Birthday Boy

Hubby celebrated his birthday a few weeks ago. My goodness how time flies! Quite honestly I don't need to ever go through another hurricane in my lifetime. And this one was not even horrible! It just seems to take so long to get everything back to normal.

 Anyway, Hubby had a birthday. He loves pie better than cake, so I made his favorite Blackberry Pie. Notice the age cut into the top? Yep. Forty-four!! He sure did rob the cradle when he married me.

 Our family celebrates birthdays together by eating out. Hubby chose Red Lobster. He used to choose the Japanese steakhouse, but he has stopped that. I told him if he wants to go there he has to go alone. The boys and I don't care for the food, and once you have seen the show a couple of times you really don't care to see it again. So Red Lobster it is.

 My guys sure are goofy. Below is the face of the man I love, even the older version of it. (Love ya, Sweetheart!)

 And this is me and the other goofy man in my life. I am very blessed to have these three hooligans.

Labor Day Beer Pong

Last summer my mother-in-law told the boys she had bought a fun game for them to play the next time we get together. She said you try to bounce a ping pong ball into a cup and if you get it in the other person has to drink the cup. "That's called Beer Pong, Grandma," said my older homeschooled boy. Yes, she is that innocent, and yes he does get out in the world.

 So when we got together with the family over Labor Day weekend, the grandkids and the rest of us had to try it out. Grandma said we were going to use prune juice, but we went with Cream Soda instead. Thank goodness! Prune juice could have caused some very bad problems for the female team, which lost miserably!

 I did not manage to get a single ball in the cup when we played guys against girls. Then we set up a play off of one-on-one. I evidently was using my wily poker skills the first practice round.

 I think I started playing in the second round of the individuals, and it went in the other person's cup every time!! Seldom did I have to drink anything myself.

 Here is Preacher Man giving it a shot. He didn't do very well. I suppose the congregation will be glad to hear that!

 Now look at all of the drinking! What's that? You don't see me? Hmmm.

 What were we thinking playing right before bed?! Sugar rush!!

 Even Grandma, the game initiator, had to gulp down her share of cream soda.

So that is our family. The grandma teaches the kids to play Beer Pong with the preacher, and the preacher's wife wins!--------- This may embarrass my M-I-L. Sorry. I'm sure everyone knows you are really that innocent and naive.

Sickness

I think it has to do with the hurricane that came through last month. Everyone is sick. One sweet little girl at church, aged four, has mono! My men are coughing and hacking, tired and irritable, but not dead enough to let them off the hook when it comes to work. I bought a bunch of medicine yesterday, and got carded! I don't think I would get carded in the ABC store!
Anyway I dosed #1 last night before bed, and I am letting both boys sleep a little longer this morning. They actually have a busy day, but they need some rest.
I was looking back at some old blog posts from years ago and discovered that I am not nearly as interesting or reflective as I used to be. I wish I were. I just seem to go from one thing to another. I do spend time in reflective thought, but I don't get it down nearly as often as I would like.
Just got a phone call. Another friend is sick and won't be at Odyssey of the Mind this morning. At least we aren't alone in our misery.

Justification is NOT Sweet

I took the boys to the orthodontist on Wednesday. It was a second check for #2 and a first for #1. #2 is missing several adult teeth, you will remember, and he has to wait to lose some more baby teeth before they will do anything to help him with orthodontia.
Well, he lost 3 teeth in the last 6 months! That is major since he hadn't lost any for the last 3 YEARS! However, it wasn't enough aand he will continue to "Waitin' to Straighten". The orthodontist thought it would probably be another year unless he loses a lot of teeth in this next 6 month period. It also looks like what was supposed to be a peg tooth is actually just a sliver of a tooth and may have to be extracted.
#1 was told that it is time to go ahead and brace him up. The cost was $5800! Yes, for the price of a good used car you can put metal on your kid's teeth. I decided we would go to another guy and get a price and recommendation. #1 was happy- sort of- to get another opinion, but his opinion is that he doesn't need braces. He thinks he looks just fine. (And given the rate of female followers he has I suppose he is correct.)
Anyway we headed out today for another opinion. This time to a dentist that was recommended by a couple families as being gentle and less expensive. He also does orthodontics and does it faster and less expensive than most. Can't say as I agree.
The dentist did a thorough exam with lots of Xrays, but didn't actually do anything to help #1. #1 has a lot of plaque under his gumline. The dentist pulled out a bunch of it to show us and told #1 that he isn't brushing well enough. This is something I have said thousands of times, literally.
So #1 has 4 cavities. Yes, FOUR! Though I have warned him for years that that could happen, he has refused to change his brushing technique. Now that I can say, "I told you so" it falls a little flat. The four cavities cost? $970! Doesn't taste sweet at all.
The good news is that this dentist said there isn't any real problem with #1's dental/skeletal frame and he does not need braces. Well thank goodness, 'cause all my money just went to filling cavities!

Food For Two Days

I have been following the famine/drought from Africa lately. I read about mothers with children strapped to their backs walking and walking to find food and water. The children are dying on the mothers' backs without the mother noticing. It is a shame and a pity. Pray for rain and rescue for East Africa.
But that isn't what this post is about. No this is about what my son thinks he needs to eat for two days at a water park: a piece of cold pizza, an apple, a banana, and a granola bar. Nothing else. Not even to drink.
I told the boys to pack their lunches or take money for food and that they needed to prepare for at least 4 meals. I would take care of breakfast.
After he packed this meager lunch, I asked if he planned on buying all of his meals. No. He planned on buying NONE of his meals. This, he believed, was all he needed. I provided more food as time went by.
Then yesterday he packed an apple for his lunch at co-op. We are gone from 8:00 until about 4:00. Included in that time is PE, first thing in the morning! Did you eat any breakfast? No. Of course not. What was I thinking?
He came to me at lunch and asked for something else to eat because, in his words, "I got hungry this week. I don't normally eat more than an apple though!"
As I talked with a friend last night and relayed my exasperaton with the boy she said, "It's just such an awkward age. We have to feel sorry for them."
I think she used the wrong pronoun. We should feel sorry for US!

