because He is the leader.

I can't vote black because I am black; I have to vote Christian because that's who I am. Christian first, black second. Neither should anyone from other ethnic groups vote because of ethnicity. 200 years from now I won't be asked if I was black or white. I will be asked if I knew Jesus and accepted Him as Lord and Savior.

In an election there are many issues to consider but when a society gets abortion, same-sex marriage, embryonic stem-cell research, human cloning - to name a few, then wrong economic concerns will soon not matter.

We need to follow Martin Luther King's words, "don't judge someone by the color of their skin but by the content of their character." I don't know Obama, so all I can go on is his voting record. His voting record earned him the title of the most liberal senator in the US Senate in 2007.
<http://nj.nationaljournal.com/voteratings/>
NATIONAL JOURNAL: Obama: Most Liberal Senator in 2007 (01/31/2008)

To beat Ted Kennedy and Hilary Clinton as the most liberal senator, takes some doing. Obama accomplished this feat in 2 short years. I wonder what would happen to America if he had four years to work with.

There is a reason Planned Parenthood gives him a 100 % rating. There is a reason the homosexual community supports him. There is a reason Ahmadinejad, Chavez, Castro, Hamas etc. love him. There is a reason he said he would nominate liberal judges to the Supreme Court. There is a reason he voted against the infanticide bill. There is a reason he voted "No" on the constitutional ban of same-sex marriage. There is a reason he voted "No" on banning partial birth abortion. There is a reason he voted "No" on confirming Justices Roberts and Alito. These two judges are conservatives and they have since overturned partial birth abortion. The same practice Obama wanted to continue.

Let's take a look at the practice he wanted to continue. The 5 Step Partial Birth Abortion procedures:
A. Guided by ultrasound, the abortionist grabs the baby's leg with forceps.(Remember this is a live baby)
B. The baby's leg is pulled out into the birth canal.
C. The abortionist delivers the baby's entire body, except for the head.
D. The abortionist jams scissors into the baby's skull. The scissors are then opened to enlarge the hole.
E. The scissors are removed and a suction catheter is inserted. The child's brains are sucked out, causing the skull to collapse. The dead baby is then removed.

God help him.

There is a reason Obama opposed the parental notification law.

Think about this: You cannot give a child an aspirin without parental notification but that same child can have an abortion without parental notification. This is insane.

There is a reason Obama went to Jeremiah Wright's church for 20 years.

Obama tells us he has good judgment, but he sat under Jeremiah Wright's teaching for 20 years. Now he is condemning Wright's sermons. I wonder why now?

Obama said Jeremiah Wright led him to the Lord and discipled him. A disciple is one in training. Jesus told us in Matthew 28:19 - 20 "Go and make disciples of all nations." This means reproduce yourself. Teach people to think like you, walk like you; talk like you believe what you believe etc. The question I have is what did Jeremiah Wright teach him?
Would you support a White President who went to a church which has tenets that said they have a...
1. Commitment to the White Community
2. Commitment to the White Family
3. Adherence to the White Work Ethic
4. Pledge to make the fruits of all developing and acquired skills available to the White Community.
5. Pledge to Allocate Regularly, a Portion of Personal Resources for Strengthening and Supporting White Institutions
6. Pledge allegiance to all White leadership who espouse and embrace the White Value System
7. Personal commitment to embracement of the White Value System.

Would you support a President who went to a church like that?

Just change the word from white to black and you have the tenets of Obama's former church. If President Bush was a member of a church like this, he would be called a racist. Jessie Jackson and Al Sharpton would have been marching outside.

This kind of church is a racist church. Obama did not wake up after 20 years and just discover he'd been going to a racist church. The TRUE church can't be about race. Jesus did not come for any particular race. He came for the whole world.

A church can't have a value system based on race. The churches value system has to be based on biblical mandates. It does not matter if it's a white church or a black church based on racial values, it's still wrong. Anyone from either race that attends a church like this would never get my vote.

Obama's former Pastor Jeremiah Wright is a disciple of liberal theologian James Cone, author of the 1970 book "The Goals of the Black Community". "If God is not for us and against white people, then he is a murderer, and we had better kill him."

Cone is the man Obama's mentor looks up to. Does Obama believe this?

So what does all this mean for the nation?

In the past when the Lord brought someone with the beliefs of Obama to lead a nation it meant one thing - judgment.

