Ramblin' Roads

My Messy Office

2012-01-26T09:35:00.000-08:00

If we waited until we "had time" to do anything, I suspect we'd never get anything done, would we?

Earlier this week Lyle mentioned that he thought he'd like a corner desk for a change. His desk is in the family room and he thought it would be a better fit than the desk he was currently using. As it happens, he had been using the beautiful roll-top desk we bought for me several years ago. I had his corner desk in my office. We had traded desks soon after we moved into this house. I can't remember why. So when he started talking like that, I happily volunteered to trade back with him.

Now, in our family, Lyle is the one who likes to rearrange the furniture. I know, it's usually the wife-- but not me. Maybe I'm just too lazy. I don't know. In any case, when he decides to move things around he doesn't waste any time. So Tuesday evening we swapped desks. And now I have boxes of office clutter and files sitting all around me. What a mess!

Not only that, but I'm in the middle of a major work project that is due in less than 2 weeks... and then I'll be out-of-town for a few days. I'm hopeful that I can get it all put back together after that. Then I'll have to show you how nice my office looks with my pretty desk.

In the meantime, I probably won't be blogging much.

I Love My Library

2012-01-24T09:19:00.000-08:00

I'm blogging today about why "I Love My Library" over on the Sonlight blog. What's your favorite library resource? I'd love to know!

Winter Days

2012-01-19T15:27:00.000-08:00

Winter has been late in making her appearance in Idaho this year. That hasn't hurt my feelings much at all. I like having four distinct seasons, but it is my opinion that they should each get exactly 3 months to abide with us! When Winter sneaks in well before the official end of Fall and then lingers around way past when the calendar says it's supposed to be Spring-- well, to put it kindly, she quite wears out her welcome. I hate to tell it on her, but that's what she usually does around here most years.

Not this year. For the past 3 weeks or so we enjoyed day after day of sunshine. Chilly sunshine, to be sure, but after all, it is January. I was happy to soak it in while it lasted. I knew Spring couldn't possibly be arriving this early. I was a little concerned that if we didn't get more snow we might be suffering from a drought come next summer. And much to the delight of the young fry (a la L.M. Montgomery) the snow has finally come.

I took the picture of our backyard yesterday, and the one of the bistro table on our deck this morning. I expect it will be awhile before I'll be sitting out there for coffee again. The snow is still coming down and piling up even higher. The kids have been out romping in it until their cheeks are rosy and they are worn out...

...ready to come in and snuggle under a blankie with a good book on one's new Christmas Kindle.

We're enjoying the days!

The Little Encourager

2012-01-17T14:03:00.000-08:00

I keep meaning to tell you about The Little Encourager. It is a quarterly newsletter edited by a young friend of mine, aMandalin @ Eternity is Closer than You Think. Others on the staff include her sister, Emily the Industrious, and another friend, Kellie Falconer. (aMandalin and Kellie graduated with my daughter at our area homeschool graduation last spring.)

The girls have been producing The Little Encourager for several years and are trying to grow their readership. It includes inspirational articles for all ages and lots of fun activities for young people. The most recent edition is available for free online, to give you the opportunity to see what it's all about. Subscriptions are $12 per year and are available in print format or digitally. Information about subscribing is on page 2 of the current edition. Check it out!

To Be

2012-01-16T08:15:00.000-08:00

I am… complex.
I want… to always stay in God's will.
I have… much more than I deserve.
I wish… Christians understood each other better.
I hate… uncertainty.
I miss… having a church home.
I fear… I dunno... fear itself?
I feel… content.
I hear… my fingers on the keyboard.
I smell… coffee.
I crave… nothing at the moment.
I search… for answers.
I wonder… what the future holds.
I regret… wasted time.
I love… because He first loved me.
I ache… because I can't do more.
I care… for my family.
I always… check my email.
I am not… extroverted.
I believe… I can trust God.
I dance… only when I'm being silly.
I sing… hymns that learned as a child.
I cry… sometimes.
I don’t always… reach out as much as I should.
I fight… for what's right.
I write… to express myself.
I never… have to do car maintenance. Thank you, sweetheart!
I listen… to audio books.
I need… to not worry so much.
I am happy… to spend time with Lyle.

This challenging writing prompt was provided by e-Mom @ Chrysalis as part of the Marriage Monday series. Today's topic is Celebrating Womanhood. I enjoyed thinking about the sentence starters on this list, but I found it harder than I expected. I'd love to read your list, so if you decide to participate please let me know!

Small Space Organizing - review

2012-01-15T10:42:00.000-08:00

Our home is a comfortable size for our family of four. It has plenty of rooms but most of the rooms are small, so I was interested to read Small Space Organizing. I have been on a mission, the past few years, to try to declutter and eliminate a lot of the "stuff" that takes up my time and energy. The hard part is deciding what to let go of, and what I can't (or don't want to) get by without. I am finding, though, that the older I get, the less "stuff" I want. Kathryn Bechen has deliberately lived in small dwellings for many years, and she shares tips on how to organize the things that are important to you. I found this book very helpful, and I appreciated the interview questions the publicist sent me for this blog tour. If you are needing some motivation to get your space organized, I expect you will find it inspiring as well.

Q: Do you consider small space living a "quality of life" choice and if so, why?

Kathryn Bechen: Indeed, I do. Whatever housing lifestyle choice you make for your family I think is okay, but I think that you should make sure you're consciously choosing, and not just going with a McMansion in the 'burbs or an acreage in the country with a big house because you feel outside pressure from anyone else to do so. I believe housing size is a lifestyle choice too in that housing size and the number of possessions in it take up time in your life, and time IS your life, so you want to be sure you're spending your time in a way that feels right for you because you can never get time back! If living in a large home with a large yard full of flowers makes you happy because you like having big family and friend gatherings there, and you are comfortable with all the time, maintenance, and expense that all involves, then I think a larger home is right for you. If, like me and my husband, you would rather live in a (high-quality) small space that does not require hours of cleaning and large outlays of money for home maintenance, lawn care, and furnishings, plus gives you more time to spend doing enjoyable things together, having small dinners with a few friends, and traveling, then I think small space living is for you. And always, no matter what the size of your home space, personalize the furnishings and decor to your taste so it feels beautiful to you. That doesn't mean you have to spend tons of money; it means choosing furnishings and accessories within your budget that you feel are attractive.

Q: Can someone really be happy, and stay organized, living in just one room?

KB: Absolutely! Some people actually prefer it, especially if they live in a studio apartment in someplace like New York City where the excitement and culture of the city is their "backyard," or in San Diego, where parks and beaches are the same. In one room, everything has to have its place, and I believe every home should have only the things in it that really bring you joy, but when living in one room, that's even more important. Make your home beautiful to you, even if it's one small room!

Q: What free download do you have today for our readers/listeners so they can get started right away in organizing their small space home?

KB: Go to www.SmallSpaceOrganizing.com and sign up to get the free article I wrote, Small Space Savvy in a Big Stuff World. There's also another free home organizing and decorating article there as a bonus.

Available January 2012 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Blogging and Friends

2012-01-14T10:54:00.000-08:00

Now that the flurry of the holidays is over and the new year is upon us, I've been trying to get back into the habit of blogging again more regularly. Winter doesn't offer as much "scope for the imagination" as summertime, but it's a cozy time of year-- a good time to get caught up on indoor projects such as writing. I'm discovering, again, that writing takes discipline... and the hardest part is starting. It seems I can think of umpteen dozen things to "just check real quick" when I sit down at the computer, and before I know it a half hour (or more) has passed and I haven't even started. So I'm working on self-discipline in that area. Any tips?

I've noticed a few of my "blogging buddies" are getting back on board again, too. I'm glad! That helps keep me motivated, too. Stop by and say, "Welcome back!" to:

I also want to give a shout-out to some of my faithful readers and fellow bloggers who have stuck with me during the weeks when I haven't been posting (or responding) as regularly as I should. I appreciate your comments!

I suspect (and hope) there may be others still following along, but these are the ones who have commented recently.

Also, a warm "Hello!" to some new blogging friends who took the time to leave a comment recently:

Ann @ Cozy in Texas
Hana - Marmota @ Marmota's Dress Diaries
Janae @ Diaries of a Grumpy Grateful Mom
Shanshan @ Land of Learning

I noticed the other day that, incredibly, I am coming up my 10-year "blogiversary"! I have tried just about every "social network" platform that has come along, and I've found that I just really prefer blogging. Maybe because it's because I have to use words to try to explain myself... and not just a sentence or two. Maybe it's because my blog feels like my "home"-- a place where I can invite my friends in for a visit, without feeling like I'm at some huge party where anyone could be eavesdropping on the conversation. I realize my blog is just as public as, say Facebook, but it just feels more personal somehow. What's your feeling?

Anyway, I think I need to plan something special to celebrate 10 years of blogging, don't you? I'm thinking a party with prizes at the very least. It will be the first week of March, so I hope you'll stick around.

My Little Corner

2012-01-13T08:30:00.000-08:00

I am blessed to have a whole room to myself in our home for my office and library. Since I work from home it's nice to have a cheerful, convenient place to attend to business. In the evenings I like to hang out with Lyle in the family room. Sometimes we watch a movie together or just talk. Even if he's busy on the computer, or watching ..:yawn:.. Tekzilla, or ..:even bigger yawn:.. football, I still like to be in the same room with him if he's home. That's when I do most of my crocheting.

Until recently my yarn and supplies weren't very well organized. Some were in the family room closet, others were in a bin in a crawl space under the stairs, or in a cupboard or drawer in my office or bedroom. Most of it (whatever I was currently working on, or had recently been working on) was in boxes or bags on the floor around my chair in the family room. It was a mess!

Then I had the brilliant idea to re-purpose this storage bin rack. I think it's really meant for toys. I had picked it up at a garage sale soon after we moved in this house. It was in a closet with miscellaneous craft supplies in it. I boxed up those supplies and moved the rack out into the family room right beside my chair.

Then I organized my yarn stash in it. Now I can see at a glance exactly what I have to work with, and what I need to re-stock. I also promised myself to keep my stash within the confines of this rack... so I need to work up what's there before adding more. I think I have enough to keep me busy for awhile, don't you?

I love my cozy corner! The afghan was given to me by my mother-in-law for Christmas many years ago. It was made by her mother. The rustic floor lamp with the little round table came from a garage sale last summer. I thought it fit our knotty-pine paneled family room perfectly.

I have my coffee and devotions there on winter mornings, and wind down at the end of the day with crocheting and quiet visits with my sweetheart.

It's a wonderful life!

Winter Crochet Projects

2012-01-12T10:29:00.000-08:00

Between keeping my Etsy shop stocked and enjoying the wonderful new crochet pattern books I got for Christmas, I have been happily hooking away every spare moment for the past few weeks. I haven't forgotten about my 99 Little Doilies book, either, though I have set it aside for a time. I have no doubt I'll get back to it eventually. In the meantime, I thought you might like to see what I've been working on lately.

This cute Regency style "bonnet" was a quick-and-easy project. I was actually able to find the yarn the pattern called for-- an alpaca wool and acrylic blend. It is a little coarser than I expected, but the color is so rich... and the hat is super warm and comfortable. It was perfect for ice-skating. I got lots of compliments on it, even though it doesn't look nearly as cute on me as it does the model.

This dainty "lace mantelet" is my current major project. I didn't find the yarn the pattern called for. Instead, I'm using a blend of merino wool, rayon, and nylon that I am very happy with. It is very soft and will be warm, I think. As you can see, the pattern is worked up very similar to a doily, but with arm holes. Because the yarn is so fine, it takes a long time to get around the edge the larger it gets. I had hoped to finish it in January, but I'm beginning to have my doubts.

For other crocheters who may be interested, my new books are:

Accidental Ice-Skates

2012-01-09T14:38:00.000-08:00

Our family was invited to an ice-skating party on New Years' Eve by some friends who have a pond. Lyle and the girls had gone ice-skating once last winter at the public ice-skating rink in Spokane, but I hadn't been on a pair of skates since I was 18. And only a couple of times, on a pond, then. I am now a decidedly middle-aged matron and I had no plans to try ice-skating this year, though I did think it was lots of fun when I was younger.

Since this was a private pond setting we wouldn't have the opportunity to rent skates, so I started checking the thrift stores to see if I could find some used (inexpensive) skates that the kids could wear. At one store I found a pair in size 7 and a pair in size 9. I had been looking for sizes 7 and 8, but thought maybe the 9s would do for Laura (with an extra pair of socks or something). They were only $4 a pair, so I went ahead and got them. I brought them home and the girls were trying them on. That's when we realized that the size 9 pair was actually a men's size 9-- which makes them a women's size 11, which means they fit me! Ack! That meant I would just have to trying skating after all.

I remembered that the thrift store had one more pair of ice-skates, but I couldn't remember what size they were. Since Laura still needed skates we went back to look. The remaining pair was size 11. They were brown and black, so I assumed they were also men's skates, and Lyle wears a size 11, so I bought them for him. I was wrong again. Turns out they also fit me.I had accidentally bought myself two pairs of skates, when I actually didn't intend to buy any!

So, on New Year's Eve I sat on a log by the campfire and laced the skates on my feet. I gingerly clomped through the snow to the pond. That was the easy part because the blades cut into the snow. When I got to the pond my "noble knight" was waiting with a strong arm for me to lean on. The minute my feet hit the ice they slid right out in front of me and I ingloriously ended up smack on my backside.

Such a refined, elegant matron I am.

Lyle helped me to my feet, and I scuffed around the pond a few times never letting go of his arm. I'm sure I looked utterly ridiculous, but it was loads of fun.

Lyle wished he had had the opportunity to skate, so on January 2 we hit the thrift stores again looking for a pair of men's size 11 ice skates. We were able to find some, so we went skating again that night. That night I got brave enough to venture out by myself, but it was still very cautious, tiny slides. No swooping, graceful figure 8s or anything like that.

I hope the ice holds long enough for us to go at least one more time this winter. Maybe I can go a little faster the next time. I suppose there's always the public rink, but I like the pond better. At least it was my friends laughing with me, not strangers laughing at me.

December morning

2011-12-29T09:18:00.000-08:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
We had a beautiful snowfall on Christmas Eve, just enough to cover the ground nicely for a White Christmas. The the last couple of days we've had warm Chinook winds which melted all the snow and even dried up a lot of the resulting melting mess. We didn't especially enjoy the noise of the wind howling through in the middle of the night, but I sure do like how it feels like spring! The sun is even peeking out a bit this morning. It would suit me if the weather stays like this until it actually is spring. But I'm sure it won't.

Things that make me happy:
Having daughters who are old enough and responsible enough to take over so much of the housekeeping, especially during the busy-ness of holiday entertaining.

Books I'm reading:
I'm caught up on review books for the time being. I have several that I'm dabbling in on my Kindle just for fun. Nothing very serious right now.

On the menu for dinner:
I guess I oughta be thinking about that, huh?

On my To Do List:
Decide what to have for dinner.
Work on a writing project.
Look over lesson plans for starting back to school next week.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I haven't done much cooking myself lately... or maybe I should say, I haven't tried any new recipes lately. Just made old faithful stand-bys. Laura tried a new recipe for spinach quiche with a hash-brown crust yesterday that was very delicious. She also made some yummy mint-chocolate bars for a get-together we hosted last night.

