Today is my wedding anniversary. It makes me realize how truly blessed I am.
I've been married almost two decades to my high school sweetheart. We have the two most wonderful children in the entire world. For this, I am most grateful.
I'm grateful for the time I spend with my children and the ability to be involved in their lives.
I'm grateful to be breathing.
I'm grateful for grace (and no I don't mean my dog). :)
I'm grateful for joy.
I'm grateful for perseverance.
I'm grateful for dreams.
I'm grateful for love... and loved ones.
I'm grateful for Jesus.
I'm grateful for my abilities and talents.
What are grateful for...?
Tuesday, August 11, 2009
Tuesday, August 4, 2009
CVS Savings
Our town, city, whatever you want to call it -- just had its first CVS open. I already had my little red card and couldn't wait for them to open. It's been two weeks now and I'm enjoying saving money. The clerk today was impressed with the saving both Little Miss Muffet and myself enjoyed. I checked out first. I gave the clerk my coupon with my updated email address on it. For doing that, I will receive a coupon worth either $5 or $10 off $20. Last time I was in I received a coupon for a free CVS brand toothbrush. She rang up my purchases, some things were cheaper because I used my CVS card and I had coupons to use also. Everything totaled over $65 dollars. I had ECB's and my final total was $29. I purchased some pencil bags that were on sale but didn't ring up the sale price. The clerk and I discussed it throughout the sale. No ECB's and the sale price didn't ring up. She refunded the difference to me and I ended up paying about $22. I received $9 in ECB's and the $5 or $10 is on it's way. Next LMM made her purchase -- some sunglasses she had been wanting and looked at every time we have been in the store. If you purchase sunglasses, you receive a $5 ECB. She wanted some hair care products and they were $5.99 before tax. She did a second transaction (the assistant store manager told us during our first store visit that we could do this and they encourage their customers to in order to save money); she used her $5 just received ECB and her total due was $1.07. When paying for her sunglasses, she used a prepaid debit card that was a Christmas present that she had forgotten about. The only money really out of her pocket was the $1.07.
Little Boy Blue helped his grandfather today at his shop. One of his employees gave LBB a hammer that a vendor left with them. He was thrilled with his hammer. He explained that after the vendor uses it a bit and begins to show signs of wear, they give them the hammer.
We stopped by a furniture clearance store. They are having a huge sale because they are closing. Head and foot boards without side rails were $5 a piece. I really wanted to buy some. I tried to figure out something I could do to repurpose them. No ideas came to mind, so I left empty handed. There were some excellent deals. A coffee table was $9.99 -- it was a little rough around the edges and needed to be restained and varnished. A pretty good investment for a $299 coffee table. I passed on this also. The coffee table swiveled and I was afraid it may break soon. I may go back another day and find something but there were great deals throughout the store; somehow, those great deals must have been meant for someone other than me.
All in all, I think we had a pretty frugal day. Not buying something that I wouldn't/couldn't use counts!!
Leave a comment if you have any ideas to repurpose some really pretty, ornate head and foot boards.
Have a blessed day!!
Little Boy Blue helped his grandfather today at his shop. One of his employees gave LBB a hammer that a vendor left with them. He was thrilled with his hammer. He explained that after the vendor uses it a bit and begins to show signs of wear, they give them the hammer.
We stopped by a furniture clearance store. They are having a huge sale because they are closing. Head and foot boards without side rails were $5 a piece. I really wanted to buy some. I tried to figure out something I could do to repurpose them. No ideas came to mind, so I left empty handed. There were some excellent deals. A coffee table was $9.99 -- it was a little rough around the edges and needed to be restained and varnished. A pretty good investment for a $299 coffee table. I passed on this also. The coffee table swiveled and I was afraid it may break soon. I may go back another day and find something but there were great deals throughout the store; somehow, those great deals must have been meant for someone other than me.
All in all, I think we had a pretty frugal day. Not buying something that I wouldn't/couldn't use counts!!
Leave a comment if you have any ideas to repurpose some really pretty, ornate head and foot boards.
Have a blessed day!!
Friday, April 3, 2009
On my heart... Part 1
I wrote this post on April 3, 2009 sitting at a table looking out the top floor of a carriage house of the Corinthian Bed and Breakfast in Dallas, TX. I was scheduled for some surgical procedures on my heart a few hours later at Baylor Heart and Vascular Hospital in Dallas. The view from my room was beautiful. My family was still asleep but I arose very early that morning and began this post. I had a lot on my heart and on my mind and I wanted to share with you and get it off my chest. The following is only a part, the rest will follow (no promise on when) in subsequent posts. The internet failed that morning and I never had the chance to finish... it has taken me four months to begin blogging again.
