Scheduled

Every few days there is a little nip in the air that tells me autumn is upon me. I like the cooler weather, the comfier clothes, the possibility of a salted caramel hot chocolate at Starbucks. Another thing that tells me autumn is upon me is the schedule. When I feel like every second of every day is scheduled without relief, I know it is October. It happens every year.
This year, however, the scheduling is taking a toll that I can't handle. I am losing words. I try to write and the words don't come. Not that they aren't there, but they can't safely walk through the pea-soup fog out of my brain and into my fingers.
I have finished the chapters of my book. Last week I toiled over seveeral phrases so long it was excruciating; and I don't even think they sound all that great. Now I am trying to write the introduction, and the peanut butter sticking to the roof of my mouth has entered my sinus cavity and is threatening my very skull.
I also have committed to writing a Christmas play that needs to be done in a couple of weeks, and I teach three writing classes, which require ease of speech and writing ability. Based on these other requirements, I am closing the blog for a month.
I know many of you don't care; you don't read it all that often anyway, but for those of my faithful followers, I didn't want you to think I had expired and no one let you know.
Enjoy your autumn. Walk in a brisk breeze, wear a soft sweater, drink some salty sweet goodness. And come back in a month. Maybe I will have something worth reading then.

Small Steps

#1 had a rescheduled Math lesson today. His teacher had a problem meeting tomorrow, so we scheduled for today. After the lesson, we stopped at my chiropractor to see if I could squeeze in. He had already left for lunch. The hours are posted on the door, noting a two hour lunch from 1-3.
"I want to be a chiropractor! You get a two hour lunch, and you don't have to come in until 9:00!" hooted #1. I assured him that it doesn't start out that way.
Later in the afternoon, when I made it in to see the doc, I told him about the conversation. He laughed and said to tell him that after a B.S. pre-med, four years med school, an internship and ten years residency working 7:00-7:00, he too could take two hour lunches. He told me that his grown children think it is absurd that they should work weekends to make a little extra money. "I washed pots and pans to get money," he said.
It is so easy for kids to look at their current lives and think that it will be this way when they start out. They should start with a great house, eat out whenever they like, buy whatever they like, etc. From our experience in college ministry, many kids feel this way, and are able to get credit so that it is actually "true" for them. Then, one day, they discover that they can't work hard enough or long enough to pay off all of those bills, and they sink.
I think this is also applicable to our spiritual lives. We become a new Christian, look around at the "old" Christians, and expect to be able to serve the way they do, pray like they do, stand up under pressures the way they do. But just like with finances, you have to start at the bottom. You have to have little prayers before you get the big ones. You have to serve in small ways before you are ready for the hard cases, and you have to be faithful with a little before you can be faithful with a lot.
Many new converts try to bite off more than they can chew at the beginning, and then when the real tests come, they flounder and sink. If you are a new Christian, don't try to pray for two hours every morning; start with ten minutes and see how it goes. Don't try to help an entire hobo village; start with one person in need and truly be a friend and helper.
Some new Chrstians may "strike it rich" the first time and be able to handle the hard stuff, but most of us have to work up to a job like that. Just like getting your financial rewards comes later in life, being a faithful servant to God comes with time and practice.

MY Kitchen

Last week the boys were using my kitchen. They are completing a cooking project this year for 4H, and so I have to let them use the kitchen. I believe I already told you that #2 made pancakes and ended up with batter on his back. Yes, his BACK!
Then it was cupcake time. The place was left a mess with chocolate batter dripping down the INSIDE of the cupboard door! How in the world do you manage that? I have since found batter on the wall underneath the counter- not sure how that happened either.
Several days ago, #1 was eating a small piece of pumpkin bread in the kitchen. He was using a large dinner plate, which I had almost told him to exchange for a small bread plate, but decided not to. He finished, and I looked at the crumb-covered table. "How do you manage to use a huge plate and still get crumbs all over the table?" I asked.
"It's a talent," he smugly remarked.
I guess I can get used to sharing the kitchen with the boys. Perhaps with time they will become less messy, but what I can not abide are the MICE! I found my first dead mouse of the season on Saturday. It had crawled under the stove to die. I know we live near farm fields. I know the mice have to go somewhere, and that they are hungry. But do they HAVE to choose my kitchen to go into!? They are probably eating cake batter off the cupboard door.

