I have three friends here that are a lot of fun. We are in 4-H together, our kids love each other, and we enjoy being together without children. Our ages range about 15 years, we were raised in different ways, our religious backgrounds vary, we have different personality "types", but we really enjoy each other. I think what draws us together is a strong desire to serve God and man. Yesterday I told them I had a question and its answer would determine if I could still be their friend. I asked if they believe all of this "global warming stuff." They all said, "No." So that was it; we are no longer friends. I came home and asked my husband the same thing, and he wouldn't answer because he wants to be friends. Actually we are all still friends, and I found out something interesting. Some people see "global warming stuff" as being wrapped up in a bunch of "liberal hooey." As I continued to question my friends, I told them I didn't understand, because they sounded like they do believe in global warming. It was the actual cause of global warming that they question. See the cause isn't really all that important to me, I just want to do what I can to help my home (and my pocketbook). I look at what I do now affecting how my grandchildren will live. Hubby said there are "people" out there who think even with 5 kids I should be riding a bike everywhere I go. That is not something I hear when I listen to stories about global warming. What I hear are questions about how are we going to deal with rising ocean levels, flooding, pollution, increased fuel consumption, etc. I guess for me global warming is occuring, but I don't need all of the reasons why. I do think people have some responsibility. There are more people on earth than ever before and they are using more energy than ever before. That has to lead to more pollution and more "warming." But I am open to cyclical aspects to the earth as well. There was an Ice Age just about 150 years ago in Europe. I much prefer warming than Ice Ages. So we four are still friends, and hubby is still my Lover, but once again I see how people can hear the same thing differently.

Yesterday #1 was SOO hungry during church, and then when we got to the restaurant, he wouldn't eat. He wasn't feeling well again. Last night he also was complaining. So today we headed to the doctor. I waited with him for over 2 hours, then hubby came and waited so I could get home to receive #5 at noon. They got back around 12:30 only to tell me nothing is wrong. They took an Xray and he looks a little backed up, so I am making bread and kicking myself that I paid $150 to find out what I suspected...nothing. He comes from my mother's side of the family, it's just not right if something isn't wrong! The nurse basically told me I am a bad mother for letting this go for a month, but she doesn't know what I know. ---------- I went for a walk in the new neighborhood yesterday. I couldn't find Kelly and wanted a walk, so I went on a suspicion. Sure enough, here she came out of a driveway. I started talking to some kids and they told me she is over at their house all of the time. They thought she must live on the farm though, because they had seen her there before. They call her Callie and Cowgirl, and wondered why she always came to them when they called. No wonder...the name was so close! She has been trying to dig holes under their fence! Great! It's a good thing she is so lovable, or someone would have shot her by now.

We stopped at the pharmacy and got some antacids for #1 to see if that will help. It seems to be helping a little, but why he is having stomach problems is still undecided. He does seem to be having some worry issues about the scheduling we are doing in school. Last night I was working on the plans for the next two weeks and I broke his into daily lessons instead of weekly. He asked why I was doing that and I said I thought it would help him to be less worried about it if he could see what he has to do each day. He came over and kissed me and said thank you. Maybe that will help the stomach after all. ------- I had a dying chicken yesterday. She has been getting slower for the last couple of weeks, so I wasn't shocked that it was her. I put her in a rabbit cage so the other chickens wouldn't peck her and make her miserable. I haven't been out yet, but I imagine she is dead by now. I think it is time to order some more chickens. Mine are just getting too old. ------- #2 wants to make a tree house. I took him out to a wooded area near our house, and showed him where he could have a couple options. Now he wants all of his friends to come over and help build something and play out there. Last Child in the Woods doesn't have anything on this family!

It would seem that spring is on the way to the Carolinas. The chickens are nearly back to laying eggs. Green is becoming a brighter color. The air has a warmer feel. And yesterday, the rain came! We had more rain at one time than we have had in a year. I was wondering what the goats must be thinking...3 of them are not a year old yet, and this would have been "Apocalyptic" to them. --------- Guilt, frustration, and confusion. That is how I have been feeling lately. This parenting thing should be getting easier, shouldn't it? We took #1 out of school because he was going into depression. Now I have been pushing him to do better in his work, and he seems to be going back to some of the old ways. He is having stomach aches, trouble sleeping, and sadness. At some point, though, he has to start using correct capitalization and punctuation. --------- Self-esteem was enhanced Monday night though. Our 4-H club won Club of the Year, Service Club of the Year, and my two got Reporter and Photographer of the Year. Those awards are for the whole county! There were many other awards for our club as well. We certainly swept the place up.