Missed Week

What can make me miss a week of blogging? Well...Finding time for house repair estimate appointments, men telling me the house is full of mold and needs to be condemned (it wasn't quite that bad, but it felt like it!), an emergency dental appointment for a chipped tooth, two visits to the chiropracter, an overnight 4H trip, helping at a home school support meeting, ferrying kids to auditions, meetings, etc.---Oh and I taught school.
In the middle of all of that is the constant feeling that God is up to something. I am not sure what it is--hear FRUSTRATION in my writing voice--but I am trying to be patient and attentive. Prayers for clarity are appreciated.
Soon I hope to blog about foxes, packing food for a two day trip, and emails from students. I do still get daily laugh time to ease the stress of life. Maybe soon I can send some laughter your way.

Weekend

I attended a home schooling conference this past weekend. It was about how to school through high school, and I found it to be quite helpful. I had questions answered about credits and transcripts, as well as testing and college stuff. More importantly I was reminded about how much I love God and need to hear His word.
The speaker was from the national organization Home School Legal Defense Association (HSLDA). She filled her talk with  the Word, and it felt good to hear it. One of the first things she covered was that you can't school through high school if you don't have time for God, your spouse, and your children. So you have to simplify and choose what you will participate in. You have to choose what you will battle, what you will push, and what you will focus on.
She talked about "white space" and having time on your calendar to stay home and just be. It is very true. I have most Wednesdays, and Thursdays and Fridays open on the calendar. It is a great time to finish school work, straighten the house, and get ready for the next week's co-op.
But this week we have a 4H trip planned for Thursday and Friday. It will be fun to be away with friends and relax at Great Wolf Lodge, but it is stressing me out a bit to think that two days are lost from my down time. I need that time to slow down, get work done, and enjoy peace and quiet.
I need solace to listen to my God. I need my God.

Flash from the Past

Last night I was talking with a couple of friends about eating out. None of us ate out much as a kid. I can remember sometimes going to 4 Corners Restaurant after church for lunch. I would order mashed potatoes and roast beef with gravy on top of white bread. Lemon meringue pie was the dessert. 4 Corners had a fancy pie display case, and all of the pies were in a circle for you to look at and make a decision.

During our conversation, one friend made a comment about Hardees, and suddenly I remembered another thing. When I was older, but still a young teen-ager, my mom and I would go to Bridgeport to shop at the new mall on Saturdays. We would drive through the Hardees in the curve of the road and get an order of cinnamon raisin biscuits. They were warm and goey, covered in sweet glaze.

This evening we were headed out for a movie at the park. I popped a batch of corn on top of the stove, and we climbed into the van. Suddenly I was transported back to the drive-in theater we went to when I was a kid. I imagine it was on a Friday night, my parents would put us in our pajamas and toss us in the station wagon. My mom would bring a brown bag of freshly popped corn and a cooler of Kool-Aid. At the drive-in we would throw out a blanket on the ground or curl up in the back of the car and settle in for the movie.

I had a great childhood. It always surprises me when these memories flood back to me. They seem so long forgotten, and then suddenly the cobwebs are washed away and the smells and colors return as fresh as new paint. I wonder what memories will be etched in my own children's minds 30 years from now.

They're Gone

I enjoy my morning walks because of all of the wild life I encounter. I have mentioned before the birds, the tracks we see, and the beauty of the surroundings. One thing that I have particularly enjoyed this summer is a pair of hawks.
They have a nest in the loblolly trees, and they soar around it in the morning calling to one another. The call sounds so wild and free. It is a sharp, bracing scream that reminds me of cowboy and indian movies from my childhood.
Irene's fury has been over for nearly two weeks now, and I still haven't heard or seen the hawks. I don't know if the storm damaged the nest or just scared them away, but the morning walk just isn't the same without them.

Eating Like A Teen

I have a friend who runs every day. She doesn't run because she loves to run, but she runs because she loves to eat. Running lets her eat whatever she wants. I guess I don't love eating enough to need to run, although I do enjoy a brisk walk with occasional sprints, I would just rather eat.
However, I evidently don't like to eat as much as my son either. He just had breakfast, a HUGE egg and cheese filled tortilla downed with a glass of milk. He put the dish away and then walked in to my room.
"Mom, what's for lunch?"
"You JUST had breakfast!"
"I need to eat! I'm a teeneager. A boy teenager!"
"Chicken wings."
Huge smile followed by, "When's lunch?"
My dad is butchering another beef for us at the end of the month. He said to make sure we have room in the freezer. No problem. The boy teenager has been eating here for several months now. And it looks like #2 is soon going to join the ranks of boy teenagers. Maybe I will stop sprint walking, and then I won't need to eat.

NC Vacation

We decided this year to vacation in the great state of NC. We have lived here nearly seven years, and there were still some things we wanted to see. It was the second week of August, and we are now getting ready to head to WV for a short family get-together, but I am faithful, if slow, so here are the pictures of some of the  highlights. The above picture is at Reed Gold Mine where we walked through an old mine and then were able to pan for gold. I did find a teeny-tiny nugget!

 The waterfall was at DuPont State Forest. It was a hot day and the hike to the falls was sweltering, but it was beautiful once you were there and the water was ICE cold! The only problem was the lack of restrooms. Port-a-Johns on a hot summer day are NOT pleasant.

 In Cherokee we went to the outdoor drama, Unto These Hills. It rained, but the show went on. #1 and I covered ourselves with a blanket while Hubby and #2 stood under a section of roofing. After intermission we joined them out of the rain.

 We stopped in a couple of towns and looked around. Our favorite was the sweet little town of Sylva. This picture is in front of a toy store in Brevard. My little guys enjoyed playing with a race track inside. I guess they never truly grow up.

 This is another waterfall at DSF. #2 had hoped to swim here, and we intended that he should, but the lack of restrooms had pushed me to my limits, and we left. It did look like fun though.

 While in Cherokee we went into the casino to try a restaurant, Paula Deen's Country Kitchen. The boys think she is funny and so we thought it would be a fun treat. Our food was good, but not great. It was fun to try new things though. I had lime coated catfish, and that was probably the best thing we ordered.

 #2 was dying to try the fried peanutbutter and jelly sandwich. It was sort of like a donut.

 #2 loves chicken pot pie, but I do believe he likes mine better than Paula Deen's. This had too much crust and was very salty.

 While in Cherokee we also visited the indian village. We took a tour and then we went back and stayed longer at the spots we liked. This guy was shooting with a blow gun, and he was great!