In the craft basket:
Oh! The craft basket! I got three new crochet books for Christmas... and I'm having a lovely time hooking away in snatched moments here and there, and in the evenings. I'll have to show you later, but right now I'm working on a regency-style wool hat, and a "mantelet" (I think it's called)-- kind of a cross between a shawl and a shrug, also in wool.

Looking forward to this week:
A New Year's Eve ice-skating party. I'm hoping to have my hat finished. I hadn't intended to go skating myself, but since it turns out that I "accidentally" bought myself a pair of ice-skates, somehow I suspect I'll have to at least try it. (How does someone "accidentally" by a pair of ice-skates? That's another funny story I'll have to tell you later.)

No words needed:

Lesson learned the past few days:
Simple things make the best memories.

On my mind:
Plans, goals, and dreams for 2012.

Scripture:

A man's heart deviseth his way: but the Lord directeth his steps. --Proverbs 16:9

Plans for the New Year

2011-12-27T12:10:00.000-08:00

My family is enjoying our Christmas break from school... but my thoughts are already turning towards the upcoming New Year. I'm blogging about that today on the Sonlight Blog... Please visit me there and feel free to leave your thoughts.

I Heard the Bells...

2011-12-24T10:33:00.000-08:00

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:

"God is not dead, nor doth He sleep;

The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,

with peace on earth, good will to men."

Winter Solstice

2011-12-21T11:09:00.000-08:00

The winter solstice has finally arrived. I am looking forward to the daylight hours gradually getting longer again, rather than getting progressively shorter and shorter.

While I haven't researched the topic thoroughly, it seems that I read somewhere that Christmas was first celebrated as an alternative to a pagan holiday. From what I understand, it's more than likely that Jesus wasn't born on December 25 at all... but that some pagan religion celebrated the birth of their god around the time of the winter solstice, so the Christians in the area revised the celebration to recognize Jesus as the true God. I've heard of Christians who don't celebrate Christmas at all because of that... but I kinda like the notion myself.

The main thing is that we are celebrating the coming of the Christ-child, who came to dispel the darkness. The date isn't important to me. But the Light is!

Whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

to give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,

to guide our feet into the way of peace.

--Luke 1:78-79

Pre-Christmas Excitement

2011-12-20T07:58:00.000-08:00

Today I'm blogging for Sonlight about how to keep your kids occupied for these last few exciting days before Christmas. I'd love to hear your ideas! Pop over and leave me a comment.

Hope you're having a wonderful week!

Christmas Caroling

2011-12-19T15:33:00.000-08:00

On Friday evening we invited a group of young people (along with their young-at-heart parents) over for an old-fashioned Christmas caroling party. It was a frosty evening, but what else would you expect for December? We bundled up, and with song-sheets and flashlights in hand, headed down the street singing merrily! We even got brave enough to ring a few doorbells if it looked like people were home. The ones who came to the door seemed to enjoy our singing. Most of us hadn't gone caroling quite like that before, so we learned a few things. Mainly that we should stop to sing, not try to sing while walking. Next time we'll know!

I don't know how long we were out-- maybe 30 or 45 minutes--but long enough to get thoroughly chilled. We came back home for hot cocoa and coffee, a nice spread of yummy snacks, and spent the rest of the evening playing games and laughing.

Spending time with friends is one of the Joys of the Season!

World's Greatest Stories - review

2011-12-16T16:15:00.000-08:00

I love listening to a good storyteller, so I was interested to review a CD in The World's Greatest Stories series. I hadn't heard of this series before I was asked to do the review for the TOS Homeschool Crew, but I have to say I am very impressed.

I'm sure you can tell by the title that this is a Bible story CD. But it's not just a retelling of Bible stories, rather it is word-for-word scripture. George W. Sarris is a exceptionally talented storyteller who recites the scripture passages of some of the most exciting Bible stories in a very dramatic manner which engages listeners of all ages. I liked how he gives a brief introduction to each story, and then uses a variety of dramatic voices and sound effects to make the stories come alive.

I received Volume 1, The Prophets which contains five stories:

The Blazing Furnace
The Handwriting on the Wall
Daniel in the Lions' Den
Elijah and the Prophets of Baal
The Prophecy of Jonah

I especially enjoyed the smarmy voice of Nebuchadnezzar's advisors, the "rage and fury" of Nebuchadnezzar when the Hebrew children wouldn't bow down, the drunken voice of Belshazzar, the whining servant's voice, and the sing-song chanting of the false prophets of Baal. Also, the sound effects: the crackling of the fire and the snarling lions.

The best part is that since it's word-for-word from the Bible (your choice of NIV or KJV) the children can follow along in their own Bibles, which makes it even more meaningful.

Six volumes are currently available on CD for $7.95 each. You can listen to audio clips of each before you order.

Lights on the Boardwalk

2011-12-12T17:02:00.000-08:00

I love the lights of Christmas! One of our favorite traditions is to go for a Christmas Eve drive, sipping hot cocoa, listening to carols, and enjoying the lights. In the meantime, we enjoy seeing the lights as we go about our business on these dark evenings.

One evening the girls talked us into going over to Coeur d'Alene and walking on the boardwalk to see the light display on and around the Coeur d'Alene Resort.

Granted, I'm not a professional photographer, nor do I have an amazing camera... but I was pleased with how well my phone camera captured the lights. Better than my regular camera, I think.

My favorite display was at the end of the boardwalk... the nativity scene... the Reason for the Season.

Many of the light displays tied in with the secular aspect of Christmas, of course. There were even a few that didn't tie in with Christmas at all-- a hot air balloon, a green sea dragon... and Noah's Ark?? That reminded me that I had seen a Noah's Ark figure in with the Christmas decorations at one store (I don't remember where) and it was labeled "nativity scene"! Um... somebody have their Bible stories mixed up, perhaps? Or, let's see... maybe the animals came two-by-two in a boat to visit the Baby Jesus?

There are also nightly cruises to the "North Pole" which I think is a little island in the middle of the lake where Santa sits. We didn't want to pay to take the cruise, but we had fun waving at the boats. Or at least, some of us did. Others of us were embarrassed at the ones who did the waving.

It was a fun evening... making memories!

Sunday Afternoon Drive

2011-12-06T08:00:00.000-08:00

Daylight hours are short and sunny days are rare this time of year, so when this past Sunday turned out to be sunny Lyle invited me to go for a drive with him on some of the back roads around Coeur d'Alene Lake. We stopped to enjoy the view several times. The above picture was taken at 3:40 p.m. as the sun was beginning to set.

Miss Cookie enjoyed herself in the backseat and kept a sharp eye out for wildlife. The most interesting "critters" we saw in the wild that day were magpies and turkeys. However, we stopped to watch awhile when we came upon a farm with a flock of sheep being herded by a border collie on signals from the farmer. Cookie (being half border-collie herself) thought that looked like lots of fun!

At 4:00 we stopped to take a picture of the gorgeous sunset. I was pleasantly surprised to discover that my phone camera actually does a pretty decent job in low-light settings. It was full dark by the time we got home.

Just a little over 2 weeks until the days start getting longer again!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2011-12-05T11:16:00.000-08:00

As I was looking through some old pictures, I came across this one of my dad when he was a teenager. He was probably 17 or 18 in this picture, and it was obviously taken in December. It was probably not too long before he went away to Bible college. (Or maybe he was home from college for Christmas break.)

What I love about this picture is how young he was, yet he was already committed to following God's will for his life. It took a lot of courage for him to leave his home in Louisiana at age 17 and travel by train to Illinois to put himself through Bible college. But he did it because he felt that's what God wanted him to do. It was after he had been at college for a year or two that he received God's call on his life to become a pastor.

Through the years Dad has never wavered from that early commitment to stay in the center of God's will. There have been hard times, but there have been many blessings, too. As his daughter, I am so appreciative of the Godly heritage he and Mother have given me. I am trying my best to pass that heritage to my own children.

Happy birthday, Daddy! I love you!

Decision Points - review

2011-12-02T13:30:00.000-08:00

Several months ago I caught just a portion of a television interview George W. Bush was doing about his autobiography Decision Points. He mentioned how it wasn't meant to cover his entire life (or even his entire presidency) in chronological order. Instead he shares about times when he had to make important decisions that affected his life and/or the lives of others.

I remember thinking at the time that I would enjoy reading his book, even though I don't follow politics very closely. And I have enjoyed it... and learned a lot, both about the man and the office he filled. The presidency is a tough, intense job. It's not a job I would ever want. I appreciate the men who have taken on that huge responsibility (even though, at times, I haven't necessarily agreed with the decisions, policies, and even morals, of some them).

I also appreciated George W. Bush's candidness about the drinking problem he had when he was younger and how he turned to God for help when he finally decided that he wanted to quit drinking. His strong faith comes out throughout the book, yet he seems to have a special gift for diplomacy in being respectful of those who don't share his faith. The chapter on 9/11 was especially gripping and compelling. It was a worthwhile read, and I'm glad I had the opportunity to review it, thanks to WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.

Artistic Pursuits - review

2011-12-02T12:30:00.000-08:00

Several years ago I used the ARTistic Pursuits program for grades 4-6 with my daughter. We went through Book 1. I really liked how it taught her to look for details in the subject of what she wanted to draw, and how it incorporated classic works of art and art history with practical applications as we went along.

Recently I had the opportunity to review the high school level program, through the TOS Homeschool Crew. I chose Book 1 because I was interested to see how it built on the material that was covered at the younger level. I found out that it wasn't necessary to have gone through the lower level, so it's possible to "jump right in" even for teens. (There are 5 different levels: preschool, K-3, 4-6, junior high, and high school.)

What I especially appreciated about the high school level book is that it helps develop the student's personal style. The Getting Started section says, "The elements of art are the tools artists work with throughout their lifetimes. Artists come to understand the elements at a deeper and more personal level. As you delve into these subjects again, or for the first time, you will explore how they can be used to make your work one-of-a-kind." It makes me want to go through the book myself. Oh, the hobbies I could pursue if there were just more hours in a day!

There are two Senior High level ARTistic Pursuits books. Book 1 covers "The Elements of Art and Composition" and is $42.95. You will need drawing pencils, charcoals, drawing paper and other supplies to go with it. ARTistic Pursuits offers an art supplies kit (available separately) to go with each book to save you having to accumulate your own supplies.

Names of God Bible - reivew

2011-12-02T12:00:00.000-08:00

The Names of God Bible offers helpful insights and reminders on the character and nature of God. I found it fascinating for personal reading and devotions. It is the God's Word Translation as edited by Ann Spangler, and throughout the (English) text any time a name or title of God is mentioned it is printed in brown ink (so it stands out from the black) in the original language. So for example, Genesis 1:1-2 reads:

In the beginning Elohim created heaven and earth.
The earth was formless and empty, and darkness covered the deep water. The Ruach Elohim was hovering over the water.

At the beginning of each book is a list of the Names included in that book, with the meaning of each name. So the list for Genesis tells me that El or Elohim simply means "God," and that Ruach Elohim is "the Spirit of God." Those, of course, are just two of the most commonly used Names. There are others that have more specific meanings such as El Shadday, which means "God Almighty" and El Roi, which means "the God Who Sees Me."

Interspersed throughout this Bible are articles on each of the Names highlighted, explaining more in depth about the meaning, some associated scriptures, and devotional thoughts. Even though it's not my preferred translation, I have found it interesting and inspiring to learn more about God through studying His Names. Thank you to the Baker Publishing Group for sending me a review copy.

Midnight Adventure

2011-11-27T16:09:00.000-08:00

We had a quiet Thanksgiving at home. (And, yes, Farrah, Thanksgiving Day was my birthday.) It turned out to be one of the times where it didn't work out for us to go anywhere or have anyone over, so it was just our immediate family. Still, we have our children and our health and far more blessings than we deserve, so we have much to be thankful for. (Oh, yes. And my dear friend Farrah. She's a blessing, too. In case you don't know why I'm mentioning Farrah, you'll have to read her comments on my last post.)

The girls wanted to fix a nice turkey dinner with all the trimmings, including 3 kinds of pie! So we enjoyed our dinner. We also watched the Macy's parade, played a game of Life, took naps, and just generally relaxed and enjoyed each other's company.

Then Mama had a not-so-bright idea that the rest of the family readily agreed to. In retrospect I should have just kept my mouth shut. But no. I had gotten a sale flyer in the mail that Kohl's would be open at midnight Thanksgiving night and they had coats for 70% off. Both girls and Lyle were needing coats. I also noticed that my favorite coffee kiosk was going to be open all night. So wouldn't it be a fun family adventure, I thought, to go out at midnight and get coffee or cocoa then make a quick Kohl's run before heading home to bed? Surely most of the Black Friday shoppers would wait until morning to hit the stores. I didn't figure very many people would be crazy enough to go out in the middle of the night.

Boy, was I wrong.

As we passed Target I was utterly shocked to see that the parking lot was full-to-overflowing and the line at the door stretched along the building and all the way down the side of the parking lot. Traffic on the highway was like a major ballgame had just got out or something. Best Buy was the same scenario. I was ready to turn around and go home right then. I couldn't believe it when we got to Kohl's and found the same thing going on there.

I did refuse to stand in line to get in the store, so we waited in the warm car until the doors opened and then went in the door where the line wasn't. Oh, the pushing and shoving and snatching and grabbing... and wall-to-wall people! It was a mad house. We made our way to the men's coat department and spent some time deciding on a coat for Lyle-- then to the women's coat department and deliberated over the choices for the girls.

Let's just take our time, I thought, and let the crowd thin out a bit before we try to check out. Again, I was so very wrong. By the time we had made our selections and were more than ready to go, the checkout lines had stretched to the back of the store on both sides (2 lines, one for each side of the store, with 6 cashiers each) and the lines met in the middle of the back of the store.

Lyle and the girls got in line and I went to look at socks "real quick." Even in the sock department people were pushing and shoving to get through. I was standing about a foot away from a rack of socks examining the display when a young man elbowed his way through between me and the rack. I was just appalled at the lack of common courtesy. At least the other people pushed through behind me and most said, "Excuse me."

I chose my socks and went to get in line with my family. We sent the girls on out to the car where they could be comfortable while we waited. By the time we got the check stand we had waited in line for a full hour.

I was so traumatized!

We got what we went after at a really good price-- and I can now say that I've experienced Black Friday shopping.

But. Never again!

Give Thanks

2011-11-23T10:27:00.000-08:00

1. List three (little) things you wouldn't want to live without:

contact lenses
books
coffee

2. Name something you had to do without recently: a car
3. What are you most thankful for that you consider a luxury? my "new" car
4. Name an item you use the most throughout your day: a computer
5. What would life be like without the item listed in #4? It would be a completely different lifestyle. I wouldn't be able to work as a Sonlight advisor. Research and archiving for my writing would be much harder.
6. Name something that you use in the kitchen that you are thankful for: the microwave
7. What is (one of ) the best earthly gift(s) you ever received? my engagement watch, for what it symbolized
8. Name a completely random thing you are thankful for: our sweet dog, Cookie
9. How often do you think about the item listed in #8? All the time because she's usually in the room with me, just waiting to be noticed.
10. Name something you recently acquired, that you have wanted for a long time: a Toyota RAV4
11. Would you rather have #4, or #7? Well, #7 no longer works, so it has been retired to my jewelry box, but the resulting marriage is a treasure worth more than any material item.
12. Name one of your favorite things: I have an awfully hard time picking favorites, but I do love the quilt my mother made for my bed.
13. Look around the room you are in, and name three things you enjoy in it:

a wall full of books
family pictures
Cookie!