Jesus meets us where we are. He stands in the gap for us. He is my All in All. He bears our burdens. He is a father to the fatherless and a mate to the mateless. He is so much more than we could ever ask for. He loves the unloved. He cares for the uncared for. He finds beauty in ashes. In Him, the incomplete are complete. Sinless, he died for the sinner. No matter how bitter and broken we are, He calls us His and loves us unconditionally. He loves us, He has called us by name, we are a child of His. He calms our fears. No matter what we are going through, He is right there with us ... carrying us all along the way. He bore the burdens of the world. He is a constant in a inconsistant and constantly changing world. He is the same yesterday, today and always. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is so much to so many.
I love my Jesus and He loves me.
I strive to be a godly woman, a godly wife and a godly mother and a godly friend. I fail miserably over and over, but He loves me just the same. I want to be like Him. I try to pick up and carry my cross daily. Some days I forget, some days are a struggle, but He gives me strength.
Because of Him I live and I can face tomorrow. Because of Him, I know my sins are forgiven. Because of Him, I know I am loved. Because of Him, I am living and walking and breathing.
Almost six years ago, my family was at my grandmother's house. I named my grandmother Mimi when I was a little child. Somehow, Grandmommie came out Mimi and she was my beloved Mimi ever since. I lost Mimi a little over three short yet long years ago. But I digress. The family was helping Mimi move. Mimi had been a widow for several years and lived alone at the lake. She was facing kidney dialysis at some uncertain time, only God knew when. So many weekends were filled with packing up a lifetime of accumalated belongings and an attic-full to boot. My precious aunt and her family were there many more times than we were but we all pitched in as a family and did our part.
We boxed and threw away and gave away and yet there was always a bounty to take home. One of these weekends, My husband and I were upstairs wrapping a plastic film around something (my memory fails me to what the object was) in order to protect it during the move to my Aunt and Uncle's home. I felt weird, then was flush, sick to my stomach, then it happened -- I fainted.
And there begins my story. Somewhat of a secret, somewhat known, but always mysterious.
I just didn't feel right after the fainting spell. As soon as Mimi heard about it, she made me rest and lie down on the sofa. I felt bad because there was all this hustle and bustle going on around me and all I could do was keep my back on the sofa cushions. I tried to get up too soon but back down I went. More resting. Still felt weird. And this continued. More and more symptoms were added as the days went by.
That particular trip, we were given the organ. The organ that was my great-grandmothers. The organ of many fun musical performances of mine during my childhood. I loved playing that huge thing made of dark wood and a plethora of weird knobs that I could pull out and push in for different sounds. We brought it home with us that trip. As we were moving it in the door, down I went. Another fainting spell. Heart racing. Still feeling weird.
Days passed. More kept happening to me. I would stumble as I walked. It was as if one foot wouldn't always work. I went to a chiropractor that does more than just adjustments. He had helped with other family ailments, so I thought I would give him a try. His diagnosis was I was allergic to canteloupes and had hypoglycemia. Uhmm, okay. It didn't seem right but we gave it a try. I had never had a reaction to canteloupe before. Yes, I had some that weekend but only a few bites. I ate a few small pieces to be polite. I had taken several canteloupes to Mimi. We served them at one of the meals. I never really cared for the taste of canteloupes so I usually stayed away from them. This is how the allergy to canteloupes was diagnosed.
Days turned into weeks. More fainting spells. I was standing against a wall at a funeral of a dear friend that had suddenly passed away. I had not shared with anyone what was happening to me. I was standing against that wall because I was dizzy. Then more weirdness happened. I felt a weird electricity going through my heart and through my body. A friend came over to check on me and said I didn't look well. I told her what I was experiencing. She brought me something to drink and made me sit down. She asked some questions and was very concerned. She had experienced a brain tumor years ago. We talked a bit and I filled her in on the details of what had been happening in my life. She went and found my husband and made him take me home because she knew I wasn't well.
We didn't tell anyone else still. We didn't know what was going on and decided to wait until we had a name to put with the symptoms. There wasn't much to say, other than I feel weird, I can faint at a drop of a hat, I have weird electricity go through me at times and I am gaining anywhere from a pound to five pounds a week. Time passed, I felt worse, my dear husband and children became more concerned. I felt weaker and was pretty tired all the time but I kept pressing on.
I had some kind of appointment with my regular doctor (meaning ob/gyn) because I hardly ever went to the doctor other than for those reason. I detested going to the doctor -- other than when I was pregnanat, I gladly went then.