One Day at a Time

Last week I was telling myself I only had to get through that week. I would just have to be patient, accept that I could not control most things, and then it would be over. The week went fairly well with no major mishaps.
Monday- Co-op all day, pick up a kid and take him with us to play practice, pick up Hubby's car from the shop after it broke down the week before
Tuesday- First Geography Club meeting, two 4H club meetings, LOTS of rain to mess with, monitor play practice to fill in for someone who didn't show
Wednesday- Get #1 to Math class, grocery shop, host an unexpected Political Meet and Greet Committee meeting, Take dinner to church and host the Family Night- Hubby took care of getting #1 to and from practice
Thursday- Monitor play practice because it was actually my turn to, get kids to radio and Packing 4 the Patriots to do community service, and go to the fair
Friday- Math class, fix a bike, Yearbook meeting

So I was looking forward to this week, until along about Friday morning I started looking at the calendar.
Monday- Co-op all day, NO play practice, Youth Group party in evening
Tuesday- Play Practice and 4H Political Meet and Greet at night
Wednesday- Math, Play practice and church
Thursday- Play practice, Wedding Rehearsal
Friday- Math, SGA, Hubby's last night to teach for this term (Next one starts the 19th)

I guess that does actually look better. I am posting this as a scheduled post, so it is hard to tell what will happen in the meantime. Now you see why I was needing a vacation last week! But still I find if I can go into it thinking that it will be horrible and I just have to get through this bit, then I do ok. Once the Political Meet and Greet is over then we head into getting the Fall Dance together. After that we just have to finish up the play, complete project record books for 4H, and oh, yeah, do school! Maybe it is better not to look at the calendar after all.

Fair Time, Part 2

I grew up going to the county fair. I remember horse barns and hay bales, washing and currying cow tails into big balls of hairsprayed stiffness, eating at the Shriner's Pizza Booth, and riding rides. I remember leather bracelets burned with my name and a horse picture, demolition derbies, and concerts on the side of a hill. I remember cookies placed in the exhibit hall, free water to drink, and tractor and horse pulls. I remember beauty pageants, game guys calling for customers, and seeing lots of friends. I loved the fair.

So imagine my disappointment when #1 emphatically asked not to go to the fair this year. I tried getting him to ask a friend, but it was pretty hopeless. I think he was burning out on play practice and 4H responsibilities, but I thought a night off with friends and fair fun were just what he needed. So I made him go.

The boys, of course, headed off on their own and soon found some friends to hang with. They bought a wristband so they could ride whatever they wanted, and then we rarely saw them again. Hubby and I enjoyed some time wandering alone and looking at the sights. Above was a one man band playing guitar, harmonica, and drums. The drums and cymbals are on his back and he had strings tied to his legs to make them do his bidding. He actually was pretty good, but his voice wasn't so hot.

Hubby HAS to have funnel cakes whenever we go to the fair. Notice the line to get one. I guess he isn't the only funnel cake lover in town!

We did come across #1 watching a puppet show with his friends. He was eating pizza and taking a break. I snapped this picture because he looked like he was in jail, which was the way he made me feel when I told him he had to go to the fair. What a mean mother he has!

Above is one of our 4H kids showing her goat. She didn't place, but she looked like she was having a good time. I remember showing lambs when I was young. I did not put the time and care into the raising or training, so I didn't do well. That wasn't the case with this girl though.
Below you see what treat I want at the county fair-- Cotton Candy! I shared some with my boys when we came home, but that bag lasted me three days. We also ate dinner at the Law Enforcement Booth to help support them.

The boys entered cupcakes and both placed second. #1 made chocolate with autumn decorations and #2 made white with honey, coconut, pecan icing. I think they each won $3 for that. That was their admission price the night we went, so I guess it paid off.

You see #2 is like his mother. He needed cotton candy too! He found several friends and they managed to have a good time. Here they are waiting for the pig races to begin. They raced regular pigs, potbelly pigs, goats, and ducks. Just the kind of fun the doctor ordered!

I caught #2 on the ferris wheel with his buddies. We stayed until about 10:00 PM.

So how did this prison sentence end? #1 happily told me that he had a good time, and I even got a hug when we got back home!!! Sometimes mothers do know best.

Cold Returns or What Happened to Summer?

Well for a couple of days, we are experiencing cold weather and autumn rains. That's a sure-fire way to get soup for lunch! Soup is actually one of our favorite lunches around here, and now the boys are resting with their bellies full and their heads hazy.
What is it about the weather that always makes us long for something different? We enjoy each season for a week or two, luxuriating in each tradition and comfort, but then we want to go back to 70 degrees and sunny, unless you are #1 whose favorite weather is rainy.
In the middle of summer we wish it were cool so we could put on our favorite sweater and drink hot cider. When Fall makes it here, we wish for snow days and sled rides. Winter brings dreams of warm Spring breezes and flip flops, and Spring only hastens the desire for shorts and beach trips.
I think it has to do with an old song, "This world is not my home; I'm just a passin' through." This world is just one big vacation trip (perhaps vacation is a bit too strong), and so we enjoy the little changes of scenery, the rest stops, and curiosities along the way, but after a while we start to long for home.
Vacation is fun for a while, but the return home is always the best.