Read 1 Samuel 8 when Israel asked for a king. First God says in 1 Samuel 1:9 "Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will do."

Then God says

1 Samuel 1:18 " When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, and the LORD will not answer you in that day." 19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. "No!" they said. "We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles." 21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the LORD. 22 The LORD answered, "Listen to them and give them a king."

Here is what we know for sure.

God is not schizophrenic

He would not tell one person to vote for Obama and one to vote for McCain. As the scripture says, a city divided against itself cannot stand, so obviously many people are not hearing from God. Maybe I am the one not hearing but I know God does not change and Obama contradicts many things I read in scripture so I doubt it.

For all my friends who are voting for Obama can you really look God in the face and say; Father ,based on your word, I am voting for Obama even though I know he will continue the genocidal practice of partial birth abortion. He might have to nominate three or four Supreme Court justices, and I am sure he will be nominating liberal judges who will be making laws that are against you. I also know he will continue to push for homosexual rights, even though you destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah for this. I know I can look the other way because of the economy.

I could not see Jesus agreeing with many of Obama's positions. Finally I have two questions for all my liberal friends.

Since we know someone's value system has to be placed on the nation,
1. Whose value system should be placed on the nation.
2. Who should determine that this is the right value system for the nation?

Blessings,
Huntley Brown

A different view of taxes

I just got this in an email and thought it worth sharing...

BAR STOOL ECONOMICS
Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to $100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:
The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.
The fifth would pay $1.
The sixth would pay $3
The seventh would pay $7.
The eighth would pay $12.
The ninth would pay $18.
The tenth man (the richest) would pay $59.

So, that's what they decided to do. The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve."
Since you are all such good customers," he said,"I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by$20."Drinks for the ten now cost just $80.

The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the $20 windfall so that everyone would get his fair share?'

They realized that $20 divided by six is $3.33. But if they subtracted that from everybody's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up
being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.


And so:
The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100%savings).
The sixth now paid $2 instead of $3 (33%savings) .
The seventh now pay $5 instead of $7 (28%savings) .
The eighth now paid $9 instead of $12 (25% savings).
The ninth now paid $14 instead of $18 (22% savings).
The tenth now paid $49 instead of $59 (16% savings).

Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.

"I only got a dollar out of the $20,"declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man," but he got$10!"

"Yeah, that's right," exclaimed the fifth man. "I only saved a dollar, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I did!"

"That's true!!" shouted the seventh man."Why should he get $10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks!"

"Wait a minute," yelled the first four men in unison. "We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor!"

The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.

The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks,so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill!

And that, boys and girls, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, or attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.

David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.Professor of Economics University of Georgia

For those who understand, no explanation is needed.
For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.

Church Carnival 2008

Last night was the annual church carnival. Great times had by all in attendence, and some awesome new games.

*Jen--I have a disk of all the pictures for you

Homeschool Memoirs- Study Spot

THEME:
This week share your favourite spot to study with your kids. There are many places you can sit down to teach, learn, and work, but where do you prefer and why? You’re welcome to include a photo of your study spot! Looking forward to seeing everyone’s!

We live in an old house in northern Wisconsin. Most of our school year is during the cold season. What am I saying, most of our life is in the cold season! Our study spots reflect our house and the season. We do school in the living room except for the times someone is on the computers in the "classroom". Art history, Spanish, Typing, and research is on the computers. Other than that the most coveted study area is next to the pellet stove, or laying in front of the pellet stove. We covet heat in this house. I will normally sit on a couch and work with whoever needs help while the rest are working independently. I do have TV trays that the kids can use as a table if they desire, but most of the time they just use their laps. It's one of the best things about homeschooling. We can be comfortable while we work.

He's 8!!!!

No more car seats in my vehicles. The last evidence of the little kid stage is no more. My baby turned 8 today. Am I crying cause I don't have a little one anymore? Nope. Not at all. I have enjoyed getting to know J-Bird for the last 8 years. It is great fun watching him grow and learn. He is a joy and I am lucky to call him my son. Happy Birthday Jay.

More Conversations

As we were innocently driving to the apple orchard we passed some cows in a field that that reminded the kids about the dancing cows they saw at this years corn roast. The farmer that throws the corn roast raises heifers. Thousands of heifers. The kids have talked about the dancing cows before, but this kept going on and on and on.

It went basically like this...