I shared with him my new tricks that my body suddenly seemed so keen on displaying. If I wasn't fainting I was tripping over air. He referred me to an internal medicine doc. He wasn't the most understanding doc. He thought it was no big deal that making a lasagna and french bread made me so tired I had to take a nap. He didn't understand that I always made lasagna three at a time and homemade french bread to go with it along with a huge salad and homemade dressing. Many times, one lasagna was going to a family with a need or in a crisis at the time (surgery, family member in hospital, death in family -- you get the picture) along with the brread, salad and dessert. I made the same for my family and would put one lasagna in the freezer. Countless times I did this. All of a sudden, this was too much for me - making one lasagna was way too much. I knew something was going on but he dismissed it "because making lasagna from scratch is hard work. You should just go to Sam's a buy the lasagna there, it's much easier and it's good too." His words, not mine. He ordered a few tests and hooked me up with a neurologist and cardiologist. "Should be something simple, but you're worrying for nothing."
He wasn't my docotr for long. He started picking on my cholesterol levels. They were below the "too high" mark but he felt cholesterol medicine would cure all my woes. Really now!! Fired him, on to next doc. My birthday that year was marked by several hours at the neurologist office, a good 30 minutes with him covering the bases, but a lot of time waiting. I had 2 MRI's the next week and a bazillion blood test. Too bad I couldn't donate all the blood I've given for blood test over the years. 5-7 vials at a time really adds up. EEgs, EKGs and a myriad of alphabet soup tests awaited me. Thousands of dollars at a time racked up. Still no answers. I was losing money and gaining weight.
The neurologist really thought I was having seizures. He ran this one test where they put this gum and butter mixture all throughout my head, only on a clump of strands of hair and hook up electrodes to them. My dear husband and my sister went with me. They got to sit on a comfy couch and watch me try to sleep on demand, blow a pinwheel and endure these funky disco lights. Really, how can one sleep on demand, especially with your little sister snickering and laughing and whispering. It was odd and no I never went to sleep.
On to the neurocardiologist. Endured a tilt table test that almost killed me. No, I am not being facecious. I thought my heart was going to explode and after twenty minutes of joking around with the nurses, I was suddenly begging them to stop the test as I didn't know if I could endure any more pain. I was watching my heart rate and blood pressure plummet. Pain. Pressure. Blackness. Total blackness. A white light. I was dressed in a white robe. Jesus was standing behind me, also dressed in a white robe, with his hand on my shoulder and we were reading something I was holding in my hand. Then, pain, excrutiating PAIN. Weakness, hurting, grogginess. When I awoke (read revived) carts, trays, apparatus were scattered about the once orderly room. I was wheeled back to a room where my unsuspecting dear husband had been directed to. I was so weak I could hardly speak. My poor husband had no clue what had just happened. This was supposed to be a no-big-deal test and the doc didn't even want my huband there. Huh?! Yep, he said there was "no need." Whatever! He drove me. We are so glad he did.
The doctor walked into the room, evidently I was strong enough to give him a really dirty look. His reaction was,"What, you look at me like I am the devil." My response:"Well, you're pretty close right now." He went on to inform us that "He almost lost me ... and had trouble getting me back." Okay, and I was supposed to show up to this test by myself. Daignosis:Neurocardiogenic syncope. Okay, first diagnosis. I continued with this doc a few more months. Visits every two weeks, all he did was prescribe me medicine and check my blood pressure. I showed him my toes, there were purple. No big deal, that's normal. Huh?! I was barely able to walk during this time. It was a great day if I could make it from the bed to the recliner. No, the blue/purple toes had nothing to do with it. Weakness and dizzness were the norm for me. My new skin color was gray. I wasn't eating but I sure was packing on the pounds.
It was a rare occasion when I could muster up enough strength to go to church. People prayed for me, but for some reason I wasn't healed because they prayed. Somehow, my body was not made aware of some time table that exists from the time they prayed to my supposed-healing time. I lost friends during this time. No one came to see me. Vanished, like Dorothy's house in the Wizard of Oz, I guess they were carried off to some far off place -- because they certainly weren't around anymore.
My dear husband and children rallied around me. We drew our strength from the Lord, Jesus Christ. My husband made deals with God. He begged God to heal me, to take my infirmaties away. My children felt responsible, so did my dear husband. Every Sunday they went to church. Usually, one child was left to watch over me. Countless Sundays occured where Dear husband left for church and I was left lying in bed with heart palpitations and chest pains. This was a hard time for my dear husband. He felt like if he was a "good christian" by going to church, somehow this would be payment enough for God to heal me and make me better or lead me to a medical doctor that would heal me and make me better. Instead, I was left in pain wondering how I would call 9*1*1 if the pain got any worse. As my dear husband has matured in his Christian walk, he has realized that God doesn't make deals and it certainly doesn't make your wife better.