14. List three tools you use in your daily work that you are thankful for:

the computer
the scanner/copier
my phone

15. Name something that you sometimes wish you didn't have in your life, but that you would miss dreadfully if it were taken away: our travel-trailer
16. Post a picture (or ten) of something you are thankful for!

Thanksgiving Traditions

2011-11-22T12:45:00.000-08:00

I'm blogging today about family holiday traditions (and non-traditions) on the Sonlight Blog. Please pop by and leave me a comment there. I love to hear from you.

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Another one I have to tell on myself...

2011-11-19T16:13:00.000-08:00

The Idaho panhandle was hit with the first major winter storm of the season night-before-last. I had a couple of errands to run yesterday evening, and Lyle very kindly agreed to drive for me. We stopped at Papa Murphy's to pick up a take-and-bake pizza for supper. Just before I got out I asked him what kind of pizza he was in the mood for.

"Oh... pepperoni, I guess. Can you get one that's half pepperoni and half chicken or something?" Pepperoni's his favorite, but he knows I like garlic chicken better.

"I think so. I'll see," I told him. As I went in I noticed that the special was for a 5-meat stuffed pizza for the same price as their regular pizzas. The stuffed pizzas are bigger, so I made the executive decision to get that instead. I knew he wouldn't care.

Before long they called my name, so I picked up my pizza and went sashaying out the door into the blizzard. (Okay, it was just more of a flurry at the moment, but maybe it won't make me look quite so air-headed if we say it was snowing and blowing. Oh, and dark. Did I mention it was dark? It gets dark around 4:00 p.m. these days. So it was dark.)

I dashed over to the Dodge Ram that was idling in the parking lot and pulled open the door on the passenger side. I took a breath to start my spiel about how the stuffed pizza was on special and so that's why I didn't get pepperoni and all that. Then I noticed the driver had on a stocking cap. Lyle never wears stocking caps. Whoa! He was also smoking a cigarette! Um. Lyle definitely does not smoke. What happened to my husband?? And why is this stranger in our truck?? [Maybe it was Joe!] Then I realized-- this was not our truck. "Whoops!" I said, as I quickly shut the door and backed away. The weird thing was all these thoughts went through my head in a split second because the stranger/driver never even noticed that I opened the door. Maybe he noticed me closing it. I don't know because I was gone.

Lyle was sitting in the RAV4 which was parked next to the Dodge Ram. I had forgotten that we had traded rigs last week. I still have to think about what vehicle to look for in a parking lot, and obviously I wasn't thinking at the time! So instead of telling him about the pizza deal, I had to tell him how I almost got in the truck with the wrong man. Oh, dear!

What makes it really bad is that a Dodge Ram was our vehicle-before-last. It's been almost 2 years since we had it. But still, a Toyota Tundra is pretty close. At least in my mind, a big ol' truck is a big ol' truck.

But this:

This is what we drive now.

Must remember.

I'm such a ditz sometimes!

Remembering You - review

2011-11-18T14:00:00.000-08:00

Years ago, before I had kids, I spent a good bit of time interviewing my Granddaddy... and even visited the community with him where he grew up and raised his older children. I had plans to write a book. The idea is still lurking in the back of my mind. Maybe I'll get to it before too long now that my children are nearly grown.

Remembering You by Tricia Goyer is a story of a grandfather's memories of World War II. Even though my Granddad was not a veteran, and I've never been to Europe, the story still made me think of the times I was privileged to spend with Granddaddy listening to his reminiscences by the hour. I am also fascinated by World War II stories, so the theme of the book was very interesting to me. I also enjoyed the element of romance that was woven into the story.

Here's the publisher's synopsis which tells a little more about the plot of the novel:

35-year-old Ava Andrews' dream job is interrupted by an unusual request--fulfill her 84-year-old grandfather's last wish by joining him on a battle site tour of Europe. Ava is sure her boss will refuse her request. But, instead, he gives her a directive of his own--to videotape the tour and send it back as mini-segments for the show she produces.

As if juggling these two things isn't hard enough, Ava is soon surprised again ... twice. First, Ava and Grandpa Jack arrive in Europe, only to discover the tour is cancelled. Unwilling to let down her grandfather or her boss, Ava and Grandpa Jack head out on their own. Then, while they're on their way, the pair soon meet up with Paul, her grandpa's best friend, and his grandson Dennis. The same Dennis who just happens to be Ava's first love.

Before she knows it, Ava and Dennis are swept down memory lane as they visit the sites that are discussed in the history books. And even though Ava's videotaping old soldiers, she can see their youth, their hopes and fears, and their pride in their eyes. Soon Ava learns the trip isn't just for them ... it's for her too--especially for her heart.

Read an excerpt, watch a video and find out more here.
Enter 11/16 - 11/29. RSVP for Facebook Party on 11/29!

Thank you to LitFuse Group for sending me a review copy.

Torani Flavored Syrup - review

2011-11-16T12:04:00.000-08:00

My favorite treat this time of year is a "frou-frou coffee" from a real coffee shop. Of course, such indulgences are a little hard on the pocketbook, so I don't have one as often as I would like. Which is probably a good thing for my waistline, too.

I have experimented with recreating the coffee shop recipes at home. I have discovered I don't care for flavored coffee itself. I would rather add the flavoring after the coffee is made. I also don't much like the flavored creamers that are so popular. Most of them are non-dairy and taste fake to me.

I finally have settled on ingredients that make my home brewed coffee pretty tasty. I don't have an espresso machine or a milk foamer/steamer thingy... so I still splurge on a caramel macchiato every now and then... but for "every day" I like to add a splash of flavored syrup (made with real cane sugar) with half-and-half to my coffee.

Recently I was offered the opportunity to review Torani flavored syrups for She Speaks, so I had the chance to try out some new flavors. There are over 122 flavors, and no, I haven't tried them all. Some of them are fruity flavors for Italian sodas and the like-- not meant for coffee. The weirdest one on the list was Bacon. We couldn't imagine why anyone would want bacon flavoring in a beverage of any kind at all. I flipped through the little recipe booklet they sent, and found a recipe for "Torani Bacon Bourbon Sour." *shudder* All righty then! Anyway, my favorite flavor for coffee is Salted Caramel. I also like French Vanilla and English Toffee. I don't care much for Brown Sugar Cinnamon or Peppermint, but it's just because those aren't flavors I like mixed in with coffee. Other people I know really like them. It's just a matter of personal preference.

The Christmas Shoppe - review

2011-11-14T11:30:00.000-08:00

In the hectic busy-ness of the Christmas season sometimes you'd just like to relax for a little bit with a light, heart-warming short book. The Christmas Shoppe by Melody Carlson is perfect for that. With a small-town setting it's just the sort of story that will "take you home again" for the holidays. I found it a little bit predictable, but it was still a fun read. Here's the publisher's synopsis:

In sleepy little Parrish Springs, everyone seems to know everyone else’s business practically before they do. The empty Barton Building has finally sold-- but not to the right person, according to Councilman Snider. He is successful in stirring up the townspeople and turning them against the new owner, Matilda Honeycutt. This older woman with scraggly gray hair and a different fashion sense doesn’t fit into the Parrish Springs tradition. The town is curious and yet afraid of her at the same time. But nothing convinces Matilda to give up her plans for The Christmas Shoppe.

The neighboring shop owners respond in horror when The Christmas Shoppe doesn’t look and feel like all the other charming stores on the town's quaint main street. After all Christmas is approaching, and the last thing the town needs is a junky shop run by someone who looks and acts like a gypsy. But as townsfolk venture into the strange store, they discover that old memories can bring new life, healing, and love.

Thank you to Baker Publishing Group for sending me a review copy.

The Three Trees - review

2011-11-10T09:25:00.000-08:00

Years ago, when I worked in children's ministry, one of my all-time favorite stories to tell was of The Three Trees. It's a folktale of three trees who each have different dreams of what they'll become when they grow up. One dreams of becoming a baby's cradle, another wants to be made into a great ship, but the third just wants to stand on the hillside to point men to God. Instead, the three trees are made into a rough feed trough for animals, a crude fishing boat, and awfullest of all, a rough, cruel cross. The trees are so upset that their dreams didn't come true, until they realize how God is able to use even the most humble circumstances for His plan.

Kregel Publications has just released a beautiful picture book retelling this classic story. I was very happy to receive a review copy, as I will enjoy reading and re-reading it to children for years to come. It's one of those special keepsake books, and would make a great gift for any age.

Celebrating

2011-11-07T14:27:00.000-08:00

The day of our anniversary last week was too full of scheduled activities for much celebrating. That's the way it happens sometimes, so Lyle and I were tentatively planning to "do something" together on Saturday if he didn't have to work.

On Thursday morning he IMed me: "I don't suppose you want to go to the Seattle car show?" The man dearly loves looking at cars. Me? Not so much. But... it's 4-and-a-half hours to Seattle, and I do love going on road-trips with the man. So we decided we would do it as a day trip to save the cost of a hotel bill, and because we're not quite comfortable leaving the kids alone overnight yet.

We left at 5:00 a.m. and spent two hours driving and visiting in the dark before the sun came up. Much to our delight, it turned out to be a beautiful, sunny day. Rare for November. Also rare for Seattle any time.

We enjoyed the beautiful fall foliage as we crossed the Cascades. (Lyle had his phone mounted on the dash to use the GPS and was able to snap a few pictures of the scenery as we drove.)

The auto show was big and exciting (to him, at least). We spent about 3 hours there, talking about what our next car might be and looking at all the different options. Oh, yes, and collecting freebie shopping bags.

When we finished there, I asked if we might take a few minutes to run in the nearby Half Price Books store. It was 2 miles away through downtown Seattle. We could see the Space Needle and the Sound down the street. We wished we had more time to spend because we had so much fun in Seattle for our 25th anniversary last year.

I found a couple of cool vintage crochet pattern books at the bookstore.

And then we headed home.

Nine hours in the car... four hours in the city. I suppose some people would call that crazy. But, hey, he loves to drive... and I'm always happy to occupy the passenger seat of whatever he is driving.

Besides, he brings me flowers.

Love that man!

26 Years

2011-11-02T07:22:00.001-07:00

We were so young. And clueless.

We had no idea what we were getting into.

We just knew we wanted God's will for our lives.

That is still our desire today, 26 years later.

We are so grateful that He brought us together.

We are blessed beyond measure.

I have to tell this one on myself...

2011-10-29T18:33:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know. I've been horridly neglecting my blog lately, with the exception of product reviews, which I was obliged to post. And yes, I admit, I seem to have overbooked them for the past month or so. Sorry about that. I really am almost caught up, so maybe I can get back to blogging about real life again soon.

In the meantime, I thought I'd throw this stupid little incident out there for your amusement. I have no pictures to go with it, but it made me laugh. At myself. So I thought you might enjoy it, too.

Cookie (the dog) and I went with Lyle to the print shop this morning. He needed to work half a day, and I had some copies I needed to make. Cookie? She just likes to hang out with us.

Along about mid-morning Miss Cookie indicated that she needed to go outside. Figuring it wouldn't take long, I darted out with her without taking time to put my jacket on. It wasn't freezing cold, I noticed as I stepped outside, but it was a nippy late-October morning.

Cookie quickly took care of business, so we turned to go back in. That's when I realized that the door had locked behind me. And Lyle was working in the back. So he didn't hear me pounding on the door. And pounding. And pounding. For about five minutes.

Man, I wish I had put my jacket on. And picked up my phone. Now what?

I considered my options. There were no open businesses in the neighborhood who might have a phone I could use. I could sit down and wait for Lyle to notice I wasn't inside. No telling how long that would take. I could walk home. But it's 2 miles. And I had no jacket. And no leash for the dog.

I wonder if he would hear me if I banged on the back door? Probably not. He was kinda in the middle of the building. But I couldn't think of any other options, so I decided to wade through the tallish wet grass to go around the building and give it a try.

Ah. The back door pounds louder than the front door. That's helpful. Maybe he will hear it. I hope so, because by now I'm needing to go to the bathroom, besides getting chilled.

What a relief! He did hear it, and came to let us in. He was a little concerned at the loud knocking because he hadn't even realized the dog and I were outside.

I explained, "I took Cookie out. And the door locked behind me. And I didn't have my phone. Or my jacket. And I gotta go to the bathroom!" And I headed there first.

As I was washing my hands, my pocket started ringing.

Um. Yeah.

The phone had been in my pocket the entire time. If I had waited just a few more minutes it would have rung while I was outside. Then I would have realized I had a way to call Lyle to let me in.

I'm such a ditz sometimes!

Sunrise on the Battery - review

2011-10-29T16:45:00.000-07:00

Sunrise on the Battery by Beth Webb Hart is the inspiring story of one family's spiritual journey--individually, and then collectively. The novel is told from three perspectives: Mary Lynn (the wife and mother), Jackson (the husband and father), and Catherine (the eldest of their three daughters). I liked the reader is able to "get inside the head" of each of the main characters to relate to their struggles and ambitions. I also appreciated the challenge to find a balance in our spiritual walk.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

What would it look like if we really loved each other—if we had no inhibitions about sharing our faith and our very lives with a hurting world? How would we really spend our time and our money? And what impact would this have on our own families, especially our children? What impact would it have on our communities, our country and the world? These are the questions that first inspired Beth Webb Hart to write her newest novel, Sunrise on the Battery.

Hart always begins her writing with a question, and she was inspired with these questions after reading David Platt’s book Radical: Taking Back Your Faith from the American Dream. His book uncovered blind spots in her own life and helped her fully imagine just where her characters’ uninhibited faith might take them.

Mary Lynn Scoville has everything anyone could desire—a handsome husband, three beautiful daughters and a ticket into the social elite of Charleston, S.C. But after a miraculous answer to a prayer on her behalf, Mary Lynn decides to pray that her husband will discover the faith she loves. But when her prayers are answered, she finds her world turned upside down and is forced to deal with the idols she has created in her own life.

Jackson Scoville is a man on a mission. Growing up deprived of the finer things in life, he wants more for his children. His mission is to give his girls the best—a top-rate education, exposure and immersion in the fine arts and frequent opportunities to see the big wide world. “Not just education, baby—cultivation,” he is known to say. But when he discovers the truth of Scripture, his focus takes a quick turn—a turn his family may not like.

While writing about the lives of Mary Lynn, Jackson and their daughters, Hart shows her readers how God can change a life and inspire a family. She draws her readers into the story, especially with her intricate details of the social culture of Charleston. Her characters will shine a reflection on her readers’ own struggles and fears, and they will be inspired to examine their own lives and discover what really matters.

Thank you to the B&B Media Group for sending me a review copy.

Refuge on Crescent Hill - review

2011-10-26T15:30:00.000-07:00

I've always dreamed of living in a big ol' house full of intriguing nooks and crannies, staircases and secret passageways. Refuge on Crescent Hill by Melanie Dobson tells the story of such a house, dating back to before the Civil War when Crescent Hill was an Underground Railroad Station. It an interesting, contemporary story about the young lady who inherits the old mansion, but isn't sure what to do with it... and another unrelated young lady in another part of the country who is trying to locate the Underground Railroad Station mentioned in family documents to find out what happened to a particular slave who escaped in the days before the Civil War. I loved the history and intrigue woven throughout, and even the element of romance. It was a good read!