 #1 enjoyed talking with this Cherokee. He had lots of questions about what life was like for the early indians and how things are now. The indian, Matthew, was very kind to talk with us for so long.

The above picture is while we were waiting for our food at Paula Deen's. I wanted to get a picture this past Sunday of my boys, since it was Brother's Day, but I didn't make it. So here are my sweet boys in a momemt of brotherly love- that usually only happens when food is involved. Honestly.

 We also visited Old Salem in Winston-Salem. We took a whole day to look all around the village and talk to people. This guy was at the tavern and he showed us games you would have played there. This one is a number game the boys already play when they visit their grandparents in Motown.

 #2 was all about hte gun shop. He had lots of things to tell the worker, and he was usually right. #2 is looking forward to hunting with his grandad this fall.

 Upstairs in the tavern we were able to try out the bed. It was a rope bed, and actually it was more comfortable than I expected. Poor #2 would have had trouble sleeping though. People just weren't that tall back then.

Missing from the pictures are the hike we took near Charlotte at a state park. It was there that #2 took a wrong turn and became lost. It was nerve-wracking for just a little bit. I figured he knew to stop and wait for us if he got lost, but he walked a looonnnggg way before he decided that he was lost.
It was a nice vacation. Now there are only a few more things I want to do in NC---Wright Brother's Memorial, USS Wilmington Battleship, Blackbear's Exhibit in Beaufort, and see more lighthouses on the Outer Banks. Then I guess we start all over!

Boys' Prayers

My three year old nephew offered this dinner prayer last week: "Thank you God for all the food, Mommy, Daddy, and Sisters. And please make Boiler (their puppy) stop licking his bottom." His mother thinks he was peeking during the prayer!
My own nearly fifteen year old son offered this one a week or so ago: "Thanks for the food and all you give us. Let me be safe at the swimming party and let #2 be able to find something else to do." That was his not-so-subtle way of letting us know he didn't want any tag-along brothers!
The prayers around town haven't been so funny. Many homes were destroyed in this storm. It is going to take a lot of time and muscle to get things back to normal. But the prayers for safety were mostly answered positively and we all are thankful for that.
Many are still without power and for quite a few that means loss of water as well. Please pray for Eastern Carolina as she picks up the pieces that Irene left behind.

Damage from Irene

I went in today to speak to our insurance agent. We have never had to file a claim so I was unsure if we were doing things the right way. I told them I know we are not a top priority. Our losses can be dealt with. Others in the office were saying they still have no power, water, or phone. One guy was in a tornado because his phone wasn't working. His daughter was trying to call and warn them but the phone was still out. This part of NC has been hit hard. The paper this morning showed the loittle town where #1 goes for theater. They have 200-300 houses damaged by trees!

 Our house holds water underneath when we have storms, so we have to puimp it out. This is what it looked like under the house. We had rain again last night, but I think it is ok under there now. We need to get the dehumidifier going, but I loaned it to a friend whose house is worse than mine.

 The front porch ceiling is holding water too. You can't tell so much in the picture, but it is bowed from water. Below is our biggest concern- the barn. The roof was torn off about 10:00 Saturday morning and it rained and blew for many more hours afterward.

We didn't notice until Sunday afternoon that we had some ceiling leaks. It evidently took a while to soak through. We think it was mostly bown under the metal roof by the force of the wind, but it probably needs to be resealed. We have a vent in the ceiling of the kitchen, instead of in the hood of the stove, and it has been leaking pretty badly. There was water there woday after last night's rain, too.

 This is a sideways picture of the hose draining the water from under the house. I thought it was going to be a picture of the tree that fell in the front yard, but my eyes aren't too good on those little computer pictures. Now I can't get it to delete, so here you go!

Safe and Sound

We lost power for about 12 hours, others have had it worse. We did lose part of the barn roof and several trees. A friend from church lost most of her roof and has a lot of water damage. Everyone else at church just had tree damage from what I gather.
There was a lot of isolated flooding in our town and many, many downed trees. It was stunning to see the trees knocked over by the roots!
We have cancelled the co-op classes tomorrow for home schoolers, so it is actually a day of cancelled school for home schoolers. They are shocked. Actually, they will have to work at home, but no co-op. For them that is actually sad news.
Going now to call the insurance.

Quick

Typing quick cause the power is going in and out. All are well through the night. Dog won't go out to potty. What do we do about that!? Still have power most of the time. I will be turning off my phone now. Call Hubby if you need anything. It is mostly rain, some wind. Don't worry.

It's a Comin'!

I had the boys be sure to finish their schoolwork that requires the internet so that they don't have to worry if the power goes out for the weekend. The storm is predicted to go right through our town, and counties not far from us are evacuating low-lying portions. We have lived here 7 years, and this is our first BIG storm. We've had rain and minor flooding, but Irene seems to be causing a lot more commotion.
I was buying gas last night, the lines 3 deep at every station, and overheard a conversation. It seems the stores are not selling alcohol after a certain time because they don't want people drinking too much in case there is an evacuation. The things I never think of!
The university has been stressing to the students to "make good choices", meaning don't make parenthood one of your first subjects now that you are in college. The school is supposed to be quite safe and has trained for this sort of emergency, so I guess if something happens we will head that direction!
The thing that concerns me most is losing the roof. I don't think that there is anything else that I should be concerned about. Our house was not affected by the flooding in '99, and that is supposed to have been horrific.
We still need to push over the basketball goal post so it doesn't blow over and hit my van. I will put the goats in the chicken coop soon, since the rain is supposed to start "for real" in about an hour. The chickens are on their own and hopefully will decide to head for the coop, though right now they are hanging out under the rabbit hutch. They are soaked of course. And lastly I need to fill the tub with water. I thought that was to have water around for various reasons, but learned a bit ago that it is so you can flush the toilet.
The dog is staying nearby, and the boys have been reassured that if we have to leave we WILL take the dog with us. Sigh. Hubby's classes are cancelled for the weekend, propane for the camp stove is in the sunroom, and candles are on the counter. Sounds like a lovely weekend at home.