Jesus meets us where we are. He stands in the gap for us. He is my All in All. He bears our burdens. He is a father to the fatherless and a mate to the mateless. He is so much more than we could ever ask for. He loves the unloved. He cares for the uncared for. He finds beauty in ashes. In Him, the incomplete are complete. Sinless, he died for the sinner. No matter how bitter and broken we are, He calls us His and loves us unconditionally. He loves us, He has called us by name, we are a child of His. He calms our fears. No matter what we are going through, He is right there with us ... carrying us all along the way. He bore the burdens of the world. He is a constant in a inconsistant and constantly changing world. He is the same yesterday, today and always. He is the Alpha and Omega, the Beginning and the End. He is so much to so many.
I love my Jesus and He loves me.
I strive to be a godly woman, a godly wife and a godly mother and a godly friend. I fail miserably over and over, but He loves me just the same. I want to be like Him. I try to pick up and carry my cross daily. Some days I forget, some days are a struggle, but He gives me strength.
Because of Him I live and I can face tomorrow. Because of Him, I know my sins are forgiven. Because of Him, I know I am loved. Because of Him, I am living and walking and breathing.
Almost six years ago, my family was at my grandmother's house. I named my grandmother Mimi when I was a little child. Somehow, Grandmommie came out Mimi and she was my beloved Mimi ever since. I lost Mimi a little over three short yet long years ago. But I digress. The family was helping Mimi move. Mimi had been a widow for several years and lived alone at the lake. She was facing kidney dialysis at some uncertain time, only God knew when. So many weekends were filled with packing up a lifetime of accumalated belongings and an attic-full to boot. My precious aunt and her family were there many more times than we were but we all pitched in as a family and did our part.
We boxed and threw away and gave away and yet there was always a bounty to take home. One of these weekends, My husband and I were upstairs wrapping a plastic film around something (my memory fails me to what the object was) in order to protect it during the move to my Aunt and Uncle's home. I felt weird, then was flush, sick to my stomach, then it happened -- I fainted.
And there begins my story. Somewhat of a secret, somewhat known, but always mysterious.
I just didn't feel right after the fainting spell. As soon as Mimi heard about it, she made me rest and lie down on the sofa. I felt bad because there was all this hustle and bustle going on around me and all I could do was keep my back on the sofa cushions. I tried to get up too soon but back down I went. More resting. Still felt weird. And this continued. More and more symptoms were added as the days went by.
That particular trip, we were given the organ. The organ that was my great-grandmothers. The organ of many fun musical performances of mine during my childhood. I loved playing that huge thing made of dark wood and a plethora of weird knobs that I could pull out and push in for different sounds. We brought it home with us that trip. As we were moving it in the door, down I went. Another fainting spell. Heart racing. Still feeling weird.
Days passed. More kept happening to me. I would stumble as I walked. It was as if one foot wouldn't always work. I went to a chiropractor that does more than just adjustments. He had helped with other family ailments, so I thought I would give him a try. His diagnosis was I was allergic to canteloupes and had hypoglycemia. Uhmm, okay. It didn't seem right but we gave it a try. I had never had a reaction to canteloupe before. Yes, I had some that weekend but only a few bites. I ate a few small pieces to be polite. I had taken several canteloupes to Mimi. We served them at one of the meals. I never really cared for the taste of canteloupes so I usually stayed away from them. This is how the allergy to canteloupes was diagnosed.
Days turned into weeks. More fainting spells. I was standing against a wall at a funeral of a dear friend that had suddenly passed away. I had not shared with anyone what was happening to me. I was standing against that wall because I was dizzy. Then more weirdness happened. I felt a weird electricity going through my heart and through my body. A friend came over to check on me and said I didn't look well. I told her what I was experiencing. She brought me something to drink and made me sit down. She asked some questions and was very concerned. She had experienced a brain tumor years ago. We talked a bit and I filled her in on the details of what had been happening in my life. She went and found my husband and made him take me home because she knew I wasn't well.
We didn't tell anyone else still. We didn't know what was going on and decided to wait until we had a name to put with the symptoms. There wasn't much to say, other than I feel weird, I can faint at a drop of a hat, I have weird electricity go through me at times and I am gaining anywhere from a pound to five pounds a week. Time passed, I felt worse, my dear husband and children became more concerned. I felt weaker and was pretty tired all the time but I kept pressing on.