Thank you to Kregel Publications for sending me a review copy.

Heads Up: Refuge on Crescent Hill will be available on Amazon Kindle FREE for one week starting October 31! Can't beat a deal like that!

The Opposite of Art - review

2011-10-26T15:14:00.000-07:00

I was intrigued by the description of The Opposite of Art by Athol Dickson:

A great artist is cast into the icy Harlem River by a hit-and-run driver. His heart stops, and he sees something that defies description. Presumed dead by all who knew him and obsessed with the desire to paint the inexpressible, he embarks on a pilgrimage to seek help from holy men around the globe. But is it possible to see eternity without becoming lost within it? After a quarter of a century, when the world begins to whisper that he may be alive, two people come looking for the artist: the daughter he never knew existed, and the murderer who hit him on the bridge all those years ago.

However, my copy only arrived a few days ago, and the review was due yesterday. I'm only half through with the book, so I can't give you a very complete review, but I decided I probably needed to go ahead and post my thoughts so far. It's a different kind of story. A little on the edgy side for Christian fiction, but I am enjoying it. I admire the faith of Suzanne (who is the mother of the artist's daughter) both in God and in believing that the artist is still alive. I will be interested to find out if the artist and his family will be reunited in the end.

Thank you to Glass Roads Public Relations for sending me a review copy.

Life Experience and Literature

2011-10-25T15:47:00.000-07:00

I'm posting on the Sonlight Blog today about "Life Experience and Literature." Pop in over there and leave me a comment, if you would. I'd love to hear from you!

George Washington Carver - review

2011-10-24T03:20:00.000-07:00

Recently I had the opportunity to review George Washington Carver: His Life and His Work as a member of the TOS Homeschool Crew. I can't remember when I first learned about George W. Carver. I'm sure it was during my own school days. I remembered that he "invented" peanut butter (among hundreds of other things made from peanuts) and that he was a humble, Godly man. I have always admired him, and have enjoyed reading about him with my own children. So I was excited to have the opportunity to view this film.

Geared towards students in 8th to 12th grade, it is a compelling documentary with lots of lovely nature footage and original photos of Dr. Carver and places where he lived and work. It has a pleasant African-American voice-over with a soft southern accent which ties in nicely with the subject matter. There was even a short clip of Dr. Carver himself speaking (accepting an award). My main disappointment was that it seemed too short. It is only 30 minutes long. It covered all the major highlights of Dr. Carver's life, but I would have enjoyed a little more in-depth coverage.

This DVD is available from Marshall Publishing for $19.95. They also offer a free study guide to go along with the film. For a limited time, Marshall Publishing is offering my readers a 15% discount on this DVD. Please use coupon code TOSC1 at check out to receive your discount.

Say Anything Family game - review

2011-10-21T17:00:00.000-07:00

As our children are getting older, we find that we enjoy playing table games as a family more than we used to. It's an activity we especially enjoy in the evenings when we're camping. We have several classic games that we like, but we are always open to finding a fun, new game. Ones that make us laugh are especially welcome. Last winter, we enjoyed Wits and Wagers Family from NorthStar Games. So this fall I was excited to be offered the opportunity to review another game from NorthStar Games as part of the TOS Homeschool Crew reviews.

Say Anything Family is similar in format to Wits and Wagers Family in that it includes mini marker boards and wipe-off markers for each player. It is different enough, though, that we will enjoy owning and playing both of them. It's a question-and-answer game, so it's pretty quick to learn. The questions are fun... and there is no right or wrong answer.

When a player takes his turn he pulls a question card from the deck. There are 3 questions on the card, and the player gets to choose whichever one he wants to ask. (He's the "judge" on his turn.) All the other players write whatever answer they think the "judge" will like best. The twist is that no two players can write the same answer. The person who writes the answer on his marker board first gets to be the one to have that answer. Everyone else has to think of something different. When you're playing with your family that can be kinda tricky, because you know each other so well.

The first time we played it one of the first questions announced was, "What would make a road trip more fun?" In our family everybody knows Daddy likes to drive fast, so the obvious answer was, "Drive faster." However, "Daddy" wrote that as his answer first, so the rest of us had to think of something different. I came up with, "Have Daddy sing 'The Ducky Song.'" Years ago, on a road trip with the kids, Lyle made up this really awful, goofy song about duckies. The kids got the biggest kick out of it and begged him to sing it over and over. I knew reminding them of it would make them think that would make a road trip more fun than driving faster. And, sure enough, I was right. And then, of course, our 16- and 18-year-old daughters started begging their dad to sing "The Ducky Song."

Who cares who wins the game? Sharing memories and laughter as a family is what it's all about.

Say Anything Family was a hit at our house. It retails for $19.99 and can be purchased from places like Amazon.com, Target and other retail stores.

Love on the Line - review

2011-10-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

I guess it would be showing my age to admit that my family had a party-line phone way back in the Dark Ages of the 1980s when my husband and I were engaged. Actually, party-lines weren't around much any more by then, but we lived in a rural area of the Ozarks where that was the only option for a telephone. And, of course, my "fiance" and I spent way more time on the telephone than we should have, considering the cost of long-distance in those days. We would get so irritated at the neighbors picking up the phone to see if we were through talking yet. Poor neighbors!

I was reminded of that experience when I read Love on the Line by Deeanne Gist. Set in the early 19-aughts in a small town where only a few people had a telephone and everybody was on the same party line, I found it to be a very entertaining and well-researched story. I loved learning more about how the early switchboards operated and how all the calls had to go through Central. I think I would have enjoyed being a telephone operator, like our heroine, if I had lived back in those days. I wasn't real crazy about her obsession with birds, but it did add an interesting sub-plot to the story. It was a fun, light read and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Rural switchboard operator Georgie Gail is proud of her independence in a man's world ... which makes it twice as vexing when the telephone company sends a man to look over her shoulder.

Dashing Luke Palmer is more than he appears though. He's a Texas Ranger working undercover to infiltrate a notorious gang of train robbers. Repairing telephones and tangling with this tempestuous woman is the last thing he wants to do. But when his stakeout puts Georgie in peril, he realizes more than his job is on the line.

Enter to win an iPad2; RSVP for Facebook Party on 11/8!

Thank you to Litfuse Publicity Group for sending me a review copy.

Knit with Love - review

2011-10-18T17:40:00.000-07:00

Knit With Love: Stories to Warm a Knitter's Heart by Lisa Bogart is pretty much defined right there on the front cover. As a knitter (and crocheter) I always have a project--or three--going, and usually take along whatever I'm working on whenever I need to go somewhere. Especially if I know I'll be sitting for awhile. Inevitably I am asked, "What are you making?" Knitting is a great conversation starter, and the author of this inspiring book shares stories of how knitting has touched people's lives. It's a nice book to keep on your side table when you just have a few minutes to read a page or two because the stories and anecdotes are short, yet encouraging. It would make a great gift for any knitter on your list.

Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for sending me a review copy. I enjoyed it!

Baby, It's Cold Outside - review

2011-10-18T07:30:00.000-07:00

Lately I have been especially enjoying novels set in the 1940s, so I was eager to read Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren. In a somewhat unlikely turn-of-events, the town librarian ends up providing shelter for 4 unrelated people during a bad snowstorm on Christmas Eve. Even though the premise was a little bit of a stretch, I loved the characters and found their personalities and struggles completely believable. I was also interested to learn how the author came up with the idea for the story.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

It's Christmas weekend 1949, and despite the threat of a storm, the townspeople of Frost are determined to continue their holiday traditions, if only as a means to forget the war that they had all just suffered through. But the suffering hasn't ended for Dottie Morgan who lost her only son in the war. She's preparing to wallow in her isolation for the weekend, when Violet, nearly a spinster at age 29, dares to make a request that will force Dottie to publicly revive the memory of her dead son.

When a storm traps the two women at home with a strange young man who has an unbelievable confession and a neighbor with more to do with Violet's past than she would like, no one can predict how this Christmas will give them all a second chance.

You can also read an excerpt here.

Warm up to Christmas early this year with Susan May Warren's Baby, It's Cold Outside! To celebrate the release of her new Christmas book with Summerside Press, she and the publisher are giving away a Kindle Fire and hosting an early Christmas Party on Facebook!

One festive winner will receive:
A brand new Kindle Fire
Baby, It's Cold Outside by Susan May Warren
Enter today by clicking one of the icons below. Giveaway ends on 10/26!

Thank you to Litfuse for sending me a review copy.

Families Writing

2011-10-17T07:18:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging on the Sonlight Blog today about how to encourage our families to write more. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Please leave me a comment over there.

A Necessary Deception - review

2011-10-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

A Necessary Deception by Laurie Alice Eakes is a Regency Romance/Mystery which makes for an interesting plot. With elements of espionage, intrigue, and, of course, romance, fans of both mystery and historical romance novels would enjoy this novel. The story is well-researched and the relationship dynamics are believable. In spite of all the good things the book had going for it, I found it a little hard to care about or keep track of the characters, and that was distracting to me-- so I didn't enjoy it quite as much as I thought I would. I have heard other people loved it, so maybe it's just me.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

When young widow Lady Lydia Gale helps a French prisoner obtain parole, she never expected doing so would put her family in jeopardy. But that’s just what happens when a shadowy figure corners her during an evening stroll and blackmails her with the threat of treason.

She returns to her family just as the London Season is getting underway, and is shocked when the French prisoner appears in her parlor calling himself by a new name, Christien de Meuse, and carrying a letter from the shadowy man.

While she should be helping her younger sisters, bookish Cassandra, who’s about to get married, and headstrong Honore, who’s about to enter into London society, Lydia can’t help being preoccupied with the mysterious Frenchman. Nor can she deny her attraction to him. Is he a spy or a suitor? Can he be trusted? Is she putting her family in danger or sparing them from harm?

With an eye for detail and in-depth knowledge of the period, Laurie Alice Eakes brings alive the drawing rooms of London’s elite.

Available October 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for sending me a review copy.

Piano for Life - review

2011-10-14T17:30:00.000-07:00

Did you know that the piano is the most popular musical instrument ever invented? It's always been my favorite-- both to listen to and to play. I love playing the piano, but I'm not very good because I don't take time to practice regularly. I had piano lessons when I was younger and learned to read notes, and I can play anything in the hymnal-- but by note only. Although it's been twenty-mumble years since I've had piano lessons, I've never really quit playing the piano-- but I haven't really progressed very far either. I've often wished I could play by ear or at least improvise a little to make the music more pleasing. I just figured I wasn't gifted in that way. I'm beginning to realize that's not necessarily so.

A few weeks ago Timberdoodle sent me a copy of Piano for Life to review. I was interested in it primarily for the benefit of my younger daughter who loves to pick out tunes on the piano by ear. I have worked with her a little bit on learning the notes, but mostly she plays what she hears. I would love to find a teacher who could work with her special learning style, because I believe she does have a natural gift for music, although she struggles with reading in general. With Piano for Life (and the prequel, Piano for Quitters) I think she and I, together, can learn to play the piano with the natural learning style used by the masters.

I am learning so much myself from the videos. I had several years of piano lessons as well as a music theory class in high school, so I thought I knew a good bit about music already. Apparently I learned the theory and the rote playing without really understanding how theory related to performance. Now, just to find the time to practice what I'm learning...

Piano for Life, a 3-DVD set with 4 1/2 hours of instruction, is available from Timberdoodle for $67.50. I recommend starting with Piano for Quitters, and then progressing on to Piano for Life.

A Lamp to My Feet

2011-10-14T08:05:00.000-07:00

Usually, my favorite version of the Bible to read is the New King James (or sometimes even the old-fashioned KJV). I guess it's because I grew up using the KJV and those are the Words that are most familiar to me. The NKJV has retained the same flavor but is a little easier to understand with modern spellings and the "thees" and "thous" changed to "yous."

Awhile back I downloaded The Message Promise Book for my Kindle while it was temporarily free. It is a collection of Bible promises organized by topic in The Message translation. Several people I highly respect really enjoy reading from The Message for their personal Bible reading, though I've never cared for it much myself. For some reason this week I decided to read the little Promise Book on my Kindle. Both the organization into topics and the "fresh" language have been just what I needed right now. The colloquial turns-of-phrase have me reaching for my "real" Bible to compare the verses. Here is an example of one that stood out to me this morning:

Matthew 11:28-30 from The Message:

"Are you tired? Worn out? Burned out on religion? Come to me. Get away with me and you'll recover your life. I'll show you how to take a real rest. Walk with me and work with me—watch how I do it. Learn the unforced rhythms of grace. I won't lay anything heavy or ill-fitting on you. Keep company with me and you'll learn to live freely and lightly."

And then same verses in the dear, familiar words of the King James Version:

Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.
Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.

I am so grateful for the easy access we have to God's Word, and that He is still (always!) faithful to speak to our hearts in just the way we need.

Times Tales DVD - review

2011-10-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have to admit, math is not my strong suit. To this day I still have to stop and think about what 6x7 and 7x8 are. I don't know why those facts are so hard for me to remember.

When my children were younger and just beginning to learn their multiplication tables I heard about a program called Times Tales that uses mnemonic stories for the hard-to-remember multiplication facts. (They don't do the 1s, 2s, 5s, or 10s because those are so easy.) The stories are just silly but the kids remember them... maybe just because they are so silly. The set I got way-back-when came with a flip chart with funny cartoons for each story and flashcards.

Recently Times Tales developed a DVD will all the silly stories and flashcards in an electronic format that you can just pop in your DVD player for the kids to watch. No more having to sit there going over the stories and drilling with the flashcards.

This program is geared more for younger kids who are just beginning to learn their multiplication facts rather than for older ones who never learned them well to start with. That's not to say it wouldn't work with older kids; it just wouldn't be as appealing to them.

Forsaking All Others - review

2011-10-10T11:30:00.000-07:00

Forsaking All Others by Allison Pittman is the sequel to For Time and Eternity. It is a historical novel set in the early days of the Mormon church, and tells the story of a young lady named Camilla who was drawn to the Mormons without really understanding what their religion was all about. For Time and Eternity told the story of how she met and married her husband, and moved west to Utah with him to help build the temple in Salt Lake City. The book ended with a cliff-hanger of Camilla leaving her husband and children after he took a second wife. Forsaking All Others concludes the story telling about Camilla's journey to restore her family relationships and be reunited with her children. It was a compelling, and somewhat sad story... but with a hopeful ending. I enjoyed both books very much, but I would encourage you to not try to read one without the other. It really is a continuing story, not just a series of stories about the same characters.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Camilla Fox is alive. The last thing she remembers is being lost in the snow after leaving her home to escape the Mormon faith she no longer calls her own. She’s been taken in by the 5th Infantry Regiment of the US Army and given over to the personal care of Captain Charles Brandon. As she regains her strength, memories of her two children she had to leave behind come flooding back, threatening to break her heart. Camilla is determined to reunite with her daughters. But when news of her father’s grave illness reaches her, she knows she must return to the family farm to reconcile with her father. As spring arrives, Camilla returns to Salt Lake City a changed woman, but nothing could prepare her for the changes to the city, to the Mormon church, and to the family she left behind.

Thank you to Tyndale for providing me with a review copy.

Passion to Action - review

2011-10-06T21:45:00.000-07:00

As much as we love to travel and go camping with our travel-trailer, we've often wondered what it would be like to be "full-timers." We think we would like living on the road, traveling around all the time. So far God hasn't called us to that kind of lifestyle. Maybe He will some day! In the meantime, we try to be content with the occasional road trip.