Kids...
I wonder if those cows dance like the other cows at the corn roast?
Sometimes one of them would put their hooves on the back of the other one and dance.
Sometimes the one on the bottom would run away when one wanted to dance.
Would you call that dancing?

Dad...
Um...no

Kids...
Well, what would you call it?

Burning Down The House: What Caused Our Economic Crisis?

A customer of mine told me about this video. It's very interesting. Keep your finger on the pause button so you can read it all.
~Knight

Homeschool Memoirs- Snacks

Theme:

There are so many different kinds of snack foods, store-bought and homemade, and I would like to invite you to share what snack foods your family usually snacks on throughout the week. You’re welcome to make season lists too. I know there are different meals we eat during the colder seasons than we do in the warmer ones, and I imagine there are also seasonal snack foods as well.

We are not big snackers in this house. Our kids are allowed one sweet snack a day, normally being a Little Debbie snack. Knight thinks that I shouldn't be able to completely ban them since that is how we pay our bills. I would not go and buy LD's but since we have the out dates, my kids are allowed one a day.

Beyond that, they can have any fruit in the house. We canned peaches, pears, and applesauce and froze strawberries and blueberries in addition to any fresh stuff we have that week.

We also will make strawberry julius, or pop some popcorn in the air popper at times. We also drink hot chocolate in the colder months that work well as a snack and takes the chill out of the bones.

A peek inside...

We were doing family devotions the other night and we were studying Proverbs 22. We came to Proverbs 22:13 The lazy man says, “There is a lion outside! I shall be slain in the streets!” and our study bible put this clearly that the lazy man is going to make excuses for not working.

The following conversation happened next...

J-Bird--"Ohh! J-Bell is like a sloth!"

J-Bell--"WHAT?!?!?"

J-Bird--She tries to stay in bed everyday!

J-Bell--"You want me to punch you in the head?"

J-Bird--*shaking his head...smiling* "It's just an example.... and it's true!"

Can't you just see their angel halos?

movies

Took the family to the movie fireproof last night. It was great well worth the money.

Homeschool Memoirs- Summer Photo Essay

THEME
This week I want to invite you to take a moment and post a Summer Photo Essay memoir. Starting from around the official date of Summer to this past week - just give a basic summary of your summer as I know someone of you are photoholics!

We don't do a big summer vacation in our family. We spend our time close to home enjoying the great outdoors.

We will spend our time kayaking...

Or at the pool...

Or at the lake...

Or picking strawberries. We put up strawberries, blueberries, zucchini, corn, peaches, and pears this summer. Applesauce isn't done yet, so I can't include that.

This year we didn't get to go boating at my mom's. We ran out of time and were sorely disappointed. I guess that means next year we will have to go extra!

Free Sale

Free Sale

We are in the process of setting up for the annual free sale. What is amazing to me is all of this is just from Thursday set up. The church family has all day today to bring stuff in also. I can't imagine what it is going to look like tonight!

Homeschool Memoirs- Favorite Things

THEME:
Since I’ve been making you work really hard on the previous Memoir themes I decided to take a little break, and do something fun! This week I want to invite you to share a few of your favourite things. I know the list of favourite things could be never-ending, but I’ve made a list…

Magazines/Carnivals - About the only magazine I read is Readers Digest, the kids read Keys for Kids and Highlights

Freebie sites - any sites that offer freebies or often have giveaways-5 Minutes for Moms

Homeschool news/informative-?

Forums/book clubs -?

Networking, Blog “About” (sites that offer tech-support or tutorials for computer/internet) &

Quick Links -?

Mom site - a sites just for moms -5 Minutes for Moms

Inspirational/encouraging/motivational - Greg Laurie, Dave Ramsey

Youth/kid - sites geared towards youth/kids or owned by them-Fun Brain

Memes --Wordless Wednesday, Photo Hunt Saturday, Homeschool Memoirs

Organizing/crafts - sites that you look to for organizing tips or crafts -?

Homemaking/Homesteading ?

Bible-focused - sites mainly about God’s Word-?

Homeschool Method - sites that offer a lot of info on a certain method ?

Family blog - sites that give you a glimpse into another family’s life, run by a family -This is where I can't pick a favorite. My side bar has many blog, all of whom give insight into families

Businesses, particularly homebased-?