I had some kind of appointment with my regular doctor (meaning ob/gyn) because I hardly ever went to the doctor other than for those reason. I detested going to the doctor -- other than when I was pregnanat, I gladly went then.
I shared with him my new tricks that my body suddenly seemed so keen on displaying. If I wasn't fainting I was tripping over air. He referred me to an internal medicine doc. He wasn't the most understanding doc. He thought it was no big deal that making a lasagna and french bread made me so tired I had to take a nap. He didn't understand that I always made lasagna three at a time and homemade french bread to go with it along with a huge salad and homemade dressing. Many times, one lasagna was going to a family with a need or in a crisis at the time (surgery, family member in hospital, death in family -- you get the picture) along with the brread, salad and dessert. I made the same for my family and would put one lasagna in the freezer. Countless times I did this. All of a sudden, this was too much for me - making one lasagna was way too much. I knew something was going on but he dismissed it "because making lasagna from scratch is hard work. You should just go to Sam's a buy the lasagna there, it's much easier and it's good too." His words, not mine. He ordered a few tests and hooked me up with a neurologist and cardiologist. "Should be something simple, but you're worrying for nothing."
He wasn't my docotr for long. He started picking on my cholesterol levels. They were below the "too high" mark but he felt cholesterol medicine would cure all my woes. Really now!! Fired him, on to next doc. My birthday that year was marked by several hours at the neurologist office, a good 30 minutes with him covering the bases, but a lot of time waiting. I had 2 MRI's the next week and a bazillion blood test. Too bad I couldn't donate all the blood I've given for blood test over the years. 5-7 vials at a time really adds up. EEgs, EKGs and a myriad of alphabet soup tests awaited me. Thousands of dollars at a time racked up. Still no answers. I was losing money and gaining weight.
The neurologist really thought I was having seizures. He ran this one test where they put this gum and butter mixture all throughout my head, only on a clump of strands of hair and hook up electrodes to them. My dear husband and my sister went with me. They got to sit on a comfy couch and watch me try to sleep on demand, blow a pinwheel and endure these funky disco lights. Really, how can one sleep on demand, especially with your little sister snickering and laughing and whispering. It was odd and no I never went to sleep.
On to the neurocardiologist. Endured a tilt table test that almost killed me. No, I am not being facecious. I thought my heart was going to explode and after twenty minutes of joking around with the nurses, I was suddenly begging them to stop the test as I didn't know if I could endure any more pain. I was watching my heart rate and blood pressure plummet. Pain. Pressure. Blackness. Total blackness. A white light. I was dressed in a white robe. Jesus was standing behind me, also dressed in a white robe, with his hand on my shoulder and we were reading something I was holding in my hand. Then, pain, excrutiating PAIN. Weakness, hurting, grogginess. When I awoke (read revived) carts, trays, apparatus were scattered about the once orderly room. I was wheeled back to a room where my unsuspecting dear husband had been directed to. I was so weak I could hardly speak. My poor husband had no clue what had just happened. This was supposed to be a no-big-deal test and the doc didn't even want my huband there. Huh?! Yep, he said there was "no need." Whatever! He drove me. We are so glad he did.
The doctor walked into the room, evidently I was strong enough to give him a really dirty look. His reaction was,"What, you look at me like I am the devil." My response:"Well, you're pretty close right now." He went on to inform us that "He almost lost me ... and had trouble getting me back." Okay, and I was supposed to show up to this test by myself. Daignosis:Neurocardiogenic syncope. Okay, first diagnosis. I continued with this doc a few more months. Visits every two weeks, all he did was prescribe me medicine and check my blood pressure. I showed him my toes, there were purple. No big deal, that's normal. Huh?! I was barely able to walk during this time. It was a great day if I could make it from the bed to the recliner. No, the blue/purple toes had nothing to do with it. Weakness and dizzness were the norm for me. My new skin color was gray. I wasn't eating but I sure was packing on the pounds.
It was a rare occasion when I could muster up enough strength to go to church. People prayed for me, but for some reason I wasn't healed because they prayed. Somehow, my body was not made aware of some time table that exists from the time they prayed to my supposed-healing time. I lost friends during this time. No one came to see me. Vanished, like Dorothy's house in the Wizard of Oz, I guess they were carried off to some far off place -- because they certainly weren't around anymore.