But that's exactly what God called the Loecken family to do a few years ago. I was very intigued to read their story in Passion to Action. Here's a little bit about the book:

Jay and Beth Loecken were an ordinary family searching for meaning in their lives. They seemed to have all they needed in life, yet something kept pulling at them—a stirring, a sense that they were being called to a greater purpose in life.

After coming home from a mission trip to Africa, the Loecken family returned to their comfortable lifestyle, but they all knew they wanted something more. In April of 2008, the family made the daring decision to sell their home, purchase an RV, and begin traveling the country serving communities in need.

In Passion to Action, the Loeckens share the remarkable story of how their life was turned upside down and fulfilled them more than they ever thought possible. It will inspire readers to discover their own passions and put them into action.

I was interested to learn more about the logistics of family life in such a small space, and the things they learned the first few months on the road. I was inspired to read about the various ministries they have helped, and the reactions of people along the way. Even if we never end up traveling full time, I was encouraged to reach out to those around me here at home.

Thank you to B&B Media Group for providing me with a review copy.

Scruble Cube - review

2011-10-05T11:33:00.000-07:00

"What in the world is a Scruble Cube?" was my first thought when I was offered the opportunity to review this educational toy/game as a member of the Homeschool Crew.

Well, remember the Rubik's Cube? No? I guess I'm showing my age then. C'mon! Admit it. At least you know what a Rubik's Cube is, right? Okay. Think Rubik's-Cube-meets-Scrabble. That's what the Scruble Cube makes me think of.

Each side of the cube has 16 letter or bonus tiles that can be arranged in a multitude of ways. The surface of the tiles can rotate, too (unlike a Rubik's Cube) so when you're trying to make a word you can turn the letters to all face the same direction.

I thought it would be a good way to reinforce spelling, and it sort of is, but more than that it's a exercise in thinking of words that use the letters that can be manipulated into place. Each letter has a specific number of points (like Scrabble) and the bonus tiles can be manipulated into place to give you extra points for the words you form.

It is recommended for ages 8 and up, but I think a typical 8-year-old would find it very challenging, and maybe even frustrating. However, I think it's great for teens and adults who enjoy challenging word games.

It's the type of game you could play sitting around the campfire or in the car on a road-trip. It's pretty portable being mainly just the cube. It came in a box with an instruction sheet, a timer and a printed score pad, which is cool, except the box was pretty flimsy and designed more for display in the store rather than ongoing store-all-the-game-components together practicality. I was disappointed about that.

Scruble Cube is available online and at various retailers for $24.95.

Hello, Hollywood! - review

2011-10-05T11:30:00.000-07:00

Hello, Hollywood! is the second in Janice Thompson's Backstage Pass series. It offers a behind-the-scenes look at a fictional popular sitcom. I enjoyed the first book in the series, Stars Collide, so I was interested to read more of the continuing story. While the story in Stars Collide was about the actors in the sitcom, Hello, Hollywood! features the writers of the show. Being interested in writing, I found that fascinating. I liked how they set up their writing room to resemble the set on the Dick VanDyke Show for inspiration. It's too bad that real sitcoms are no longer clean and family-friendly like the one portrayed in this novel. Still, it's fun to pretend they are!

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Popular romance author and screenwriter, Janice Thompson, is charming her readers once again with a behind-the-scenes look at life in Hollywood. This time, Thompson takes her readers inside the writer’s room.

At 28, Athena Pappas has a pretty great gig. She’s the head writer of one of the most popular sitcoms in television history, Stars Collide. Yet, something’s still lacking: her love life.

Athena finds nothing wrong with still living at home with her large, wacky Greek family and making her bed with the same Strawberry Shortcake sheets she had as a kid. None of that has prevented Athena from plotting her characters’ romances. So why is her own love life so hard to script?

Athena’s love life gets the shakeup it needs when her boss hires up-and-coming Vegas comedian, Stephen Cosse, to help boost the show’s sagging ratings. Feeling her position as head writer threatened, she starts to doubt her talents, and the fact that Stephen is as good looking as Adonis doesn’t escape Athena’s attention either.

Sparks fly as the competition—and attraction—between the two heats things up. While they struggle to create conflict and comedy for their characters on the page, Athena and Stephen develop a relationship they never would have scripted for themselves and discover that not being in control of the plot of their lives may just be the best thing that’s ever happened.

Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for providing me with a review copy.

Time for Tag!

2011-09-30T08:00:00.000-07:00

The little tag games that go around the blogosphere from time-to-time are fun, I think. This time around I was tagged by Natasha @ Day by Day who was tagged by Emily the Industrious. I think maybe Emily started it. In any case, here are my answers:

Question
When you're scared of something that is not truly frightening, what's the very first thing you do?
Answer
Gasp and flap my hands in the air, then try to act like I didn't really react. My husband and kids laugh at me for doing this all the time.

Question
When you feel like you've lost control of your emotions, what do you do?
Answer
Take a deep breath. And pray.

Question
When was the last time you cried?
Answer
I don't remember.

Question
Why did you cry?
Answer
Because I needed to, I guess.

Question
Who is your closest confidant?
Answer
Lyle (next to God, that is)

Question
For what would you go to college for if you were going?
Answer
Library Science

Question
Who is your most annoying pet?
Answer
Tabitha the cat, I guess, though I have definitely been around more annoying cats. Still, it couldn't be Cookie who is the ultimate sweetheart. And the fish are just fishy. That's all the pets we have. One dog. One cat. And 3 fish.

Question
Why don't you like tags?
Answer
Who said I didn't?

Question
Which five people do you tag?
Answer
Let's see. Who would want to do this? I tell you what... if you like tags and feel like doing this one, just consider yourself tagged!

A Sweet Reminder

2011-09-29T16:48:00.000-07:00

Last fall I bought a couple of pretty mum plants and transplanted them into my front flower bed. I hoped they would come back this year, and much to my delight, they did! I've been watching them grow all summer, carefully pinching them back so they wouldn't get too "leggy." I was excited to see the first little nubby buds show up a few weeks ago... and finally... they have begun to bloom, right on schedule!

But what have we here?

In the same flower bed, I have a treasured little azalea bush that my dear friend, Kay, bought for me as a housewarming gift when we moved into this house three-and-a-half years ago. It has faithfully bloomed each spring, and I've been so happy that it has seemed to thrive for me.

Did you notice I said it blooms in the spring? Imagine my surprise to notice this little guy... just one lonely little bud... blooming brightly last week! In September. Not May.

I have no idea why the funny little flower bloomed out-of-season. It seems like there might be some sort of spiritual lesson there if I could just put it into words.

It's been two years today since Kay went to Heaven. Spiritual lesson or not, I thought it was nice of God to let that one little flower bloom to remind me of my special friend.

Walk Strong, Look Up - review

2011-09-27T15:00:00.000-07:00

I was inspired by Chantel Hobbs' previous book, Never Say Diet, so when I was offered the opportunity to review her latest book on walking, I was definitely interested. I've mentioned before that I am trying to get into the habit of walking regularly. I am not interested in running, but I love to go for hikes, and when I'm out in the woods I always wish I had more strength and stamina. So I know I need to walk more. In Walk Strong, Look Up Chantel challenges us to "walk with God" in a literal way. She outlines a 4-week plan including how long to walk, how often to walk, and what to think about on each walk for a month. She even includes practical tips like how to get the right shoes and warm-up stretches to do. I found it very helpful and encouraging.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

When it comes to diet and exercise, many people are tired, frustrated, and ready to throw in the (literal and figurative) towel. Lack of motivation and results can leave you feeling drained, dumpy, and defeated.

In her new book, author Chantel Hobbs will change all that! Hobbs reveals how just one month can radically transform your outlook. Walk Strong, Look Up shares the story of how walking renewed her passion for life, and how others can benefit from what she has learned. Get tips on finding the right shoes, making lighter food choices without sacrificing flavor, and strengthening your muscles to increase your metabolism and energy level. Most importantly, learn about God’s unconditional acceptance and why He is the perfect walking partner.

Each week of this four week plan offers instructions, stories of encouragement, and questions for reflection, as well as a pre-walk challenge and post-walk chat. Walk Strong’s plan will help you gain confidence, relieve stress, improve your physique, and stay excited about being active.

Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for sending me a review copy.

Sonlight Blog

2011-09-27T07:47:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging about hands-on ideas for homeschooling at the Sonlight Blog today. I would love for you to leave me a comment there!

Deeply Devoted - review

2011-09-26T17:30:00.000-07:00

Deeply Devoted by Maggie Brendan is a sweet pioneer romance story. Catharine, the heroine, is a mail-order bride who travels from Holland to Wyoming to marry the man she has only met through correspondence. He is not expecting her to arrive with her two younger sisters, as well as other "baggage" that is not as apparent to him early on. Catharine's secret past made the story intriguing, and not just another romance novel. I also enjoyed the part Catharine's Blue Willow dishes played in the story (since I collect pretty vintage dishes.) I found this book be a fairly light read, but enjoyable.

If I understand correctly, this is the first book in a new series: The Blue Willow Brides. Maybe the next ones will be about Catharine's younger sisters? That would be fun!

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Acclaimed romance writer Maggie Brendan’s latest offering from the “Blue Willow Bride” series, Deeply Devoted, introduces readers to Catharine Olsen, a mail-order bride arriving in America from Holland. She carries not only the anticipation of her marriage to Peter Andersen but also the residual pain of a tragic past, her mother’s Blue Willow china, and has her two younger sisters in tow. The fact is, in Wyoming, the single men outnumber the women five to one, so Catharine’s surpassing beauty and willing spirit are priceless gifts for Peter.

In spite of initial culture shock and necessary adjustments, Catharine finds a love with Peter that enraptures both her heart and mind. She is greatly troubled by Peter’s mother’s endeavors to sabotage their precious marriage. Catharine becomes terrified that her haunting past will be discovered, as the story unfolds with tremendous detail and extraordinary characterization.

Available September 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group. Thank you to Revell for sending me a review copy.

Grandma's Attic - product review

2011-09-21T16:17:00.000-07:00

The Grandma's Attic series of books by Arleta Richardson first came out in the 1970s. The title pretty much explains the premise... a little girl discovers interesting and unique things in her grandmother's attic and asks about them. Grandma always has a story to tell about the items she has carefully saved... and other little incidents remind her of stories as well. These sweet, old-fashioned books don't have much of a plot. Instead, they are just short anecdotes about a long-ago little girl with timeless lessons that are just as relevant today as ever.

There are 10 books in the series. I received books 3 and 4 for review: Still More Stories from Grandma's Attic and Treasures from Grandma's Attic. They have recently been re-released with new covers and illustrations, as well as easier-to-read page formatting. (More space between the lines which makes them more appealing to younger readers.) I love soft, whimsical style of the new illustrations.

Book 3, Still More Stories from Grandma's Attic, follows the format of the first two books in the series, with a "modern day" little girl asking her grandma for a story at the beginning of each chapter. Book 4, Treasures from Grandma's Attic, is slightly different in that the stories are just directly narrated by the grandma who was once the little girl in the story. When I noticed that, I thought perhaps it would lend itself to an ongoing story line from one chapter to the next, but it turns out that it doesn't. Each chapter is still pretty much a stand-alone story.

On the Rock

2011-09-21T08:36:00.000-07:00

Remember how I mentioned that I wanted to get in more walking and hiking this summer? Well, in spite of my good intentions, I haven't gotten out there as much as I thought I would. An overbooked schedule has a way of crowding out things like that. However, I will say, I have hiked more than usual this year-- so I guess that's better than just sitting, huh?

This past weekend we camped at Steamboat Rock State Park in central Washington. Number 1 on the itinerary was to "climb the rock." The men and kids had done it once before several years ago, but I just wasn't too sure I was up for the challenge. Casual walking and moderate hikes are not exactly hard-core training for rock climbing. Lyle was sure I could handle it, so I took a deep breath and set off with the group.

When we reached the face of the rock and saw that the trail looked like this ^ I balked. At least we weren't shinnying up the rock hanging onto ropes (that, I couldn't have done!), but slipping and sliding through the loose, sharp rocks seemed challenging enough.

I took my time, and made it to the first resting spot. "Don't worry," they told me. "That was the hard part. Well, actually, this next little section is really the hardest part... and then, after that... well, we won't say what's after that." I'm not sure how they thought that would be an encouragement to me, but I trudged valiantly upward and onward.

The landscape was so monotone and the sky was overcast, so it's hard to see the elevation change in the pictures. Believe me, we were going up! I wanted to give up a couple times, and just rest on a convenient rock until the rest of the gang came back by on their way down, but they wouldn't let me. "You can make it," they kept telling me.

And, finally, I did. This picture was taken on the top of the rock, by me! Again, with the lighting and monochromatic scenery it's a little hard to see the edge of the rock, but our group is standing pretty close to the edge. The green patches in the distance are the campgrounds (which are watered daily).

Naturally, going down was much easier than going up had been. But still, it was no walk in the park. Here's a view of the rock as I came around the side of it going down. I'm glad I decided to attempt it. I will say, it's not the best hiking trail I've ever been on, but it may well be the most challenging. Read: Not challenging at all for experienced hikers. Oh, well. It was an accomplishment for me.

Over the Top

2011-09-21T07:57:00.000-07:00

As I mentioned before, I was selected as a blogger for the Women of Faith conference in Spokane, Washington this past weekend, and received two tickets to attend. As it turned out, I didn't end up going. However, I was able to bless my sister-in-law and her friend with the tickets. I asked my sister-in-law to let me know how it was, so I could post about it. Here's her report:

The theme of this year's Women of Faith Weekend in Spokane was "Over the Top". While the conference didn't feel "Over the Top", it was just what I needed. It was encouraging just to be among so many women who came seeking. Some sought worship, some new truths, some laughter, some, time to share with a friend, some just came because someone invited them and some came just to get away. I came for all of these reasons and was not disappointed.

I thought the speakers and artists were both transparent and vulnerable. They encouraged us to be real in the sharing of who we are with those we come in contact, and they led through the sharing of God's Word and examples from their own lives. I was reminded over and over that God knows each of our journeys. He cares, wants what is best for us, and walks with us (sometimes carries) as we experience ALL life's joys and challenges. One of the artists also reminded us that while this journey is real, we are only here for a time and our journey will never compare with that moment when "We Shall Behold Him."

Throughout the conference I heard that my God is Big. He is truly "Over the Top" with His love, His grace, His wisdom, comfort, creativity, His acceptance of who and where we are and best of all with His forgiveness. He is more than we can comprehend and HE is truly "Over the Top".

Thanks for the tickets. It was a fun time. I laughed, I cried, I was challenged and encouraged.

Happy 70th Birthday, Mother!

2011-09-19T07:48:00.000-07:00

Her children rise up and call her blessed;

Her husband also, and he praises her:

“Many daughters have done well,

But you excel them all.”
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD, she shall be praised.

Give her of the fruit of her hands,

And let her own works praise her in the gates.

Proverbs 31:28-31

Ashes, Ashes - review

2011-09-16T08:15:00.000-07:00

As a fan of audio books in general, I have been particularly pleased with the quality of readers of books from Oasis Audio. I was interested to review Ashes, Ashes by Jo Treggiari because the "end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it" theme intrigued me. I was surprised to discover, as I listened, that it wasn't actually a "Christian" book, as other titles I've received from Oasis Audio have been. It wasn't offensive in any way, just was a more "secular" story than what I expected.