Yorktown

 While my parents enjoyed a day at the beach, my family and I went to visit Yorktown. The boys and I actually had heard, and would hear, a lot about the town and the battle in our history lectures. It was helpful to see what the lecturer was talking about, and I have an idea of what it may have been like now. Looking through this tree to the opposite shore lets me understand that the site Cornwallis chose was not good because it was so easy for the French to trot their boats out and scare the boogy out of the English. Of course, Cornwallis thought he had aready scared the French away and that the English were on their way; oh for a good current time satellite image.

 This statue was placed in town years later in commemoration of those who fought in the battle. It was dedicated to Liberty, and in 1942 (? if I remember correctly) lightning struck it and knocked the head off of "Liberty". I thought perhaps God was saying, "Wake up and look around! There are people dying in this world and you are hiding your head. What happened to Liberty?"

 We walked from the National Park over to the town of Yorktown. It was kind of sunny and humid, so we expired about when we go to the statue. Shade was a pleasant blessing, as was the Ben and Jerry's ice cream store in town. Of course, I was told not to look at the prices and just to order what I wanted. We had saved money again by picnicking, and so I took this in stride- and didn't look.

 At the museum and reenactment center the boys were chosen to help fire the cannon.

 Imagine both of my boys being old enough to go fight for the new country-- and commit treason!

 And that was the end of our vacation field trip. We have one more field trip for history- Richmond, VA and the White House of the Confederacy. I had planned on that for Novemebr, but with the play in full swing, and a Biology field trip planned for after the play, it may have to wait until January.

Historic Jamestowne

 The last time we visited this indian village was in February or March five years ago. It was COLD! #1 had "forgotten" his coat at home, after being told to take it, and so he was learning about thinking ahead. That day I was surprised by how warm it was inside the furlined wigwam. There may have been a small fire inside that day, but I don't remember it if there was. You can tell by our clothing that it was not cold this time. Still, we took advantage of the furlined benches to enjoy a little rest.

 Here we are being shown the foods that the indians would have eaten and the way it would have been prepared. I asked about salt and was told they don't think the indians used salt, but I am thinking they did. I mean, they live this close to the ocean and they haven't thought of salting their food? If we could think how to make glass thousands of years before, then I think the indians thought of salting food.

 The armor leaves a little bit exposed, I am afraid. I guess they thought only kids would try it on.

Here are some handsome men on the ship. I enjoy the replicas that give me an idea of what things were like way back when. I wouldn't have enjoyed the ride over, I am positive. Flush toilets for me, thank you very much!

Still On Vacation

 This picture looks like the boys are standing in the water, but they are actually on the sea wall. This is the outside of the National Park Jamestown Settlement. The day was as gorgeous as the pictures imply. Lovely day!

 My parents said this was the first picnic they had been on in years. It is pretty common for us; I guess because I am cheap. I do enjoy a good picnic though. The sandwiches were thick and meaty, and we had chips, veggies and dip, good drinks, and cookies! Now that's a picnic.
I just enjoyed this bucket near the water. I thought it was a nice picture, peaceful.

 After lunch we headed over to the Glasshouse where they still blow glass. Growing up in WV, a visit to the glass blowing factory was a school field trip tradition.

 Here is the whole family watching the miracle unfold. There are so many things that I wonder how humans discovered. What was it about these things that made someone say, "Let's crush and burn these materials and see what happens."

I Need a Vacation

Has it really been less than a month since our vacation!? It was during our trip that we discovered #1 was to be in the play, and life hasn't stopped since then! So since I can't go on vacation again for a few months, I thought I would post the long forgotten pictures to remind myself what a wonderful time it was.

 The first day we went to Williamsburg. The kids are not cool enough to be seen with the likes of Hubby and I, so we asked them to please leave us alone. They sadly obliged and went their way. Hubby and I took a tour of the Capitol Building. I believe this is King George. The guide didn't go over the art work, but he did mention a painting of Queen Anne. The poor woman had 18 children and NONE lived long enough to succeed to the throne. How sad. With 18 children and running a country I bet she wished for a vacation too.

 I enjoy seeing the people in costume and "going about their day". This looked so peaceful to me just now, but in actuality it was the beginning of a drama of a rebellion.

 The Red Coats are coming! We have learned in our History course that the Brits were called Bloody Backs. In part it was because of their red coats, but it was also because they were often lashed for disobedience. It was a cruel army, but well-disciplined.

 My parents were able to go with us for most of the trip. They needed a vacation themselves and took one day to head to the beach, my mother's favorite get-away. Here we are entering the original Jamestown. It was such a pleasant day. We enjoyed sitting in the shade and looking over the water and trees. We also had a lovely picnic that day. How restful.

 Pocohontas greets us at the gate. #2 thought he found his love, but she was as cold as stone to him!

This is inside the church in Jamestown. I think it is important to realize how much God was invited into the beginning of this young nation. What a shame that He is so carelessly tossed out now.

Well, now I head off to Family Night at church. Hubby and I are in charge of tonight's activities and we are studying the B-I-B-L-E. One of the Ice Breakers is to find someone with a Bible name. I will let you in on a secret. My name is Leah.