This was actually a really hard week for me. Obviously I don't spend a great deal of time on many different sites. Actually I spend less and less time on the computer, which is probably why my blog never gets updated. I check email, check bloglines, and check facebook (and play Scramble when time permits). I do this a couple times a day. Unless I have something I need to purchase or look up I don't stay on the Internet. The kids spend time looking up information for their lapbook research but they are not allowed to just surf in the Internet either. Hopefully next week will be easier!

39 Clues

As a family we have been reading what is going to be a new series. The 39 Clues: Maze of Bones came out last week. I had heard about it from the today show and thought it sounded interesting. It is interesting, educational, and keeps the kids begging for more.

Actually the last time I read the book to them J-Bell started laughing so hard that she fell over backward in the chair she was sitting in!

It is fun to see the kids all so interested in a book, and in the same topic.

*Just as a disclaimer, this is not a Christian series. If you are looking to read it, use your own discretion

Thankful Thursday

13 4 Things I am thankful for today

1. Choices. I am so thankful I have choices. I don't have to do what everyone one else is doing, and they don't have to do what I'm doing.

2. Homeschooling. It is work, but I love having my kids around, and there are so many teachable moments throughout the day. I would hate missing those.

3. Friends. I am bad at finding a lot of time for life outside of my family, but my friends seem to understand, and forgive me for not always being there.

4. Grace. Not only do my friends lavish grace upon me, but I have been forgiven much. I am SO thankful that God and people have bestowed grace to me.

*I was going to do a Thursday Thirteen but ran out of time. Thanks for catching that Molly!

Homeschool Memoirs- Something New

This is our assignment this week:

Planning your homeschool is a lot of fun, especially if you’re going to be trying something new. Just like finding a shiny new penny, you’re excited to use it. This week I hope you’ll share something new you’re using, why you’ve decided to use it, and if you have used it how you like it.

We are trying a quite a few new things but my favorite is Spelling Power! For years we tried the old way of give them a list to memorize, test them on Friday, watch them feel like a failure. It just didn't work for us. At all.

A friend suggested Spelling Power. It is not graded. You start with a test to put them at the level they need to start at. The book then does tell the parent what grade level this is, but that information is not for the child. They test for 5 minutes every day, only working on the words they get wrong each day. The student workbooks are set up so they write out the rule for the list they are working on, have a 10 step study guide to work on their words, plus a place to write sentences. Then you are supposed to do 5 minutes of skill building activities. 15 minutes. No tears, no feeling helpless or like a failure, and the kids see progress.

What more could you ask for?

Homeschool Memoirs-Routines

The assignment for this week reads:

I know some people are very routine oriented while others may be more “day-by-day”, and it all depends on your family and what works best for your life-style. This week please post hat your planned homeschool routine is.

I have a routine that I try to stick to, but as with anything it is more of a guide than a schedule. I came up with a daily schedule, and also a school schedule for each child. This helps me to be able to teach those subjects that require more teaching time to each child, and since we have a couple subjects done on the computer they needed to make sure our school day keeps going instead of waiting for others. Our Daily Schedule looks like this:


Schedule
7:00 am Wake up
7:30-8:00 Out of Bed/ Room Cleaned
8:00-8:30 Breakfast
8:30-9:00 Clean up/ Chores
9:00-2:00 School
2:00-5:00 Free Time
5:30-6:30 Dinner
6:30-8:00 Free Time
8:00-8:15 Straighten up house
8:15-8:30 Get ready for bed
8:30 Bed Time
9:30 Lights Out

Our school schedule looks like this:

School Schedule--J-Bell
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Math
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Reading/ Tapestry
11:00-11:30 Spelling/ Grammar
11:30-12:00 Spanish
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Writing/ Typing
1:00-1:30 Science/ Critical Thinking
1:30-2:00 Art


School Schedule--Desti
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Math
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Reading/ Tapestry
11:00-11:30 Spanish
11:30-12:00 Spelling/ Grammar
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Art
1:00-1:30 Science/ Critical Thinking
1:30-2:00 Writing/ Typing

School Schedule--Rara
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Spanish
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Math
11:00-11:30 Reading/ Tapestry
11:30-12:00 Writing/ Typing
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Spelling/ Grammar
1:00-1:30 Art
1:30-2:00 Science/ Critical Thinking

School Schedule--J-Bird
9:00-9:30 Devotions
9:30-10:00 Art
10:00-10:30 Recess
10:30-11:00 Math
11:00-11:30 Reading/ Tapestry
11:30-12:00 Science/Critical Thinking
12:00-12:30 Lunch
12:30-1:00 Writing/ Typing
1:00-1:30 Spanish
1:30-2:00 Phonics Tutor

I have this printed up and we refer to it often. The subjects in bold are the ones done on the computer (Art being art history). That is roughly how we spend our day. The only other thing I really try to do is to turn off the phone once it is time for school to start. I keep my cell on in case someone really needs to get a hold of me, but most people know that I am available in the afternoons, not mornings.