It was an interesting premise, but the plot seemed a little slow in places. Not the most outstanding audio book I've ever listened to, but still enjoyable as a diversion while working or exercising. I'd probably give it 3 stars out of 5.

Here's the synopsis from the publisher telling about the plot of the story:

Smallpox epidemics, floods, droughts—for sixteen-year old Lucy, the end of the world came and went, stealing with it everyone she ever loved. Even the landscape of her beloved New York City is ever-shifting and full of hidden dangers. As the weather rages out of control, she survives alone in the wilds of Central Park, hunting and foraging for food and making do with the little she has, while avoiding roving scavengers and thieves. But when an unrelenting pack of vicious hounds begins to hunt her, Lucy is not sure she can continue on her own. Then, suddenly, she is swept to safety by a mysterious boy named Aidan, who helps her escape the hounds and urges her to join a band of survivors. Reluctantly, she finds him after her home is destroyed; however, new dangers await her.

An army of Sweepers terrorizes the camp, carting off innocent people and infecting them with the plague. Lucy and Aidan realize that it's up to them to save their friends, but Lucy doesn't know that the Sweepers have laid a trap—for her. There is something special about Lucy, and the Sweepers will stop at nothing to have her in their clutches.

Jo Treggiari spins a thrilling tale of adventure, romance, and one girl's unyielding courage through the darkest of nightmares.

Setting Up Shop

2011-09-14T14:53:00.000-07:00

Do you shop at Etsy? If you like hand-made and/or vintage treasures, you really should! Some of my friends and relatives have had shops for awhile, but I hadn't spent much time there until recently. Then I got hooked, and decided to set up my own shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/karlyle. I'm having so much fun! It's quite addictive, I have to admit.

I've been going through a batch of charming vintage dress patterns, checking them for completeness, and scanning the envelope pictures to list. I've been a little surprised at how well they are selling. I thought I was probably the only one who just loved looking at old dress patterns.

I've also listed several sets of cotton crocheted washcloths that I made as a complement to my friend Cathy's hand-made-from-scratch soaps. She has a brand-new Etsy shop, too: Log Cabin Soaps. I have used her soaps and they are wonderful!

Now I'm trying to decide what other crocheted projects to offer... maybe vintage-style kitchen accessories (dish cloths and potholders)?

...or baby booties?

...or some of my 99 Little Doilies?

What do you think would sell? I'd really appreciate the input.

Also, if you have an Etsy shop, be sure and tell me about it, so I can visit and add you to my Circle!

Changing Seasons

2011-09-13T08:00:00.000-07:00

Summer got off to a late start in our part of the country. It was cool all through July, and was well into August before we had any hot weather to speak of. Obligingly, though, summer is lingering later than usual. We're continuing to have hot weather well into September.

In spite of the daytime temperatures, fall is definitely in the air. Our first clue was the Canadian soccer tournament that took place in the soccer field across the street about 3 weeks ago. I had no idea that the Canadian Geese enjoyed soccer, but they spent several days with us on their way south. We never did see them actually kicking a soccer ball, but I ask you: What else would they be doing over there all that time? Becky enjoyed snapping several pictures, so the photo credit goes to her for this post.

Dark comes earlier these days. Harvest scents are in the air. My mums are budding. Our school year routine is "falling" into place. It's obvious that fall will officially arrive next week.

I'm reminded of something my Granddaddy said in an old letter I came across recently:

Days come and go, years pass so hurriedly: but God is the same and we are happy in Him.
--Gordon Easley, September 16, 1964

A Lancaster County Christmas - review

2011-09-10T08:23:00.000-07:00

Each year I find myself longing to simplify Christmas more. The idea of being stranded on an Amish farm for Christmas really doesn't sound all that bad to me. That's what happened to the characters in Suzanne Woods Fisher's latest novel: A Lancaster County Christmas. Suzanne's stories are always well-researched with believable characters, and while this wasn't my favorite of her books, it's a heart-warming story with a good reminder that God is always with us-- and that's really what Christmas is all about.

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Jaime and C. J. Fitzpatrick began their married life as most couples do--in love and looking forward to a bright future together. But four years later they've drifted apart and are almost ready to call it quits.

Mattie Riehl was hoping to give her husband Sol the Christmas gift they have both longed for--news that a baby was on the way. But as usual, she is disappointed. The holidays bring an acute awareness to Mattie that her dream of a big family isn't likely to become a reality.

Then a winter storm raging outside blows the Fitzpatricks into the Riehl home--and into a much slower pace of life. Can these two couples from different worlds help each other understand the true meaning of love this Christmas?

With her trademark plot twists and attention to detail, Suzanne Woods Fisher offers readers a beautiful Christmas story of love, forgiveness, and what truly matters in life.

To celebrate the release of her first Christmas book, Suzanne Woods Fisher has teamed up with her publisher, Revell, to bring you the "Christmas in September" iPad Giveaway! The winner will be announced on 9/27 at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party! Details below. Tell your friends and join in the fun (9/7-9/27).

Oh and be sure to follow the blog tour here - many of the bloggers have copies of the book to giveaway!

Suzanne and Revell will be presenting one merry winner with a Christmas Prize Pack (valued at over $600):

A Brand New iPad 2 with Wi-Fi
$25 gift certificate to iTunes
A copy of A Lancaster County Christmas

To enter, click one of the icons below. But, hurry the giveaway ends on 9/26.

But, wait! There's more! The winner will be announced at the A Lancaster County Christmas Facebook Party on 9/27 at Suzanne's author page. During the party she'll be revealing something *BIG* - you won't want to miss it. She'll also be hosting a book chat, trivia contest and giving away a few early Christmas presents! Hope to see you there.

Labor Day Camping Trip

2011-09-08T21:46:00.000-07:00

We camped at beautiful Priest Lake for the Labor Day weekend. We didn't actually end up staying at the campsite much this time. Lyle had planned out a full itinerary of Geocaches in the area, so we did a lot of exploring. It's such a gorgeous area, so that was a perfect plan-- and the weather cooperated nicely.

Here's the gang getting ready to set out on our first expedition...

...to this nearby scenic viewpoint. It was a moderate hike from the campground. Looks like we were all trying to capture the view through our various lenses. Maybe I should have got the photos from their phones, too. (Rebecca didn't have a camera, so she was on the lookout for cougars. Though there was a warning sign posted about them, we didn't see any. Thank goodness.)

The next geocache we attempted was a drive-up one. Sounds easy, right? Wrong. As we turned off the main road I asked how far it was "as the crow flies." The answer: "Just over 3 miles." I predicted it would take us 3 hours to find it, because even though we had two GPSs (three, if you count the phone) plus a detailed back-road atlas, we weren't real sure just what road to follow to find the coordinates. Naturally we made several wrong turns and had to do a lot of back-tracking. I was off on my prediction by one hour-- it only took us two hours to find it. It was on the top of a mountain with breath-taking views in all directions.

After we drove back down off that mountain we pursued another one that involved another quarter-mile hike to a different view of the lake. Apparently fall comes early to Priest Lake. We noticed changing foliage throughout the area.

On Monday morning we did a couple more quick and easy caches near the campground. This one was right on the lake shore. The water is so clear and pristine.

The girls caught a little frog and had to pose him on Laura's cap before they let him go.

Besides hiking, driving, and enjoying the weather and scenery, we also had a wonderful time as a family just hanging out together and conversing around the campfire in the evenings.

Sweet memories to treasure!

Winners!

2011-09-07T09:28:00.000-07:00

It's time to announce the winners of my recent give-aways. For my Back-to-School contest I asked entrants to let me know what their plans are for the upcoming school year.

Winners of the Norman Rockwell print are:

Lynn @ TDHGP who said, "We don't start school until after Labor Day either--and THIS year we're actually headed to the beach for Labor Day week so we won't start until September 12! YAY! I'm homeschooling 4!"
Sweetpeas @ Broad Horizons who said, "We homeschool year round, so we're just keeping on keeping on, we're having great fun right now learning about Native Americans for history, bugs for Science, Picasso for Art . . . you get the idea!"
Laura @ Harvest Lane Cottage who said, "We'll continue to work with Joplin Family Worship Center's tornado relief resource center in Joplin, MO. This of course is in addition to a rather eclectic school year."

The winner of the Sonlight tote bag is Lisa @ The McClanahan 7. She said, "We are homeschooling!! I would like to win the tote, we always need one."

I asked the entrants of the My Memories digital scrapbooking software giveaway to tell me what their favorite scrapbooking kit is on the My Memories home page.

The winner is Aliene @ Meditations and Memories. She said, "I like the Outside my window right now. Oh, this would be so much fun to win."

Congratulations, ladies! I'll be contacting you for your mailing addresses.

Women of Faith conference

2011-09-07T07:30:00.000-07:00

The Women of Faith conference is coming to Spokane next week. It is the Over the Top event. Here is a preview video for some of the featured speakers and musicians:

I was selected as a blogger for this event, and received two tickets to attend. Regrettably, I am not going to be able to attend after all. However, I was able to bless my sister-in-law and her friend with the tickets, and they are excited to get to go. I look forward to hearing their report afterward. I'll be sure to let you know what they thought.

Not in the Market

2011-08-31T22:40:00.000-07:00

What with Laura being gone for most of the summer and Becky missing her big sister, we have used up our allotted cell phone minutes for the month. So when my phone rang this afternoon I checked Caller I.D. to see who was calling. It wasn't anyone on my contact list but it was a local number. I decided to let it go to voice mail, thinking whoever-it-was would leave a message and I could call them back. A few minutes later I got an email from my friend, Anna, asking about a book. I replied and asked her if she had just tried calling me, explaining why I didn't take the call.

"Yes, that was me," she said. "Next time I'll leave a message." I entered her number on my contact list so I would know it was her.

Half an hour or so later the phone rang again. It was a local number again, but not Anna's. Maybe she's calling from a different phone this time, I thought. Well, she said she'd leave a message, so I'll wait and see.

Sure enough, in a few minutes the voice mail alert tinkled at me. I dialed in to listen, fulling expecting it to be Anna. Instead, it was a man's voice.

"Um. Hello. I think I got the wrong number. I'm calling Bill Barry, but I got Karla. God bless you. Have a nice life. This is Joe."

Please tell me. If you dialed the wrong number, would you leave a message? Why wouldn't you just hang up before the beep?

I betcha Joe is my secret admirer. He called back a little later, but didn't leave a message the second time. I guess he was just devastated that I didn't answer or return his call. I've been noticing ads on my Pandora account assuring me there are nice single men in my area (in the 50+ age range!) who want to meet me. The stock photos of models in the ads would lead one to believe that all these handsome men live right in my neighborhood! One of them is Joe, probably.

I guess Joe (and Pandora) didn't get the memo that I am blissfully married. I'm perfectly happy with the real man who faithfully brings home the bacon and adores me. (Not to mention that he's still in the under 50 age range!)

Sorry, Joe.

Flea Circus game - review

2011-08-31T08:00:00.000-07:00

Flea Circus, from R&R Games, has been a hit at our house this summer. It's definitely a kids' game, and not particularly educational (though there is a little strategy to it), but the kids love it. Becky has played endless games with anyone who was even slightly willing. That included me on several occasions, but more often, the neighbor kids (ranging from age 5 to 11) who, no doubt, enjoyed it even more than I did.

The write-up on the R&R Games website describes it best:

STEP RIGHT UP! Calling all Cats and Dogs! The Flea Circus is about to begin!

It's a wild time under the Big Top as dogs and cats race from one show to the next. Players use their best Flea Circus acts to attract the most cats and dogs. Play your cards right and you can steal the audience away from your neighbor! But watch out for the Animal Catcher... He'll snatch your cats and dogs away!

With all this excitement, how's a Flea Ring Circus supposed to keep up? When all the cats and dogs are gone, whoever ends up with the most animals at their show wins the game!

My favorite thing about it is the cute pile of cats and dogs that are part of the game.

Each dog is worth 2 points, and the cats are worth 1 point each. Just to make it a little more interesting I would try to see how many dogs I could get each game, while avoiding the cats. That's not part of the rules or strategy of the game, just something I threw in for fun.

Flea Circus is intended for 2-6 players, age 6 and up. The price is $15.95 and it is available on the R'n'R Games website. I received this game in exchange for my honest review as a member of TOS Homeschool Crew. See what other members thought of Flea Circus, and another R&R game, Pig Pile, on the Crew blog. R&R Games is graciously offering a 20% discount to anyone purchasing Pig Pile or Flea Circus through the TOS Homeschool Crew reviews. Just enter the coupon code, CREW20, to receive the discount now through December 31.

My Memories Scrapbook - review

2011-08-30T09:26:00.000-07:00

Over the years I have enjoyed organizing my photos and memorabilia into scrapbooks. It's an ongoing project that I've had to set aside as other activities have priority at this season of my life. I still have two or three boxes of photos and supplies that I plan to get back to some year, but for now digital scrapbooking is much more practical for me. It is a lot faster than the traditional cut-and-paste and it's so convenient to be able to just print out completed pages.

Recently I was offered the opportunity to review and give away scrapbook software from My Memories. Naturally I was interested. I have downloaded My Memories Suite and played around with it some. It's a little different than what I'm used to, but it seems pretty intuitive and offers lots of options for customization. I like that about it.

I was asked to post my review within 2 weeks. Unfortunately, this is a very busy time of year for me, so I haven't had as much time to spend learning a new program as I would have liked within the past 2 weeks. I did sit down with it and load some pictures to try to complete one page. There were so many options (which is a good thing!) that it took longer than the time slot I had available, so I don't have a completed page to show you. I think it will go a lot quicker once I am more familiar with the program. But that will have to wait a few weeks.

Since I don't have much personal experience with it to tell you about yet, I'll post this "first look" video that My Memories provided:

Welcome to the Family! from Lisa Jurrens on Vimeo.

As part of this review I am also able to offer a give-away of My Memories Suite software (a $39.97 value) to one of my blog readers. To enter visit My Memories, then come back and tell me what your favorite scrapbooking kit is of those posted on the front page. (I like the "Outside My Window - Summer" kit myself.) For extra entries, follow the My Memories Blog, Facebook, and/or Twitter. Be sure to mention each one you did in a separate comment. And as always, mention you follow my blog for yet another entry. This give-away will end September 6, 2011.

Not only that, I am also able to offer a special discount to my readers as well. For $10 off the purchase of the My Memories Suite scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the My Memories.com store, use coupon code: STMMMS261.

Amish Values for Your Family - review

2011-08-25T07:00:00.000-07:00

Suzanne Woods Fisher is currently my favorite author of Amish fiction. Her books are well-researched and intriguing. I have also enjoyed her non-fiction titles. Her latest book is Amish Values for Your Family in which she offers ideas and inspiration, for ways we can all apply aspects of the simple lifestyle of the Amish to our own daily lives. I was encouraged to slow down, savor the moment, and remember what my true priorities should be.

Each chapter begins with an Amish proverb, then tells a short anecdote about a real Amish family, wrapped up with how their experiences relate to us who aren't Amish. At the end of each chapter is a section called Road Map: Getting There From Here where the author offers practical suggestions for applying the ideas. And then, just for fun, she includes a few quotes from the Amish newspaper, The Budget, in a section called In Their Own Words. One of my favorite quotes in the book was of what the old Amish woman replied when someone asked her the secret of her long (70 year) marriage. She said, "Well, neither of us has died." Isn't that a good example of what commitment is all about?