Cleaning Schedule

Tuesday was our first Geography Club meeting for the year. We are studying South America and for this class each child was to prepare a dish from a South American country. I enjoyed all of the food, which doesn't always happen with our food studies. My boys made a peach/orange smoothie type drink from Chile and a small empanada type appetizer with bacon, olives, and artichokes from Brazil.
While we ate the mothers took the opportunity to visit, and we began discussing cleaning and chore schedules. One mother is very excited about a new system she is trying at her house. I have tried different systems, but I have never found anything that hangs around for very long.
Part of my problem is that the kids don't clean well enough for my tastes, and then I just get angry and irritated. So in order to keep peace in our house I decided a while back not to give them anything to do that I wanted done a certain way.
I apologize to my future daughters-in-law, but perhaps your husbands will make enough money to employ a house cleaner for you. They know how to sort laundry, take out the trash, empty the dishwasher, wipe down the bathroom, and other menial tasks, but they won't wash baseboards, clean up and organize, or fold laundry worth a nickel. Sorry.

East Carolina Whales

Our co-op started again this week. I am teaching 3 classes this year. I hope I don't regret it! Overall I think it should be good. I am teaching Creative Writing for middle schoolers, which should be easy as long as I keep them busy. American Lit is the high school English class, and I have been reading most of the summer to prepare for it. The class time should mostly be discussing the books we read, and there is no research paper to grade, so I shouldn't have too much time tied up in grading.
The third class is Environmental Science, and it is for both high school and middle school. The objective for the class is to participate in Envirothon, so there wasn't too much of a reason to separate the grade levels. This week I mostly lectured; it should be mostly lab work in class the other times. While I lectured on Soils we got to the types of soil in NC. The middle of the state, called the Piedmont, is mostly clay and I asked what would that soil be good for. One boy piped up, "Whales."
Hmm. I don't know this kid, but he hadn't come across as stupid in the first 40 minutes of class, so I asked him to explain.
"The clay holds water real good, so that is good for whales."
Still not getting it, but then I tried picturing whales swimming around in the clay, and it hit me.
"Wells!?"
"Yes, whales."
Sometimes my ears are still too Yankee for this town.

Dog? Cat? NO! It's a Chicken!

As #2 slept in the spare room downstairs we left the dog in the room with him. We thought we would get a good night's sleep, even though the storm raged without, because she had #2 to make her feel comfortable. Evidently he isn't as big and strong as Hubby and I are!
She began by pushing gently on our door, then giving a small scratch. After several attempts at subtlety, she began pushing her whole body against the door. When she wasn't able to knock the door down, she tried digging her way through. As her sharp nails dug into the door and hardwood floor, I got out of bed to let her in. The dog scored.
She stood by the side of the bed shaking. Then the lightning picked up the pace, and she climbed up on the bedrail sticking her head up on my pillow. "Save me!" she screamed. I put my arm around her and comforted her in my half-asleep stupor.
When I awoke in the morning, I started to get out of bed, but stepped on something. The poor thing had been so frightened she had pushed herself under the bed and had trouble getting out again.
She looks like a dog. She washes like a cat. She ACTS like a chicken!

Growing Up

Last week at the Study Skills Seminar, #1 returned a few seconds late from the break. As he entered the room, the class broke into spontaneous applause. He lifted his arms above his head in a victorious gladiator stance and basked in the light of love.I asked him at dinner that night why everyone applauded.
"Because it was me," he simply stated.
"This from the boy who used to cry that he had no friends."
"I haven't done that in years, Mom," he replied.
We have come a long way with that one. He is more sure of himself, more confident in his abilities, more responsible, more wonderful to be around.
Sadly, his brother is two years younger than he and is now beginning that stage. Hang on! Spanish may be the end of us all! Adios.

Demons of Darkness

There appears to be a little demon of darkness living over my house. He is especially fond of breaking things. I have spent the last few weeks repairing or calling for repairs.Both weedeaters broke, upsetting the homeowners but not the rent-free dwellers! Hubby got one of the weedeaters to behave long enough on Saturday to get around the house and a few other weedy spots.
The dryer that he fixed a couple of weeks ago is still acting up, now refusing to heat. That means I have been hanging all of the laundry, which for now is fine but in a few months I will need something done.
The new refrigerator isn't working right in the water and ice area, and I still need to call about that.
The air conditioner downstairs was out of whack and needed a new "capacitor". All I could think of was Back to the Future and the "flux capacitor" when the repairman told me that! Anyway we got that fixed, but at the same time discovered the upstairs unit wasn't working right. So we had a part under warranty exchanged, but also had to fill the refrigerant. NOT cheap!
While we had the air men here we finally got a price and schedule to put in a new unit downstairs and that has been completed. You can actually hear air coming out of the vents now. That has never been heard since the day we moved in here!
So now that school has officially started perhaps the demons will be too busy foiling homework plans to mess with anything else in the appliance area.

Chiggers

I enjoyed my walk yesterday listening to the sounds of the insect world, but there is one sound I don't care for; "Mom! I ITCH!!" #2 unknowingly discovered chiggers Thursday. He went to visit a friend, and they went into the woods to play paintball. Evidently the wood is infested with chiggers, tiny red bugs that make you itch like nothing else.
He woke up scratching early Friday morning. When I found him a few hours later, he was covered in bites from head to toe. We have treated him with Chiggerex, and he is putting cold packs on the worst areas. He is also taking Benadryl around the clock.
I told him this lasts about a week, and then it clears up. But that is just a ruse. The blamed things will "come back to life" a week or so after that! Chiggers are a nasty business.
I co-taught a Study Skills Seminar last week for the homeschoolers. #2 participated, though Friday was difficult for him to sit through. One of the activities was to fill out a career inventory to see what things interest the children. Then they can think about that as they make high school schedules and plans.
Of course #2 came up with Agriculture and Natural Resources as his interest area. I hope he finds something in a dry area with little in the way of poison ivy and/or chiggers!