My dear husband and children rallied around me. We drew our strength from the Lord, Jesus Christ. My husband made deals with God. He begged God to heal me, to take my infirmaties away. My children felt responsible, so did my dear husband. Every Sunday they went to church. Usually, one child was left to watch over me. Countless Sundays occured where Dear husband left for church and I was left lying in bed with heart palpitations and chest pains. This was a hard time for my dear husband. He felt like if he was a "good christian" by going to church, somehow this would be payment enough for God to heal me and make me better or lead me to a medical doctor that would heal me and make me better. Instead, I was left in pain wondering how I would call 9*1*1 if the pain got any worse. As my dear husband has matured in his Christian walk, he has realized that God doesn't make deals and it certainly doesn't make your wife better.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Spring = Prom
Thursday and Friday we decorated for prom. I really didn't want to not have school those two days but in order to help it was necessary. I reminded myself that after these two days, we weren't going to have prom committee meetings after this week -- so it made it a little easier. Of course there were lessons learned during those two days and the rewards that were reaped were priceless.
Prom was such a special time. It began with dinner at a Bennihana type restaurant. Party of 18! Some were parents, some had dates, some didn't. It didn't matter. Everyone had a nice time and the food was fabulous and everyone looked beautiful and handsome.
Next was prom itself. What a wonderful memory filled night for my whole family. My dear husband and I learned to dance via the dance instructor and Little Miss Muffett and Little Boy Blue were dance partners for a time during the lessons. Later my dear husband and LMM danced. I wished I would have seen it but I was attending to one of my duties in the kitchen. There were pictures galore. There were pictures, punch, and a King and Queen.
Afterward, everyone (almost) went bowling. The girls looked just beautiful in their sportier clothes with all the curls and updo hairstyles. Yes, some girls even bowled in their formal dresses. They bowled until it was time to shut the doors. At the end, another mom and I passed by the security guard, he complimented our group on how well behaved everyone was. There were 12 lanes. I agree, the children were very well behaved but still had tons of fun.
Anyone that wonders if homeschooled children miss out, my answer remains the same as it has always been - they only miss the junk that no one needs. Yes, this was a homeschool prom and it was a blast. Realizing that not everyone dances and not all children may be allowed to attend the prom, it was still okay because they were able to attend the bowling festivities.
Cherish the special time and moments with your children. They grow up so fast.
Prom was such a special time. It began with dinner at a Bennihana type restaurant. Party of 18! Some were parents, some had dates, some didn't. It didn't matter. Everyone had a nice time and the food was fabulous and everyone looked beautiful and handsome.
Next was prom itself. What a wonderful memory filled night for my whole family. My dear husband and I learned to dance via the dance instructor and Little Miss Muffett and Little Boy Blue were dance partners for a time during the lessons. Later my dear husband and LMM danced. I wished I would have seen it but I was attending to one of my duties in the kitchen. There were pictures galore. There were pictures, punch, and a King and Queen.
Afterward, everyone (almost) went bowling. The girls looked just beautiful in their sportier clothes with all the curls and updo hairstyles. Yes, some girls even bowled in their formal dresses. They bowled until it was time to shut the doors. At the end, another mom and I passed by the security guard, he complimented our group on how well behaved everyone was. There were 12 lanes. I agree, the children were very well behaved but still had tons of fun.
Anyone that wonders if homeschooled children miss out, my answer remains the same as it has always been - they only miss the junk that no one needs. Yes, this was a homeschool prom and it was a blast. Realizing that not everyone dances and not all children may be allowed to attend the prom, it was still okay because they were able to attend the bowling festivities.
Cherish the special time and moments with your children. They grow up so fast.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Living Gluten-Free
I just made this Banana Crunch Cake from Gluten Free is Life. It was moist and delicious. She said it was a coffee cake but it would be just as good without the oatmeal crumble topping IMHO. It was not grainy -- it seriously took me back to my gluten days. It was full bodied and had a crumb just like a cake. It only called for oat flour -- no mixing or multiple flours and no guar or xanthan gum! It was easy and yummy!
It still amazes me how the gluten free products I try just keep getting better and better. I have learned a few things in the past year. 1.) The pre-made items are okay but can range from food grade cardboard to good but grainy. 2.) Some of the best brownies I have had were from a gf mix. Mixes are better than already made gluten-free products. 3.) The best gluten-free products that don't taste gluten free are the ones made from scratch.
I think I may be dreaming of this banana cake tonight. I am glad I did make it tonight (and sample it), with Little Miss Muffet's help (she helped sample it, also), because this means breakfast is made for in the morning.
Gluten-free living is getting easier. This past weekend we went on a scout camp out. It was rainy and cold! We were so glad our troop was in charge of cooking, that meant we could help out in the kitchen in exchange for beds in cabins and buildings. The first morning all those campers filed in looking forward to that warm liquid to help warm them up, whether it be hot chocolate or coffee. There were murmurs of the coldness and dampness and hopefulness it would warm up. My room was blazing hot, probably 90 degrees. It was absolutely stifling. I didn't dare complain because I was so glad to be warm and not sleep on rocks and have a bathroom literally three footsteps away from where I laid my head.