Homeschool Memoirs--The Agenda

This week’s theme is about sharing your 2008-09 homeschool agendas and plans. You’ve been preparing your plans for sometime and you’re ready to go. Or you’re still in the planning-stage and need some inspiration or tips on what to use. Because many use different curriculum and methods there is always something new to be gleaned from other homeschoolers. It’s always fun and interesting to see what other’s are using and the WWWWH as Robin Sampson suggests. So this week I hope you will share what you’re doing this year for your homeschool agenda.
Share the different curriculum you’re using. You can also include what age/grade you’re using it for, how long you’ve been using it, and why you like it.

After some years of using the school at home method (Bob Jones, A Beka) I found that style of homeschooling was not working very well for our family anymore. We branched out and chose to do Tapestry of Grace as our main curriculum. It covers history, reading, geography, writing, church history, and art. I enjoy this because we can all explore the same historical times yet each of them having the curriculum tailored to fit their levels. It is somewhat teacher intensive in terms of planning but we are getting our niche down and I am enjoying seeing my kids excited to read some of the books it calls for. We are doing Rosetta Stone for Spanish (great for learning to speak it, not so great if you want to learn the grammar behind it), Easy Grammar (looks great but haven't started it yet), Math U See (love, love LOVE MUS!), Spelling Power (again LOVE this, so much better than list memorization spelling that did NOT work for my kids), as well as supplementing some with Creativity Express for more art instruction(cute and fun, plus they are learning art history), Draw Write Now for how to draw(kids have fun with this and their drawings have improved), Typing Instructor (haven't started yet) and some thinking skills books and games. For science we are going to go through the Moody Science videos along with some hands on books and science kits.

We have lots of games that we play that are educational but fun. Some of our favorites are the 10 Days games for geography, and Zookeepers Nightmare for thinking skills.

Because there are so many different subjects and some are on the computer I have come up with a schedule for each child so they have their time on the computer, time for me to teach them, and time for them to work independently, along with much needed recesses. We don't have this completely set it stone, after all we homeschool for a reason and want some flexibility but our goal is the schedule.

Fishing

On friday I took J-bird fishing and we were doing great we pulled in a couple of big Bass. It even made the bee stings not hurt so bad. I was starting to think we were going to limit out, then it happened. A guy comes up behind me as I,m pulling in a big one and asks how were doing. Five minutes later The man brings his son and grandson. They sit five feet from us and start casting in our spot. I was doing great at being kind even though our bobbers were with in a foot from each other. I asked them where their from. They said the twin cities which made me wonder if they like sitting on top of each other while they fish over their. Well I hope I taught J-bird how not to fish as I pointed out to him how bad what they did was. I also think God was trying to teach me something because when I got home I picked up the Bible to read the next chapter and it was on what good is it if I gain the whole world and lose my soul. It was a blessing to enjoy Gods great outdoors with my son.

Homeschool Memoirs

I have decided to the new meme Homeschool Memoirs in hopes that it will help me blog more. When someone tells me what to blog about it really helps me get over the "I don't really have anything to say" mood.

This weeks Theme:

The first theme begins today, August 20th, 2008. This week, we want to hear about YOU. The author behind the words. The Momma behind all the homeschooling kiddos. Just write up something about you, your family, and your home. How long you’ve been homeschooling and why you decided to homeschool.

My name is De. I have been married for 14 years and we have 4 great kids (12,11,9,7). Both my husband and I became Christians almost 12 years ago and we have a great church that has become a great second family to us. I really enjoy photography, kayaking, and reading. I tend to drag my family with me when I want to hit the water or go take pictures but normally they are up for the adventure. We have our own business so we run our work and school week Tues-Sat.