Make a Joyful Noise

I left the doctor's office Monday with a big smile on my face. He told me I could do whatever I want- and then backtracked when he found out what I wanted to do- but the air cast was off and mostly can stay off now! I gave a "Yes!" and raised my arms in the air as I left. The other patients seemed to understand. That cast is HOT!
I was told not to walk for exercise for a week, but I finally had to venture out today. We had rain last night, and I just couldn't stay cooped up in here any longer.
The wet earth and cloudy sky made the sounds around me so much more distinct, and I enjoyed my quiet, slow, and yes, short walk. The songbirds were glad for a respite from the hot, dry weather, and a robin was calling to its mate from the woods behind the corn field. As I rounded the corner a hawk took off through the loblolly pine and shrieked its call through the sky above.
Locusts were scratching out their sounds to any who would listen, and the crickets and grasshoppers were chiming in with their own song of joy. Frogs of various breeds chirruped and croaked, happy to at last have a little puddle of water to relax in.
The rhythmic thump, thump of a horse scratching its leg with its teeth made me pause to listen to the lean beasts chomp the grass that greened up with the new rain. The dog whined as she rolled in the dirt to scratch the itchy fleas. Other insects made their presence known as butterflies floated above the wildflowers while a mosquito whined in my ear.
The air was heavy with humidity, but also with the smell of damp earth and newness of life. The fields were dark green speckled with yellow, purple, and fuschia color where weeds and wildflowers gained a grasp of the ground beneath them. It looked beautiful, smelled wonderful, but sounded divine.
The world was worshiping the Lord of Life, and I was a part of that small chorus of praise.

Ready

I have nearly packed all of the food, the drinks are in the freezer and fridge, and my clothing is gathered. We leave very early tomorrow for our vacation! Oh how I need it. I am looking forward to spending some quality time with my family away from the distractions of home.
The AC was "fixed" but now the upstairs unit keeps freezing over, which makes it NOT cool. It was 97 degrees upstairs one day. Hopefully when we get back we can get everything sorted out and fixed.
Hubby fixed the dryer this past week. He had to look up parts and directions, but he did it. I use the clothesline mostly anyway, but I like to start the wet things in the dryer. Ten minutes in the dryer makes them dry softer on the clothesline.
My classes are getting close to being ready, and I am preparing to co-lead a study skills seminar the week after we get back. I have been making tests for Geology and Mythology for #1, and helping #2 get his presentations done for Geography.
See why I need a distraction from home?
We plan to put Kelly in the neighbor's kennel so we don't have another run-away dog and note on our door when we get home. Gee Whiz.
Have a great week everyone!

Sweltering Waiting

I couldn't decide how to title this post, so I went with both words. Our downstairs air conditioning unit wasn't "keeping up" through this heat wave. Finally, Hubby said he didn't think it was about keeping up but about doing anything at all, so he turned it off. I guess he was right, because it didn't get much hotter afterward. But now we have been without the downstairs unit for over a week, I think, and the inside of the house isn't cool at all anymore.
I called the repairman this morning and he hopes to be here today. Not as much as we hope he is here! Hubby and I haven't slept well for a long time because it is so hot and muggy. Last night I was so tired I was shaking, but it was too hot to sleep.
I went out on the back porch for a while about 4:00 AM. It was nice out then. We didn't have air conditioning when I was growing up. Shoot, we didn't have air conditioning until we moved to Texas. The kids were born without ac in our Philly apartment. When I was a kid you opened the window and put in a fan.
Not that I am wishing for the old days. No Siree, I like the air conditioning, but there seems to be a connection between knowing your neighbor and sleeping with the windows open. None of our neighbors sleep with open windows as far as I can tell, and it has been difficult to get to know them.
Maybe a blackout would bring our neighborhood closer together.
On second thought, I doubt it. We would be too irritable from lack of sleep. Grrr!

Trip Planner

I disappeared for a couple of days, didn't I? I am trying to get things ready for my commitments to a co-op I will be part of in a few weeks. The biggest problem this week has been a trip I am planning. I had hoped the Environmental Science class could head to the western part of the state for a look at some environmental zones we don't see here, but the cost is too prohibitive. So, finally, today, I think I made a decision.
We are going to go to the coast and stay at a Presbyterian camp. I can get it for $12 a night if I take 16 people. With food and an extra little trip to the aquarium, the total price for three days and two nights will be $43 per person, plus gas. Several places I looked at were going to charge about $200 for that!
I enjoyed looking at all of the Environmental Educational Centers available in NC, and told Hubby that I thought they would make great vacations or day trips. He thinks I'm nuts. Really, though, the places look like fun and are very beautiful. If I can just be sure not to break any legs while I am hiking!
We are leaving for a family vacation on Sunday. We decided that we will stay in NC for our vacation this year. We made a list for the boys of all of the things we could do in NC, and then we let them choose what they wanted to do. Drum Roll Please!!
We will be going to Cherokee to see the indian village and watch a play called "Unto These Hills" about when the Cherokee hid in the mountains of NC so they wouldn't have to follow the Trail of Tears to Oklahoma. Then we are headed to a state forest to hike to waterfalls and enjoy the scenery. There are a few places you can swim under the falls, so I imagine we will cool off that way in the afternoon. The next day we head to a gold mine for a tour of the first gold mine in NC and to pan for gold! Maybe we will strike it rich and pay for our vacation- might have better luck at the casino in Cherokee! Finally, the last day we go to Old Salem to visit one of the first settlements in NC and see what life was like for the Moravians in Winston-Salem. After that we drive home.
No amusement parks or trips to Europe for my boys. They are happy to see the scenery and enjoy a little history. Sounds good to me, too.

One Smart Lady

Quarks and leptons, traits of mythology, types and signs of erosion, the five parts of a story, plus sites and customs in Chile; it all adds up to one week of homeschooling my children. I think I should get some sort of degree when this is all finished!
Saturday I went to Raleigh to train for a leadership workshop. It allows me to rent the lodge at an environmental educational park. We are renting it in February for the Environmental Science class that I will be teaching this year. I discovered the park staff to be very polite and helpful, and the activities that are available there are sure to give us a boost in our competitions.
The oppressive heat continues here, though God has blessed us with a little rain today. The corn crop around here is dismal,  so I imagine feeding goats and chickens this winter is going to be expensive. I am reading The Worst Hard Time right now about the Great Depressoin and the Great Plains. It is a very interesting look into how the GD and the Dust Bowl affected each other. It combines two of my favorite subjects, History and Environmental Science, so I am enjoying learning a lot that I never knew or connected.
Today's sermon was about being a lifelong learner. Yes, we need to keep stretching our brain power and learning new things, but we also need to be stretching our spiritual power and learning from God. So what I am learning lately from God? Mostly He has been strengthening my trust in Him. I know that He is taking care of all of my "problems" and concerns, I just don't have the big picture yet. Of course, I have a lifetime to learn how to paint on the canvas that He has handed me.
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#1 was stricken by strep this past week. I told you Thursday that he fell asleep. He woke with a sore throat and feeling miserable. Later, looking in his throat, I made the diagnosis of strep throat. I dumped probiotics down him, along with Aceteminophen, and finally this afternoon he seems to be on the upward mend. Good thing too, if he misses any Driver's Ed he has to quit and re-register. I don't want to go through this again, and neither does he!