Working and helping out in the kitchen was fun. My entire family lent a helping hand with each meal in some capacity. One neat thing about helping with the food was access to the menu before hand -- also there was the boon of making sure there was not any cross contamination. Knowing the head cook helped so much because he kept our food needs in mind. I forgot we were having spaghetti, so really it only helps when one remembers things they shouldn't forget. We talked about what LMM and I would eat for dinner that night. We were hoping there would be a left over hamburger patty from lunch for each of us.
It's neat how things work out. We were both able to eat spaghetti!! Another camper also had Celiac. Her mom had made an entire package of gf pasta noodles. When she dropped them off in the kitchen ahead of time, I was able to introduce myself and I was able to glean some neat ideas from her. Her family has been gluten free for 8 1/2 years! She told me of an Asian market in town where I will be able to buy stir-fry to go and flours/noodles much cheaper than at the health food store. Yippee! She offered to share the noodles with us also. Usually, I would have thanked her but said no-thank-you. Not that afternoon, the noodles were good, they were not any noodles I had bought before. They were good, I just seemed to have required a lot of sauce with the noodles. I hope I can one day repay the kind act. Maybe I will make this banana cake and wrap up a couple of slices for her dear daughter.
The gluten free life just keeps getting better and better.
It still amazes me how the gluten free products I try just keep getting better and better. I have learned a few things in the past year. 1.) The pre-made items are okay but can range from food grade cardboard to good but grainy. 2.) Some of the best brownies I have had were from a gf mix. Mixes are better than already made gluten-free products. 3.) The best gluten-free products that don't taste gluten free are the ones made from scratch.
I think I may be dreaming of this banana cake tonight. I am glad I did make it tonight (and sample it), with Little Miss Muffet's help (she helped sample it, also), because this means breakfast is made for in the morning.
Gluten-free living is getting easier. This past weekend we went on a scout camp out. It was rainy and cold! We were so glad our troop was in charge of cooking, that meant we could help out in the kitchen in exchange for beds in cabins and buildings. The first morning all those campers filed in looking forward to that warm liquid to help warm them up, whether it be hot chocolate or coffee. There were murmurs of the coldness and dampness and hopefulness it would warm up. My room was blazing hot, probably 90 degrees. It was absolutely stifling. I didn't dare complain because I was so glad to be warm and not sleep on rocks and have a bathroom literally three footsteps away from where I laid my head.
Working and helping out in the kitchen was fun. My entire family lent a helping hand with each meal in some capacity. One neat thing about helping with the food was access to the menu before hand -- also there was the boon of making sure there was not any cross contamination. Knowing the head cook helped so much because he kept our food needs in mind. I forgot we were having spaghetti, so really it only helps when one remembers things they shouldn't forget. We talked about what LMM and I would eat for dinner that night. We were hoping there would be a left over hamburger patty from lunch for each of us.
It's neat how things work out. We were both able to eat spaghetti!! Another camper also had Celiac. Her mom had made an entire package of gf pasta noodles. When she dropped them off in the kitchen ahead of time, I was able to introduce myself and I was able to glean some neat ideas from her. Her family has been gluten free for 8 1/2 years! She told me of an Asian market in town where I will be able to buy stir-fry to go and flours/noodles much cheaper than at the health food store. Yippee! She offered to share the noodles with us also. Usually, I would have thanked her but said no-thank-you. Not that afternoon, the noodles were good, they were not any noodles I had bought before. They were good, I just seemed to have required a lot of sauce with the noodles. I hope I can one day repay the kind act. Maybe I will make this banana cake and wrap up a couple of slices for her dear daughter.
The gluten free life just keeps getting better and better.
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Reading books
I love homeschooling! One of the neat things to me is all of the books we read; the read-alouds, the historical books, the living books, the free reading books, it's wonderful. I search used book stores, the Friends of the Library in our neighboring town, eBay, and last but certainly not least, PaperBackSwap for the wonderful books that fill our many bookshelves. These are in addition to new books from bookstores and curriculum companies.
Sometimes we end up with multiple copies of the same book. Mainly it happens when we visit the Friends of the Library during the 50% and 75% off sales. We can seriously buy $325 of books for only $25. We love those kind of deals! When we end up shopping off list and getting some books that we think look good, sometimes they are already sitting on our bookshelves waiting to be read. But at prices like that, it's okay to have duplicates. Besides, I can always list them on PaperBackSwap if I want.