Here's the publisher's synopsis:

Award-winning author Suzanne Woods Fisher inspires readers to slow down and understand the values that help build a strong family in Amish Values for Your Family (ISBN: 978-0-8007-1996-8, $12.99, 192 pages August 2011). Studies are finding some alarming trends in the daily life of modern families –family time is a vanishing commodity. Compared to thirty years ago, today’s parents spend 40% less time with their children. This decline coincides with the rise in internet use, the popularity with social networks, and the swell of children’s organized sports and activities. What is competing for your family time? Who is winning?

The Amish have maintained one of the strongest and most stable family systems in America. Harvard School of Medicine recently found that Amish people have a lower rate of heart disease than do average Americans as well as lower rates of cancer. Could their simple way of life, hard work, and value of family contribute to a healthier way of life? And, if so, how is it possible to incorporate some principles of the Amish into a modern family without “goin’ Amish?”

In Amish Values for Your Family, Fisher shows how you can adopt the wisdom of the Amish when it comes to family matters. In this inspiring and practical book, readers will find true stories interlaced with solid, biblical advice about parenting, marriage, and all aspects of family life – without selling your car, changing your wardrobe, or moving to the Amish countryside. Readers will learn to prioritize what's truly important, simplify decision-making, slow down as a family, safeguard time together, and letting go when the time comes.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Available August 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Blue Skies Tomorrow - review

2011-08-24T08:00:00.000-07:00

I can't remember when I've enjoyed a fiction trilogy as much as Sarah Sundin's Wings of Glory series. I just finished the third book, Blue Skies Tomorrow. The first two books, A Distant Melody and A Memory Between Us, were so good that I was a little bit afraid that the third one might not be. (Of course, that was completely groundless. I do worry about the dumbest things.)

The Wings of Glory series is about 3 brothers and the women they marry during World War II. I am fascinated by the history of that era, and I always enjoy a good love story. The characters are so real and have problems and issues that any of us can relate to. I especially appreciated the spiritual lessons that were woven throughout (without being preachy).

I decided to try to savor Blue Skies Tomorrow, knowing it was the last book in the series. For a week or so, I only allowed myself to read one chapter a night. I got about half through the book and lost my self-control! I just had to find out what happened next, so--yep, you guessed it--I stayed up too late reading so I could finish the story. *sigh* These are definitely going on my Keeper shelf.

Here's the synopsis from the publisher:

The country is still at war in Blue Skies Tomorrow (ISBN: 978-0-8007-3423-7, $14.99, 448 pages, August 2011) by award-winning author Sarah Sundin. It is 1944 and America longs for the war to be over so their boys can come home. This war has taken too many lives and made too many widows, orphans, and broken hearts. However, the homeland continues to pull together and buy bonds to support the troops, and Helen Carlisle has become the town’s war widow heroine. Doing her part with her son, she faithfully appears at community events asking people to support the troops. But deep down she is troubled. How much longer can she do this? Is she living a lie? Was her dead husband a hero? How can she live with the past?

Lt. Ray Novak prefers to follow his calling into ministry rather than the cockpit. But his current position offers him the luxury of a personal life since he is stateside training B-17 pilots. His interest in Helen, the young war widow, grows, but he knows she is hiding a painful past under a frenzy of volunteer work. Ray is called to fly a European combat mission at the peak of the air war. Their romance is tense because Helen is afraid, but Ray cannot help because he is in Europe. As Helen tries to make ends meet and confronts the past, Ray encounters a deadly enemy of his own. Will they find the courage to face their challenges? Will the truth come out? Will hope and redemption ring true for Helen?

The great era of World War II in Blue Skies Tomorrow is brought to life by Sundin in this emotion-packed novel.

I received this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review. Available August 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Just Average

2011-08-23T07:27:00.000-07:00

Today I'm blogging about my "average" kids on the Sonlight Blog. If your kids are "just average" like mine are, I hope you'll be encouraged!

August Monday

2011-08-22T08:33:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
About as close to perfect as possible. We have had an incredibly mild summer this year. Lyle told me he heard we've only had something like 4 days where the temperature got over 90 degrees. We never even bothered putting in the window a/c unit this year. We've just had the windows open for months. I love living in the northwest!

Things that make me happy:
Standing out in the parking lot after church visiting with friends for hours.

Books I'm reading:

More Treasures from Grandma's Attic by Arleta Richardson (in the upstairs bathroom)
The Old Schoolhouse Magazine (not a book, I know, but it's what I currently have going in the downstairs bathroom)
I'm sorta between books on my Kindle. That is to say, I have several started, but I haven't gotten into any of them yet. I just finished Reinventing Leona by Lynne Gentry.

On the menu for dinner:
Hamburgers on the grill, I think.

On my To Do List:
(You really don't want to see my whole To-Do list... but here are a few things I need to do today.)

Divide and wrap 40 pounds of hamburger meat we picked up Saturday evening.
Package and mail several packages.
Work several hours as a Sonlight Advisor.
Clean the kitchen.
Get some writing done.

New Recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I want to try making The Pioneer Woman's Iced Coffee. I've been afraid to make it, though, because I'm very sure I would quickly become addicted to it.

In the craft basket:
Cotton yarn for washcloths. I've been making these up to sell. One of my friends makes soap and has been selling it at the farmer's market. I sent her a batch of washcloths to offer with the soap. I have also set up an Etsy shop. Not many listed there yet, but it's a start.

Looking forward to this week:
Laura is coming home Wednesday evening! She's been gone all summer, and we have missed her!

No words needed:

Lesson learned the past few days:
God is faithful. Always.

On my mind:
Plans for the upcoming school year. (Don't miss my Back-to-School giveaway!)

Scripture:
No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. I Corinthians 10:13.

More Happy Homemaker Monday posts @ Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Back-to-School Giveaway

2011-08-20T13:06:00.000-07:00

Is it back-to-school time at your house? We usually start the day after Labor Day so we have a couple more weeks of summer here, but it's getting close. This year will be a new experience for me with just one student in my homeschool. We plan to continue our study of world history, using Sonlight's Core G as our main curriculum.

In celebration of the new school year I decided to host a giveaway of this gorgeous Norman Rockwell print, The Land of Enchantment. I have one hanging in my office/library... and I have three to give away!

I also have an extra heavy-duty Sonlight tote bag to give away. It is the perfect size to "take school" along whenever you need to be out-and-about. I carry mine all the time.

For your chance to win just leave a comment telling me something about your plans for the upcoming school year? Will you be homeschooling? Or do you have other plans? I'd love to know! Also, mention whether you would like to win the Rockwell print or the tote bag.

Any of the following will also get you more chances to win:
~ blogging about this giveaway
~ sharing the link to this giveaway post with your friends on Facebook
~ tweeting about this blog giveaway
~ following my blog
~ liking my blog page on Facebook (just click the "like" button on the Facebook widget on my sidebar)

Leave a separate comment for each entry. US addresses only, please. I will be drawing a winner on our first day of school, September 6.

Gift Certificate giveaway

2011-08-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

My young friend, Kellie, is hosting a blog-warming giveaway of a $15 gift certificate to ModCloth. Visit Accordion to Kellie to find out how you could win. You'll probably want to "follow" her, too, if you like vintage, crafty things.

Poster Giveaway

2011-08-20T11:54:00.000-07:00

In honor of the release of her last two books in the Circle C Beginnings series, my friend, Susan Marlow, is hosting a giveaway of three 11x14" prints of the water color painting for the cover of Andi's Lonely Little Foal (autographed by the illustrator). I love the sweet illustrations in this series. It would be neat to frame that print for a girl's room. My daughter would love that, I'm sure! Visit Andi's Blog to find out how you could win. But hurry! Because Susan will be drawing the winners on August 22.

More Little Doilies

2011-08-16T09:19:00.000-07:00

I have taken a break from my "99 Little Doilies" frenzy to crochet a batch of washcloths to sell. However, I have a few more of the doilies worked up that I haven't shown you yet.

Doily #18.

Doily #19.

Doily #20.

(I worked this one up around the 4th of July.)

Doily #21.

And while I was in the holiday mode I made this one in Christmas colors.

Which one is your favorite of this batch? I think I like #18 best.

Growing Toward God - review

2011-08-16T08:00:00.000-07:00

Growing Toward God is a sweet little devotional book with "life lessons inspired by the wonderful words of kids." Each devotional begins with a Bible verse, then tells a cute real-life anecdote based on something funny a child said. The authors, Doreen Wright Blomstrand and Barbara J. Koshar, have added a spiritual application to each anecdote, and then close with a sentence prayer. It's a nice little book to keep on a side table, to pick up for a quick inspiring thought and a smile. It's amazing what little children can teach us!

I met Barbara at the Northwest Christian Writers' conference in May. I enjoyed hearing a bit about how she and her co-author collected the cute stories in Growing Toward God.

A Bug Collection - product review

2011-08-15T18:48:00.000-07:00

Max Lucado's Hermie and Friends: A Bug Collection DVD is a cute cartoon for preschoolers. The idea is to present and reinforce "life lessons" for little ones, but it seemed to be stronger on the entertainment than it was on the lessons, which is okay, I guess, if that's all you're interested in. And while it definitely did not keep the interest of the adults and older children in our family (like Veggie Tales does), I'm sure preschoolers would love it. The set includes 3 DVDs:

Buzby and the Grumblebees—it’s about bee-having.
Haily and Bailey's Silly Fight—it’s about getting along.
Milo, the Mantis Who Wouldn't Pray—it's about prayer.

Timberdoodle games

2011-08-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

Timberdoodle is my second-favorite homeschool company, but really, to say it's second is like having to choose between apples and oranges. I like Sonlight for my main curriculum, and Timberdoodle for fun supplements and thinking games and activities.

A few weeks ago Timberdoodle had a fun contest/promotional running on Facebook. They were giving away all kinds of goodies. I didn't enter every drawing because we already own some of the products, and some were more for younger kids... but there were several giveaways I was definitely interested in. I ended up winning the Word on the Street game! I love word games and I thought it would be a fun game to take camping.

The first time we played it with just 2 players. We could tell it would be more fun with more players as it's designed for 2 teams of any number of players. Last weekend when we went camping with another family we tried it again with more people. The idea is to think of words that fit a particular definition using letters on the board. Your goal is to work the letters off the board, and as the game progresses it gets harder to think of words that use the letters that are left and still fit the definition. The first team to work 8 letters off the board is the winner. All of us thought that the timer was too short. It's set for 30 seconds. We tried flipping it twice per turn. That was better, but probably a 45-second timer would be about right. It would make a great party game.

Earlier this summer I invested in several single-player games from Timberdoodle to give Becky something constructive to do while I was working, with Laura being gone. I was really impressed with the selection of single-player critical-thinking games that Timberdoodle offers. We got Lab Mice, Anti-Virus, Titanic, Hide and Seek Safari, and Color Code and have enjoyed all of them. My favorite is Lab Mice, though Anti-Virus seems to be the most popular among the kids. Some of our friends who have had a chance to play with them while camping have also been impressed and asked where to get them... so there you are!

And just so you know: These weren't truly "review products" as I won Word on the Street and bought the other games, but I may be posting more reviews from Timberdoodle later as a member of Because Mom Said.

Beyond Bedding - product review

2011-08-13T16:21:00.000-07:00

We're counting down the days until Laura gets home. According to Li'l Sis it's just 11 more days. We've missed her this summer. But while she's been gone we've taken the opportunity to re-decorate her room. Don't worry. We had her permission.

AFTER

When we first moved into this house 3 years ago, Laura wanted her room to be green and purple and blue. Her PaPa helped her paint it and she had it all fixed up just the way she wanted it. It was very cute for a young teen.

BEFORE

A few months ago she began to talk about redecorating. It seems she has outgrown the "bubblegum" colors and wanted something softer and more feminine. We got her different bedroom furniture for graduation, but she hadn't made any definite choices as to color and theme. As she began to consider what she would like to go with, I was offered the opportunity to review a bedding set from Beyond Bedding. It's primarily a children's bedding company, but as I looked at their selections I saw a few designs I thought Laura might like, so I sent her the link and told her to let me know her choice. She was thrilled!

After considerable discussion and contemplation we settled on a lovely pink-and-brown set. It came with the bed skirt, the comforter, pillow sham, and window valance. We love the toile design accented with the polka dots. My favorite feature is the pink chenille edging. (They also have polka-dot crib bedding, so you could go with this same design for a baby's room, if you wanted.)

So... the design is lovely. Laura and I are both very pleased with how her "room makeover" turned out (though, of course, she has only seen pictures so far). The main downside so far is that the fabric seems to wrinkle easily. It was wrinkled when I took it out of the bag and I had to iron it pretty hard to get it to look nice, especially the valance and bed skirt. I expect that will need doing every time it's washed, which won't be all that often, but still... The overall quality is about what you would expect for the price. Not top-of-the-line, but adequate for children's bedding which they will probably tire of or out-grow before it wears out.

In exchange for the bedding set, I was asked to give an honest review and to mention that Beyond Bedding also carries toddler sports bedding, western cowboy bedding, and zebra print bedding. Something for just about everybody's taste!

P.S. The net "canopy" is leftover from Before. I'm trying to decide how to disguise the splashy flowers with something more "vintage." Any suggestions?

Montana Camping Trip

2011-08-09T09:05:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went camping in northwestern Montana with friends. Mostly we go camping by ourselves, but this is the second time this summer we've had the privilege of sharing the fun with another family.

Lyle was able to take off at noon on Friday so we got to the campground in the early evening. We got our campsite set up and built a fire. Our friends arrived later, after dark. Then we sat around the fire visiting. Before long the kids and teens wandered off to bed. The adults kept talking. And talking. After awhile I wondered if it was getting to be about bedtime. Lyle looked at his watch and said, "You don't want to know what time it is." We guessed it was getting on towards midnight. "Try 5 minutes till 2:00!" he said. Funny how the kids and teens had sense enough to go to bed at a reasonable hour and it was the forty-somethings who stayed up till the wee hours.

On Saturday, some of us slept in. Later in the day we drove to Kootenai Falls for a hike. Kootenai Falls is the largest undammed falls in Montana.

In this shot I played with the panoramic feature on my camera. It's actually 3 frames "stitched" together. Pretty cool!

Most of our group had the courage to go across the swinging bridge. I was not among them. I expect I could go across it if I had to, but it wasn't exactly something I wanted to do for fun.

And here's a view from under the bridge.

On Saturday evening we cooked our meal over the campfire. It was especially tasty with the birch bark smoke flavoring. After dark the moms and some of the kids played Dutch Blitz at the picnic table. The dads sat by the fire and talked. And talked. We don't know what they were talking about. We were having too much fun slapping our cards on the table and whining about bad hands. We did go to bed a little earlier that night.

On Sunday afternoon, on our way home, we stopped for a hike at Ross Creek Cedars. We have been here several times, but we never get tired of the lush forest and giant trees.

Mikey found a odd growth on one tree and declared it was a steering wheel!

Believe it or not, five kids and one dad crawled into the space under this tree all at one time. They said it was bigger than their tent inside!

The kids had a great time climbing and exploring. It's better than a playground.

We thoroughly enjoyed the weekend.

Picking Huckleberries

2011-08-04T16:23:00.000-07:00

Down the forest path we went...