Socks

Some people name cats or horses "Socks". I supppose if you really dislike an animal that would be an appropriate name. Socks are objects of derision from the beginning. Have you ever seen a baby happy to keep his socks on his feet? The little cherub will kick and squirm until the infernal things are off his feet, and then he gurgles happily.
Socks have played a role in my life as a mother for the past 14 1/2 years. If I had had any idea what they would mean, we would have stayed in WV so we could just be barefoot!
My first son had a habit of crawling to the laundry hamper and dumping it out. He would sort through all of the soiled clothes until he found a nice, chewy sock, and then he set to work on it. He would chew socks and suck on them as if they were Tootsie Roll Pops. It's true. I have pictures.
Then the second child came along. He was a sock sucker too, but also a sock thief. He would steal the dirty socks and hide them for future sock sucking.
Finally came my third and final child, the dog. She would steal socks from the shoe piles and chew on them, pulling with her feet and teeth until holes dappled the socks like sunshine through a winter tree.
Of course, there are the missing socks in the laundry. Many a housewife tells the tale of drying a load of socks and having one left over. My issue doesn't seem to be the dryer, but the washer, or lack of washing. When I wander upstairs to put away something in the attic or to check on the boys, I always find socks strewn on the floor.
"Pick up your socks," I screech. And I suppose that they do because they have some in the dirty laundry each week. But then I return upstairs, and the layer of dust on the socks I find tells me differently. Socks are under the desks, the couch, the beds...there are even pairs of socks stuffed down in the couch cushions as if the feet they adorned scorned their presence so immensely that simple removal could not be a fitting punishment.
As the boys packed a few weeks ago, I finished the laundry, including the socks. Then #2 came downstairs and informed me he didn't have enough pairs of clean socks for the week at camp. I was sure he must have some, since I had just done the laundry. He didn't.
So I did the only thing I could, I offered him my socks. And he took them! Pink toes and heels trim my socks, the only tell-tale sign that they belong to me. In the past year I have had to start marking socks with a fabric marker so that I know the owner of each pair. I spent extra money to buy pink ones for me so that I would be sure that they were mine.
Undeterred, #2 took my pink-toed socks. "I'll just explain what happened and tell the boys I have to wear my Mom's socks."
I just wish he could explain to me what happened.
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My boys both fell asleep this afternoon while doing their school work. The first week of school has been hard on them, I guess. A friend told me her kids asked if they could start school next week. It's too hot to do anything else they complained. They're right. In fact, it is hot enough to melt a mailbox here in our little town. It was in the paper!

School Is In Session

I left this morning at 7:30 to drop #1 off at Driver's Ed and said to him, "I guess school is back in full swing. This is what it usually feels like anyway."
"What? Hectic?"
Yes, that is how it usually feels. He told me he doesn't even feel like school has started yet. Of course not. Yesterday after DE I picked him up, and we went out to lunch. After lunch he had plans to bowl with some friends, and then he had a County Council meeting after dinner. A friend came home with us after bowling because she is also a CC Officer and needed to go to the meeting, but her family's vehicle had broken down and she needed a ride.
Today we left for DE with #2 in tow because he and I had an errand to run and then a 4H meeting and pool party at 9:00. They stayed until 3:40 when I said we HAVE to go home. Classes will be this evening.
Hubby has a meeting this evening to learn about Odyssey of the Mind. He thinks he will be a coach for the high schoolers this year.
That's right, the second day of school and we are already running full throttle!

They're Back

The boys are Back!!! WooHoo!!! I love having my chicks back in the nest. The dog has stayed home the last couple of days too. Of course, that may be due to the extreme heat that we have been suffering here. She doesn't even follow me from room to room as usual, but stations herself where she can see me from multiple sites and stays put.
Lest any of you should read the last post and think that I am irritated by my boy or that he is a bad apple, I want to reassure you. He is a very good boy. The day he came back, he came downstairs, wrapped his lean, long self around my neck and told me that he loves me and is glad to be back. Then he said, "Thank you." That threw me.
"Thanks for what?"
"For being my mom."
I don't know what I did to deserve that, but I took it...with tears in my eyes, of course.
The day that I went to Raleigh to pick the kids up, I was told by another mother that #1 was a good boy. The van they were using broke down, and they had to take turns getting rides to the other events across campus. He stood in the parking lot (read HOT SUN) while she made three other trips to take kids to their spots. Finally she got him. He apologized TO HER because she had to miss seeing her son do something that morning in order to give everyone else a ride. He really is a gentleman.
Today the family took a spontaneous shopping trip to JC Penney. They were having a time-specific sale, and I thought I would try getting a few things. I bought 2 t-shirts each for my boys. As we left the building, #1 said, "Thanks for the shirts, Mom."
So you see, he is a good boy. He just isn't going to be pushed into a decision. Actually I am glad that he is like that. When he does claim Jesus, as I am sure he someday will, he will be certain that he chose from his own volition and not pressure from his parents.
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So how did my boys fare at State Congress? They did well. Neither one placed for his presentation, but both felt good about their performances. #2 received Gold Individual and Silver Overall for the State Project, and #1 received Silver Individual for the same. That project is judged for the entire state regardless of age, so it is pretty impressive.
Our club received Silver for our Community Service project from last year, which was to have each kid donate 10 hours to community service. They actually donate much, much more than that, but 10 hours was the required amount.
#1 had also been invited to an awards banquet so that he could receive the Gold medal for his Public Speaking cumulative record. He actually won Gold in both "Public Speaking" and "Expressive Arts and Communication", but you are only allowed to win Gold in one category and the other has to be given Silver. There was some sort of mix-up and they said it was Gold for "Expressive Arts and Communications". We will have to check on that.
So 4H takes a break for a few days. We have just been vegging inside the last couple of days to try and stay cool. Monday night is the County Council meeting, of which #1 is VP. Then Tuesday is our club business meeting and pool party. #1 may have to miss that since he will be taking Driver's Ed starting Monday!!! Oh My Goodness.
That also means school starts on Monday for us. Whew! Where are the fall breezes for school?