One book with multiple copies is The Giver by Lois Lowery. One was from PaperBackSwap and the other came from a lot of books from eBay. This worked out well because both of my children can read the same book at the same time. I love their conversations when they refer a book to the other. During one's reading, the other will ask if they have read a certain part yet or where they are in the book. It's wonderful to hear them compare notes and their favorite portions of the books.
Today was the day they started the same book on the same day. I think there is a little sibling competition to see who finishes first but much more than that, they are both enamored with the book. Little Miss Muffet was actually stirring the vegetables at supper tonight while reading. Little Boy Blue went to the hardware store with my dear husband tonight and was able to read a few pages. I'm not sure if he was bumping his way down the aisles turning pages or if he just used the map light en route.
The day the book arrived (the first book) I read it that day. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was thought provoking. Both of my children have both made the exact same statement about The Giver without knowing knowing the other one said it also. They both finished the book today (the day they began reading it). LMM said it was thought provoking and gripping and went on to say; "What if we were limited and didn't have choices. What if we couldn't see color or hear music...". LBB said it was thought provoking and even a thriller. He felt the last 30-40 pages were the most suspenseful. In the back of the book there are questions for discussion, we will utilize those tomorrow.
Sometimes we end up with multiple copies of the same book. Mainly it happens when we visit the Friends of the Library during the 50% and 75% off sales. We can seriously buy $325 of books for only $25. We love those kind of deals! When we end up shopping off list and getting some books that we think look good, sometimes they are already sitting on our bookshelves waiting to be read. But at prices like that, it's okay to have duplicates. Besides, I can always list them on PaperBackSwap if I want.
One book with multiple copies is The Giver by Lois Lowery. One was from PaperBackSwap and the other came from a lot of books from eBay. This worked out well because both of my children can read the same book at the same time. I love their conversations when they refer a book to the other. During one's reading, the other will ask if they have read a certain part yet or where they are in the book. It's wonderful to hear them compare notes and their favorite portions of the books.
Today was the day they started the same book on the same day. I think there is a little sibling competition to see who finishes first but much more than that, they are both enamored with the book. Little Miss Muffet was actually stirring the vegetables at supper tonight while reading. Little Boy Blue went to the hardware store with my dear husband tonight and was able to read a few pages. I'm not sure if he was bumping his way down the aisles turning pages or if he just used the map light en route.
The day the book arrived (the first book) I read it that day. I thoroughly enjoyed it and thought it was thought provoking. Both of my children have both made the exact same statement about The Giver without knowing knowing the other one said it also. They both finished the book today (the day they began reading it). LMM said it was thought provoking and gripping and went on to say; "What if we were limited and didn't have choices. What if we couldn't see color or hear music...". LBB said it was thought provoking and even a thriller. He felt the last 30-40 pages were the most suspenseful. In the back of the book there are questions for discussion, we will utilize those tomorrow.
What's for supper...?
For some reason I didn't make out a menu for this week but I've had fun trying new recipes. So far I've made my grandmother's Chop Suey -- delicious! Then I made cabbage rolls, a black bean soup (I'm still searching for that special black bean soup recipe). I also made sandwiches, pimento cheese sandwiches. I used Paula Deen's recipe of which she credits her son. It contained cream cheese, grated cheddar, grated onion and I used roasted red peppers that I diced. It was delicious, we much prefer the cheddar to Velveeta. That brings us to dinner tonight.
I had some tilapia. Hmmm, what to make... so I searched and came up with this Spanish Moroccan Tilapia from allrecipes.com. We placed the tilapia and the Moroccan vegetables and broth atop some De Boles multi grain gluten-free spaghetti style pasta. Next time I would serve this on top of some brown rice, but we've had rice several times this week. The pasta was different, it was made with rice, quinoa, and amaranth. It was kind of crunchy on the inside but looked done on the outside. I cooked it for the recommended time. It was fine and made the dish not so soft.
It smelled wonderful when it was cooking and we all enjoyed it. It is definitely a keeper. I don't know if I will put it in rotation but it's great for those nights when you want something different. It was easy to make, there was a lot of dicing of vegetables but very easy to prepare. I did not add the garbanzo beans because I did not have them on hand. For the two red bell peppers I substituted mini sweet peppers. They are yellow, orange and red and added some really pretty color to the mixture. I used all the kalamata olives I had on hand, probably twelve or so. I diced them pretty small. The purplish-black flecks added a nice contrast visually to the dish.
The dish was a hit and the pictures don't do it justice. I was going to also include a picture when the tilapia was cooking but it was not visually appealing, it was just white globs on top of red. It tastes much better than the pictures look.
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