We made the decision to homeschool when we had to start thinking of school for our oldest. We knew that we didn't feel she would be ready to be sent into the world to spend most of her waking time with people that may not share our convictions, values, and beliefs (not to mention we just didn't really like what was being taught). We felt that we could do the same or better job academically with them and we would better be aware of issues and problems as they arose so we could address them. Over the years we have had many days of school that turned in a whole different direction as issues, theories, or teaching opportunities have presented themselves. We have said we take it year by year but in reality we just "never say never" about sending them to public school. The plan right now is to school them through high school. We both really enjoy having them all at home and as we continue on this journey we find that we feel stronger each year that we have done the right thing.



That's it in a nutshell. I am so thankful that I have been able to be homeschooling the last 7 years (starting my 8th on Tuesday). I wouldn't want to change it for anything.

Scattergories

I got this in an email from my sister, and since I know I have been neglecting my blog lately I thought I would post it instead of forwarding it on.(I RARELY forward anything)

The rules are you have to use the letter of your first name for all the answers, nothing can be made up and the girls or boys name can not be your own. Go ahead and play along.

WHAT IS YOUR NAME? De

FOUR LETTER WORD: Dear

VEHICLE: Durango (that's a vehicle, right?)

TV SHOW: Days of Our Lives (is that still on?)

CITY: Dayton, OH

BOY NAME: David

GIRL NAME: Debbie

OCCUPATION: Dentist

FOOD: Donut

SOMETHING FOUND: Diamond (obviously not found by me)

REASON FOR BEING LATE: Dead Battery (on your car)

***Warning... Shameless Plug!***

Today I recieved a comment on my blog that made me do the happy dance. It was from the 5 Minutes for Mom Team. It read...

I am visiting from 5 Minutes For Mom, to let you know that you are a finalist in our Summer Fun Photo Contest! Congrats!

Yeah Me! So if you feel so inclined hop on over to Summer Fun Photo Contest and vote*. There are some really great photos. If you can vote for mine in good conscience that would be even better, but vote for what you think is the best.

Thanks all!

*You will not need to sign into anything so anyone can vote. (That means you, Mom!)

Summer Fun Photo Contest

5 Min for Mom is having a photo contest. I took this photo on our camping trip and I just love it!

Photo Hunt #5 -- Clouds

For more Photo Hunt click here

The newest sports fan

Just hours after blogging about nothing the kids let me know that we have a new Packer fan/golfer in our family. They were having a great time, and believe it or not, so was Allie.

Strange kids... even stranger dog. With that said, we learned that Allie loves to go fishing, almost as much as my mom's dog. She liked being on the dock watching them cast and loved it when they caught a fish!

What shall I say?

I have nothing.

I want to blog, but with nothing to say the post is going to be pretty short.

I have a sick kid and because of that I have barely seen the outside of my house in days so I have no news. No funny stories. No big adventures. Nothing. Nada. Zip.

Aren't you glad you wasted your time coming here to find that out?

Photohunt #4 --Hanging

For more Photohunt click here

Another Update

So you know my commitment about blogging more, therefore keeping my mother from wondering if we are alive or dead? Oh, you can't tell I've made that commitment? Maybe that's because I am horrible at following through when the weather outside is anything but frightful. (and for those wondering... Yes, my mother keeps up with my life here rather than the phone. Why? Because neither one of us are horribly great at calling anyone, let alone each other!)

Ok, update time...

Strawberry season was late this year. We were able to head out to pick 4 times throughout the season and have lots of strawberries and strawberry jam in our freezer. Expensive, but I'm hoping that it will last until next summer. The kids were excited the first time we went out but quickly remembered that it isn't as fun as they think. We only do a basket a person each time we go so it is not so long picking and I have time to get them in the freezer.

We also had a family reunion of sorts. Knights side all got together at the farm and spent the day enjoying each others company. The family doesn't get together much as a group anymore and it was nice to see everyone. The kids were able to go on a hay ride. J-Bird loves playing with all the boys in the family. Most of them are around his age so he is in heaven not having to hang out with girls. J-Bell and Desti also have girls there own age so they were off exploring the farm on their own.

We also took the kids camping for the first time. We cheated slightly and borrowed my moms "cabin" (a camper set up at a resort). The kids wanted to tent it, so we brought the tent and let them sleep there, while we had the bed. They had a good time and they loved taking the kayaks out to the middle of the lake and jumping off. That was the plan to avoid the leeches (it worked).

I am aiming to start school in a couple weeks so then I will be back on schedule and hopefully blogging more regularly. Between times of cleaning, going to the pool, and kayaking I have been preparing for that.