Questions...Parenting

Part of raising kids is letting them go. Last week I let my older son go to the opening of Harry Potter: Deathly Hallows, Part 2. That's right. The midnight show. The one that lets out at 2:05 AM. Yes, I normally go to bed at 10:00 PM.
He asked if he could go with friends, and I said yes. I had a couple of caveats. I had to approve of the friends, and I had to be there. Not that I actually had to go in to the movie, but I was going to be in the parking lot the entire time. Just in case.
He went with two of his best friends, and they had a fabulous time. I dropped them off at 10:30 after a candy stop at Sheetz. I put the seat down in the back of my van, threw out a comforter and a pillow, and went to sleep. At 2:08 they called to say they were on their way out. Nothing happened.
That is how I let go. Small increments.
He is starting to ask questions about church now. I so badly want to tell him that Jesus is the only way and if you don't accept that, I will hog-tie you and lock you in your room until you get it. But I don't. I answer his questions. I let him go to other churches. I let him read other books. I keep the conversation running. And I let go.
God has to take this part of parenting for me. I am desperate that #1 should claim the Lord Jesus as his Savior, but I can't do that for him. I can take him to the Lord, but all I can really do is sit in the parking lot and wait.

Relaxing?

I took the boys to the Ag Center on Monday morning to drop them off for the ride to State Congress in Raleigh. A few of the moms were standing around visiting, and one asked what I planned to do with the boys gone. "Relax," quickly interjected one of the moms.
"You don't know Angel if you think she is going to relax. I bet she has a long list already made out!" stated my friend.
How right she was. I have been working on school plans for my high schooler. He is taking a couple of classes through The Great Courses, but I have to come up with the assignments and syllabi. I finished Myth in Human History a couple of days ago, and yesterday I nearly finished Geology. The Geology prof is actually from WVU, and it looks quite intimidating in the notebook. I watched some of the videos, and although it is difficult material, the prof seems to make it interesting and understandable.
Besides school I also had a list of things to do around the house. The dog finally got that bath she has been needing, and today #2 and I worked on the front porch.
"What made you decide to do all of this work all of a sudden?" he asked.
"I didn't decide all of a sudden. It has been on my list for a couple of weeks, but we are just now getting to it," I replied.
We washed the ceiling, windows, floor, furniture, and cushions. We painted the rockers, sanded and shellacked the big rocker, and returned the porch to a generally acceptable state of being. This was the first time I let #2 try painting, it was spray paint in the yard, and he did fairly well. However, he went through the paint faster than I expected, and now I need to go get one more can to finish a couple of spots.
Tomorrow I head to Raleigh to help pick up all of the 4Hers and their luggage. #2 is happy that we can't work for too long. He understands "relax" in a different way than his mother.

The boys are gone again this week. This is State Congress week for 4H in NC. That means they head to Raleigh and compete, take classes, and have fun. This is the first year that #2 can attend, and he was nervous when he left Monday. He actually can only stay Monday and Tuesday, and will return Tuesday evening. The pictures below are from the District Activity Day back in June.

 District Activity Day is a competition for giving presentations. It was the day that we left for WV for camp, so the kids were anxious to get it over with for more than one reason! I didn't get to see #1 give his talk. He was in the Public Speaking category which means he gave a 5-8 minute speech without presentation boards or props. His topic was "War: What Is It Good For?" He came in second place and will be competing Tuesday morning for the State title.

#2 gave a presentation in the Forestry category, and he won Gold in the District. He competes for the State title as well. His presentation has boards and a few picture props. His topic is prescribed burns. The district judges said it was the best they saw all day. I hope he does well at State!

This is the last of the big summer events for 4H. Hallelujah!! We are all tired and ready to stay home for a while. I know the dog will be glad when this is all over. Every time she sees me doing laundry now, she starts to shake. I guess she knows it means the kids are leaving again.
Last week when we took #2 to camp, we put her in the dog kennel in the goat field. We were gone for one night, and when we got back this was on the door:

7/11/11
Your black and white dog has found her way back to our neighborhood again this year. We live in S--- off I--- RD...just take a right from your house.
We're concerned because the neighbors have talked about calling the pound. Mary

Isn't that lovely? I headed right over without even finishing the unpacking and scooped her up in the van. Kelly thought she was a queen. I informed her she was NOT! And then the next day, while I was working in the garden, off she went again. Someone else from the neighborhood came over to tell me she was there again. There are kids at home over there is why she returns.
So she has been a prisoner ever since. She isn't very happy about it, but the other option is death at the pound. Since #1 volunteers there once a week, I don't think that would be a good plan. Hopefully once the boys are back to stay she will behave herself more often.

Swimmin' Hole Part 2

As my dad and I walked along to the swimming hole, I asked him how he knew about this lost place. It certainly wasn't any place I knew of; hidden at the end of a forsaken dirt road that traversed a stream, the trees encroached the road space until you nearly couldn't walk through in sections. He said it was a place he and his brothers frequented when they were kids. "It was where I met my first drunks," he continued.
"What?!"
He and his brothers had gone over to fish and swim, taking a bunch of food to get them through the day and night. There they met three drunk men who stole their food and ate it up. The next morning the hungry boys walked to town eating wild onoins. In town they traded some soda pops for food before they walked back. I guess the fish hadn't been biting.
That sort of adventure is reminiscent of a Tom Sawyer summer, and what a story to tell your kids and grandkids. But what sort of stories will today's kids tell when they are all grown? "Yeah, I played Halo all day when I was 14." Just doesn't have the same strength, does it? So boys, put down the joysticks and computer gaming consoles, and go find yourself some drunks!
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I went to the Urgent Care on Saturday. While teaching hiking at camp I stepped wrong on my left foot and pain shot up through my leg. I limped for a while, but unless I stepped on it wrong, I didn't have any issues. I went hiking several times, walked here with a friend, and did whatever I pleased. But occasionally that shooting pain would rear its ugly head. Friday night as I slept, I awoke several times with pain when my foot got caught in the blankets.
So I decided to go get an Xray at Urgent Care. Yep, it was broken. It looked like it was healing, so the real break can not be determined. They put me in an air cast, and I went to my podiatrist Monday. I have to wear the air cast for a month, and then gradually wean myself off of it. At least I am still able to swim. I thought I might finally have the story of wearing a cast all summer and not being able to swim. Yet another adventure that I can't tell my kids.