...in search of the elusive but oh-so-desirable huckleberry.

They don't usually grow quite this profusely, so you can bet we picked like crazy when we did find the bushes loaded.

Three hours of hand picking garnered about a half gallon of the luscious berries. Now I understand why they sell for $40 a gallon. But the morning spend with sweet new friends in the beautiful forest was priceless. And the berries are pretty yummy, too!

Happy Birthday, Sweetheart!

2011-08-03T07:46:00.000-07:00

Most men will proclaim each his own goodness,

But who can find a faithful man?

The righteous man walks in his integrity;

His children are blessed after him.

--Proverbs 20:6-7

Lilies of the field...

2011-08-01T08:29:00.000-07:00

Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin:

And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these.
--Matthew 6:28-29

How many of these friendly faces of summer do you know? I had to look up some in my wildflower book... and some I couldn't find in the book. Maybe you can help me out with the ones I don't know by name. (Also, if I've misidentified any, please do let me know! I don't like to perpetrate wrong information, you know.)

Bluebell

Giant Red Paintbrush

Nootka Rose

I'm not sure what this pretty white flower is. When I took the picture I thought it was a trillium, but when I got home and compared the picture to the book, I don't think that's what it is.

Orange Agoseris

Sticky Cinquefoil

Can you believe this guy wasn't in my book? Or at least, if he was, I couldn't find him. I'm pretty sure he's a Thistle, though. What do you think?

Twinflower

Yarrow

I couldn't find these last three in my book. Anybody know what they are called?

What wildflowers have you enjoyed this summer?

I love my Kindle!

2011-07-28T08:24:00.000-07:00

As a lifelong avid reader I debated for a long time over whether to get an e-reader or not. Initially I didn't want to spend the money-- first on the device itself, and then on books to go on it. That seemed an extravagant luxury to me, as most of the books I've ever read have either been from the library or picked up at a thrift store. So I just shrugged off the notion and decided I would keep reading the old-fashioned way.

About a year-and-a-half ago a friend told me that I could get a Kindle app for my computer, and that many titles were available for free, if one just knew where to look. One benefit that she pointed out was that I would have the books in my collection and could put them on an actual Kindle later, if I ever ended up getting one. I was all over that! I immediately downloaded the app and started looking for books.

After many months I realized that yes, there was definitely plenty to read on the Kindle without having to buy every title, and no, I didn't mind reading electronically, so I finally decided it would be worth the investment. I took the plunge about 2 months ago. I decided I could fore-go a smart phone (for now, anyway). The Kindle is my carry-around device of choice. I am thoroughly enjoying and using it every day!

I've collected several hundred free books by now. Many of them are current. The current ones are usually available for a limited time only. A lot of them are trash. I've deleted those as I've had a chance to look at them more closely. But there are a lot of good books available, too. It's been fun to build my collection. My Kindle fits in my purse, and it's very cool to be able to carry around hundreds of books to choose from at any given moment. (Ain't technology grand?)

There are a couple of websites that I watch for announcements of free books. I try to check them every day because of the limited-time offers. They are:

In addition to the current books, there are thousands of public-domain titles available for free all the time. I enjoy reading vintage novels on occasion so I've been collecting some of these as well.

Many classics, of course, by well-known authors such as:

And lesser-known favorites I grew up reading such as:

I also found a few more recently discovered "new to me" vintage authors:

So, yeah. I think I already have more books on my Kindle than I'll have time to read in this lifetime-- because, of course, I do still also read books the old-fashioned way, too.

Next I want to get a searchable Bible to put on it to try using for church. I recently had to start wearing glasses for reading. It is a nuisance to have to be putting on and taking off my glasses to look up scriptures during the sermon. With the Kindle I can adjust the font size so I don't have to have my glasses to read. Whether or not the search feature will work to my satisfaction remains to be seen. I don't know if I will like it for that or not, but it's worth a try!

Unto the Hills

2011-07-27T11:15:00.000-07:00

I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

--Psalm 121:1-2

Sonlight Blog

2011-07-26T07:49:00.000-07:00

I'm blogging today over on the Sonlight Blog. Starting today I'll be sharing there once or twice a month. Today's post is on Knowing My Kids. I'd love for you to leave me a comment over there. Thanks!

Perfectly Invisible - review

2011-07-25T17:08:00.000-07:00

Last summer I enjoyed reading Perfectly Dateless by Kristin Billerbeck. It was a fun, young adult novel with a good message. I was interested to have the opportunity to read and review the sequel, Perfectly Invisible, this summer. It continued the story of Daisy's senior year. What I appreciated most about it was that Daisy continued to grow as a person throughout the story. Daisy actually reminded me a lot of myself as a teen. (Though I have to admit, I didn't have boyfriends sin high school-- for which I'm actually very grateful!) Yes, it's teen chick-lit, but it also made me think. I like that.

Perfectly Invisible is available July 2011 at your favorite bookseller from Revell, a division of Baker Publishing Group.

Ramblin' Thoughts

2011-07-24T18:45:00.000-07:00

This past weekend we went camping Up the River.

It was an uneventful weekend, as far as excitement goes. The weather was lovely. Sunny. Not too hot. Though the flies were nasty through the middle of the afternoon, for some reason.

It's always so good to get away from our normal day-to-day responsibilities and just enjoy some down-time deep in the forest. We drove over the mountain and stopped for a couple of short hikes. I particularly enjoyed the wildflowers. (Watch for those pictures soon.)

We spotted a few squirrel, a couple of deer, and a hawk soaring in the sky. We also came upon a strange bird sitting in the road perfectly still. None of us knew what kind of bird it was. We could see its eyes moving as it looked around, but it wouldn't get out of the way. So we crept closer (in the truck). Finally, it waddled off into the brush and then flew away. Anybody have any idea what kind of bird it was, and why it acted that way?

I miss living in the country, so I'm glad we are able to go camping frequently.

Priceless Heirlooms

2011-07-21T08:24:00.000-07:00

This past week I've been updating a genealogy book I compiled about 10 years ago, at the request of my great-aunt who wants it for a family reunion in a couple of weeks. It had been awhile since I had taken time to work on genealogy, and I always enjoy it, so that was a fun diversion from some of the other projects that have been consuming my time lately.

One thing I added was pictures of headstones for various ancestors that I found at the very fascinating www.findagrave.com site. When I came across the headstone for my great-great-great-grandmother, Lucinda Catherine Ratterree Bock, I broke out in goose pimples. In order to explain why, I want to rerun a blog post from Mother's Day 2009, then I'll show you her headstone.

*****

"100 years from now it will not matter what my bank account was,
the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...
but the world may be a better place
because I was important in the life of a child."

Four Generations- July 1967.
The pensive tot in the center is 19-month-old Little Karla.
My mother, Pallie Sue Ezell, is behind me holding me up.
Great-grand Mother Shumaker is on the left holding Baby Sister Naomi.
Grandmother Ernesteen Easley is on the right holding Baby Sister Dorcas.

My sisters and I are mothers of growing families now. Our mother is the "grandmother"... and Grandmother and Mother Shumaker are in Heaven.

Four Generations- August 1922.
The thoughtful little tot in this picture is Grandmother Ernesteen Easley.
Behind her is her mother, great grandmother Liffa Shumaker.
Beside Mother Shumaker is her mother, Martha Maberry, my great-great grandmother.
And seated is Mama 'Berry's mother, my great-great-great grandmother, Lucinda Bock.

I suspect the world is a better place today because each of these ladies was important in the lives of her children!

Her children rise up and call her blessed...
Proverbs 31.28

*****

And here is Great-Great-Great Grandmother's headstone from 1929:

Do you see the epitaph?

"SHE PRAYED FOR HER CHILDREN"

I wonder if it ever crossed her mind that her influence would reach across so many generations?

May I follow her example.

My stack is growing...

2011-07-19T14:30:00.000-07:00

Presenting the next installment on my 99 Little Doilies project...

Doily #14

Doily #15

Doily #16

Doily #17

Favorites? I have to say #16 was especially fun to make... and I think it's fun to look it. Which one do you like?

When life gives you lemons...

2011-07-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

...you make lemonade, of course!

I like to make old-fashioned lemonade.

Okay, I cheat a little bit, in that I use bottled lemon juice rather than fresh-squeezed lemons. It's a lot less work and tastes almost as good. I also like to use raw sugar which adds to the "old-fashioned" flavor.

My recipe is:

1 cup lemon juice
3/4 cup raw sugar (Can use regular white sugar, if you prefer--- and you might want up to a cup of sugar. We like our lemonade on the tart side.)
1/2 sliced lemon (This is really just for garnish. The lemonade tastes the same without it.)
2 quarts cold water

Serve over ice... and enjoy!

Inexpensive Centerpieces

2011-07-13T11:30:00.000-07:00

Back in the spring, when I was decorating for the Senior Banquet, I was trying to come up with an inexpensive idea for centerpieces in the class colors of red and silver. I found red roses on clearance after Valentines Day for 99 cents for a bunch (7 flowers). Then I found vases at the dollar store. I pulled the little bits of fake baby's breath off the rose stems, and hot glued streamers of silver curly ribbon on instead. I liked the way it looked, but my next dilemma was what to put in the vase to weight it down and help hold the flowers in place. I considered glass marbles, and found some in silver that looked very nice, but it really added to the expense. Then, my clever sister-in-law suggested salt! I bought it in bulk (for something like $4 for 20 pounds, or some ridiculously cheap price) at Costco... and then I had the idea of mixing in some red and silver glitter. That was perfect! The glitter didn't mix evenly with the salt like I expected. Instead it settled in swirls, which made it even prettier, I thought.

More great tips at Works for Me Wednesday hosted by We are THAT Family.

Making exercise fun

2011-07-12T15:30:00.000-07:00

In an effort to get more exercise I've set a goal of walking or hiking on a regular basis this summer. (So expect to see lots of blog posts featuring hikes and geocaching in the next few weeks. Taking pictures and looking for caches make it seem more like an adventure, and not so much like exercise, you know!)

Saturday evening we decided to drive over to Coeur d'Alene and walk along the lake.

Lake Coeur d'Alene has the reputation of being one of the most beautiful lakes in the world. I don't know who has been to every lake in the world to make that judgment, but in any case, the scenery is outstanding. Not only that, we've been having just gorgeous weather... sunny, in the 70s. Just perfect for a late afternoon walk.

We walked about 3 miles that evening, and found 3 micro-caches right along the walking path.

Wonder where we'll hike next?

Book Winners!

2011-07-12T10:36:00.000-07:00

The winner of How Huge the Night is my dear friend, Denise. She said:

"Count me in! I would love to read this book! This sounds like a good read-aloud for the summer! Benji is very intrigued with World War II and this sounds exceptionally good!"

I think she and Benji will enjoy it!

The winner of Love Finds You in Victory Heights is TattingChic. For this contest, I requested that entrants share a favorite patriotic memory. TattingChic said:

"Well, what a cool opportunity to win a very amazing book! I would LOVE to win this because I would love to know more about Rosie the Riveter! I really and TRULY would! Anyway one of my favorite patriotic memories was writing a speech for the "Voice of Democracy" contest in High School and it was school district wide against all HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS! I mean sophomores, juniors, AND seniors! I pained over this speech about what freedom meant to me and felt dumb for even entering! Well, I won first in my high school! Which SHOCKED Me...then my pictured appeared on the front of our little town newspaper! Then I won 3rd place in the entire school district...the others who won 2nd and 1st were Seniors! It was put on by the "Veterans of Foreign Wars" and I went to a banquet put on by them and they came up and personally congratulated me for winning. I remember making a point to thank THEM for what they did for our country! I remember that they had a gigantic smokey the bear in the basement of their building and I got to take a photo with Smokey the Bear! LOL! I was 15 years old! What a treasured memory! When I won the 3rd place in the school disrict I had to go to this radio station to record my speech! It was an experience! I got 2 medals and a savings bond! So, that's my favorite patriotic memory! It even beats out being on a float as a brownie girls scout in the 4th of July parade when I was a little girl! :)"

Thank you to each one who entered! Watch for more giveaways coming soon!

July Monday

2011-07-11T16:25:00.000-07:00

The weather in my neck of the woods:
Just beautiful! We had 3 uncomfortably warm days last week. Otherwise, we've had no hot weather to speak of.

Things that make me happy:
Sunshine with temps in the 70s!

Books I'm reading:
Don't laugh. I almost always have this many going at once...

Perfectly Invisible by Kristin Billerbeck (by my bed)
A Matter of Honor by Kay Martin (on my Kindle)
To Darkness Fled by Jill Williamson (on my Kindle)
The Friendship Doll by Kirby Larson (in the downstairs bathroom)
Anne of Windy Poplars by L.M. Montgomery (in the upstairs bathroom)

On the menu for dinner:
Chicken-and-broccoli rice casserole. I think. Or maybe fast food. Depends on what we end up needing to do this evening.

On my To Do List:
Finish reorganizing our bookcases.
See if the neighbor lady is still planning to have a neighborhood garage sale this weekend.
If so, get ready to have a garage sale on Saturday. Ugh.
Work on a blog post for SonlightBlog.com. (Look for it there July 26.)

New recipe I tried or want to try soon:
I want to try making some mixed-berry muffins using my friend Judy's recipe for Whole Wheat Oatmeal Blueberry Bread.

In the craft basket:
I'm almost finished with the curtain for my bedroom! Can't wait for the "ta-da!" moment.
Still working on the 99 Little Doilies.I think I'm working on #22, so I'll have some more pictures to show you soon.
Started an embroidery project of a vintage postcard to frame for my room.

Looking forward to this week:
Enjoying the beautiful weather and working on various projects.

Blog Hopping:
Here are blogs for some of the young ladies and moms I got to know this past year through yearbook staff and graduation--

No words needed:

Lesson learned the past few days:
I can walk further than I thought if I just pace myself... and I actually enjoy it! Yay!

On my mind:
Missing my daughter who is gone for the summer!

Scripture:
We give thanks to God always for you all, making mention of you in our prayers; Remembering without ceasing your work of faith, and labour of love, and patience of hope in our Lord Jesus Christ, in the sight of God and our Father... I Thessalonians 1:2-3

More Happy Homemaker Monday posts @ Diary of a Stay at Home Mom.

Daisy Season

2011-07-10T18:14:00.000-07:00

My favorite wildflower is the daisy. They are in full bloom around here right now, and I have been enjoying seeing them blooming all along the road as we've been out and about. Living in town, we don't have any growing in our yard. Wonder if they'd come up again next year, if I transplanted some from the wild?

On Friday evening we stopped by to see some friends who live out in the country. They invited us to take a walk with them "down to the creek." It was a gorgeous evening for a walk in the woods. I couldn't resist picking a handful of daisies as we walked along. They were just growing everywhere. Five-year-old Michael noticed what I was doing and asked the obvious, "Are you picking flowers?"

"I am!" I told him. "Is that okay?"

"No!" he declared. (We've learned that he likes to be obstinate just to get a rise out of people. It's quite funny... and very cute!)

"Too late," I said, faking regret. "Your mama said I could."

"Okay," he said. "Then I'll pick some, too. But I'm gonna scrunch mine up."

So he did. Tossing the pieces hither and yon. What else would you expect from a 5-year-old boy?

I brought my flowers home and put them on a vase on the table. I love looking at them in the sunlight coming in the kitchen window.

I'm enjoying summer. Are you?