Swimming Hole

#2 had been looking forward to a trip in the "holler" ever since he went last year with his grandfather.

 Last year, I left WV after camp to attend Envirothon School for coaches. I left the kids in WV with our parents. One night #1 went to stay with Hubby's parents, but #2 wasn't ready to leave the farm. So my dad took #2 and a bunch of male cousins to a childhood swimming hole. They fished and swam, cooked over a fire, and slept in a hay trailer. It was the best thing he had ever done, and he was sure that we all needed to be a part of it this year.

 His mother- that would be ME- did not believe that this would be the best thing to ever happen to her, so she suggested we go for the day, but return at night to a bed and flush toilet. The girls in attendance were in agreement with me, so #2 acquiesced. We rode a hay wagon for several miles on the main road. The dog rode along with us, and the kids were having a great time.

 When we got to the dirt and rock road into the "holler" there was a large tree felled across the road. The tractor could go no farther. My father said it was about a mile walk, and we decided we could handle that. Three of us chose to follow the road, the rest of the kids chose to follow the stream bed. It took them a lot longer to get there, since water doesn't take as direct a route as a road usually does.

 Another reason for the delay was this snake. The kids came across a snake, just a harmless garter snake, but a couple of the kids refused to go any farther until it was killed. This guy (Best Buddy) killed the snake with a rock, and then he brought it on to the swimming hole so he and my dad could skin it. He took the skin home, and it is now nailed and stretched in his garage. Best Buddy has a cool mother too.

As it turned out, we wouldn't have been able to stay at the swimming hole all night anyway. A storm came along and broke up our party. That of course added to the adventure. We had to race back in thunder and lightning, my mom came to rescue us from the hay wagon by offering a ride in my van, and a dog chase ensued for the nervous dog afraid of storms AND my van. It was a great day at the swimmin' hole.

Dolly Sods Hiking

I taught a hiking class to the kids at 4H camp a couple of weeks ago. The first day we tried to determine how far we could hike in an hour. I measured off a tenth of a mile on a flat piece of pavement and had the kids walk for fifteen minutes. They were then to convert the time and mileage to discover their hourly rate. The problem was that they didn't all grasp the idea of hiking.
Some of the kids tried to beat everyone else. If the average adult walks 2.5 miles an hour, then those kids were going to walk 5 miles an hour. The problem is that you can't maintain that pace for a day's hike, nor should you want to hike that fast. I tried to explain to the kids that hiking is to enjoy the environment, whether it is an ocean or a forest, a mountain or a desert. You should hike to enjoy your surroundings and discover the beauty of nature.
I went hiking at Dolly Sods while in WV. Dolly Sods is a US Wilderness area that is part of the Monongahela National Forest. There are many trails for hiking, and people come from all over to enjoy the beauty. At least I thought they went there to enjoy the beauty.
My father and I took 7 kids there to spend an afternoon hiking several miles on one of the trails. We saw bear tracks, deer and coon tracks, and a fabulous, slimy, purple mushroom. We crossed a little stream, sat on a fallen log, and tramped through an ancient meadow. We climbed on an outcropping of rock, high above the rest of the world and looked out at the mountains before us. Several of us picked up fallen branches and used them for hiking up the steep slopes. We found huckleberry bushes that had most of their berries eaten by some wild animals, and we watched beautiful butterflies searching for their own food.
We also saw other people hiking; people loaded with heavy packs, swinging professional walking sticks in their hands, huffing and puffing, not looking anywhere but the next step ahead. We tried to talk to a few, but they had little to say. We managed to get out of one man that he was from northern Virginia near DC. He was from a land of concrete and steel, of rushing traffic and busy rat-race ways, and he continued his race there in the Sods.

I am sure the other hikers benefited from the exertion of the hike. Their heartbeat quickened with the strain of climbing mountainous terrain with packs on their backs; their breathing labored as they struggled to keep up a steady pace. Our little group of tramps also benefitted from the hike; our hearts racing with the excitement of climbing trees, rocks, and hills, and our breath coming in gasps as we looked at the beauty around us. Both of us strengthened our bodies that afternoon, but I wonder if the other hikers exercised their inner spirits as we did.

Chiropractic Savior

I went to the chiropracter last Thursday. As always he asked how I was doing, and I answered, "It isn't too bad, but I can tell I need an adjustment. I have been travelling, hiking, and camping with a bunch of kids for two weeks in the mountains."
He was "amazed" by my answer, recalling how I was when I entered his office back in January. Now that I feel so much better, I have to remind myself of how bad I was. I couldn't put on my underwear without sitting down. I had to crouch or stoop sideways to pet the dog. I always ached. I had to wake up at night to turn over because I couldn't roll.
Now I can look at people and tell they have back issues. The way they stand, sit, walk, move, twist; it's all there. The pain, the frustration, the annoyance of not being able to do what you are designed to do.
Spiritual growth can be the same sort of thing. You spend your time in pain, frustration, and annoyance. Then you discover a way out of it and find calm, peace, and joy. After a while you have to remind yourself what life was like before Jesus entered and made an adjustment. You look around and see others dealing with the same issues you used to encounter, and you can feel their pain and frustration.
My chiropractor has a sign on his wall...Feel Better, Tell Others...His adjustments have made a difference in my ability to lead a normal life. Jesus's adjustments have made it possible for me to lead an extraordinary life. I feel better, and I am telling you. Let Jesus make an eternal adjustment for you.

Wiped Out

Absolutely wiped out! That is how I feel. I managed to survive taking 12 kids to camp for a week, and then 7 kids stayed with me at my parents and in-laws for about a week. Driving back on I-95 with pouring rain didn't energize me any either. By the time we got to our house, the rain was coming down like a hurricane!
The in-laws stayed Weds and Thursday nights and then headed back this morning. Now I am paying bills, filling out paperwork, and generally getting ready for the next event. #2 leaves for camp on Sunday and #1 leaves Monday morning at 0 dark 30. Hubby and I have reserved a cabin in a national forest for Sunday night. After we drop off #2 at camp we will head there for some relaxation.
Hubby managed to get a lot done on my summer projects list while I was away, so he needs the rest too. I will update you on all of the adventures we had as I get some energy back. I am looking forward to some good writing time. WV always leaves me filled with inspiration. Happy summer to you!