This blog is a response to the Jesus Creed blog today. I left this comment on the blog. The question is whether churches should provide an exit strategy for Christians from the public schools. I apologize for the length of this response, but the topic is one that requires a lot of insight and thoughtful consideration. I respond as a person from a family with extensive public school experience, and myself as a former public and private school teacher. My husband is a minister, with many seminary degrees, and our decision to home school is often mistaken to be a conservative, Christian, religious decision that separates our children from the world. In fact, the decision was made after our first child became depressed in a public school Kindergarten. There was very little time devoted to “socialization” within his classroom. Recess was 15 minutes after a lunch that was demanded to be silent. The characteristic free time “center time” of Kindergarten was only allowed if you had finished your seat work, which my child hadn’t because he had been socializing during seat work. He began to have health problems, behavior problems, and personality changes—at 5 years old! After about 6 months of this, my husband announced that it was enough and we brought our son home. This decision has had happy results that were unintentional at the outset. My children are healthy and happy. They are very innocent compared to their public schooled friends. They have been able to have experiences that the public school setting does not allow. To those who would say we are sheltering our children and they need to be salt and light to the world, I would say, “Why do they have to be salt and light in the public school arena?” They are in 3 and 5 grades. They are salt and light in the art class they take at the university. They are salt and light to the 4-Hers of our county. They are salt and light to the elderly people they swim with every day. They are salt and light to friends and neighbors. They are salt and light to the county soccer league. And their salt and light resources are developed and nurtured by long daily doses in the home. They have even been salt and light to other church members. This past summer our older son was at his grandparents’ church. The Sunday School teacher was showing a clip from The Matrix to teach some point. Our son, knowing that he isn’t allowed to watch that movie because of its rating, took a stand and told the teacher he needed to leave and why. His insistence that his parents would not approve made a huge impact on the teacher and the students. A large portion of the class time, according to the teacher, was then spent on why he would make such an unpopular stand. His integrity was honored. I do not for one second think he would have had the guts to stand by his convictions if he had been raised in the schools and spent his “free time” with his parents. The stereotype of homeschoolers as conservative, blue-denim jumper wearing, large family, living off the land weirdos certainly has some merit. You don’t get a stereotype without a reason. However, within my home school support system there are Christians and Atheists, Democrats and Republicans, Conservatives and Liberals, and stereotypical and non-stereotypical homeschoolers. To judge all homeschoolers based on a stereotype is like saying you should be afraid of all black men; it’s just plain wrong and inaccurate. As far as the church being responsible for helping parents to have an exit strategy, I would say it is very difficult to make a blanket statement like that. Some churches, ours for instance, are too small to sponsor a school. I have taught in a Christian private school before, and I do not think therein lies the answer either. My students knew just as much about the world and what goes on in it as any public school student. They didn’t have the advantage of being in the midst of their family and having the constant, first-hand knowledge of what their parents expected. On top of that, a young child idolizes his teachers and thinks that ANYTHING they say is scientific fact, regardless of what their parents say. So the only possible church solution I can envision is one that makes it financially feasible for one parent to stay home with the children and school them. I do not, however, support such a decision. Perhaps the strongest way for the church to provide an exit strategy from the public schools is to help educate their members about financial responsibility and stewardship, as well as lessening the amount of extra-curricular activities that children participate in. The church should encourage families to spend time together; the LDS church certainly has a lot to teach us there. There is ever so much more I could say about this topic, but I think I have touched on the major issues. Thank you for the blog.

Last week #1 was to draw a picture of contentment. He drew the sock monkey that he has had since he was about 1 year old. This past week "EeEe" the monkey showed up several times around the house. #1 is in a mixed up stage of wanting to grow up and wanting to still be a child. I am excited about this changing time. I wonder what he will be, how he will look, what his voice will sound like. I look forward to seeing him become a successful young man, and some day a husband and father. But I also miss his babyhood. I remember him splashing through puddles when we would take a "wet walk," meeting Santa and asking him things, words that were said wrong like Doug for God, eating a sand and seaweed salad at the shore, but mostly just happiness and laughing. I love my boy. ------- The words to a song resonated with me in church. They were asking God to take my work as a sacrifice. I tried to think about what my "work" is, and I decided it is to guide children. I always expected to have a large family, but I married a man who didn't have the same expectation or desire. So I was thinking that I was mistaken about what my work is; then I thought about my nieces and nephew, the children I care for 3 days a week, the 4-H kids, the kids I teach at co-ops, and most especially, my own two precious children. I even was blessed with children in my profession before I had children of my own. God has certainly given me a lot of children to guide, and I hope my sacrifice is pleasing to Him. ------- This is an edit. I thought I would just quickly flip through the next couple of blogs listed after mine. Wow. The next one was in Spanish, the next German, the next Japanese, and the last English. The English one was by an 18 year old boy who is traveling Asia for 6 months; he is from the UK. Now the song resonating with me is "It's a Small World After All."

Yesterday I received a gift I have never had before...a nephew! Baby Isaac was born about 6:00 p.m., and weighed 8 pounds 8 1/2 ounces, and was 21 1/2 inches long. Mom and baby are doing great. I told my boys they will have to teach him to be a "MAN" and tell him things like, "Man up, boy!" They said, "Yeah, he'll be a wuss with those sisters." ------- I hate restless nights. I woke up about 2 a.m. and could not get back to sleep. Around 4:30 I thought I would try to make some hot cocoa and see if that would get me back to sleep. I was trying not to wake hubby because he has to work today. Instead, he woke up and came out to visit. He told me he had been awake thinking through some things and then shared them with me. So when I went back to bed, instead of my mind rolling through all of the things I had been thinking of before, I went through all of that PLUS what he had been thinking through. What a generous man. Of course, I was able to stay in bed a little longer than he was today, so he was repaid for his kindness. ------- #2 was grounded from dessert and candy this week. All day yesterday he told me, "As soon as I get up tomorrow I'm having a piece of candy and a Little Debbie cake." However, the computer seemed to draw his attention more. ------- This week was the first one to "schedule" school for the boys. I handed them a list at the beginning of the week of everything they had to do, and it was up to them to do it. They were both doing school last night. I think they will play a little less this week; it seemed to be a lesson learned. We'll find out. ------- One last blurb, (you see why I was up last night) we started watching the series A Family Affair. The kids really liked it. They dubbed it "a different kind of Brady Bunch."

Yesterday was errand day. I am getting a good bit better at it, and now that I am doing it once a week my errands aren't building up like they used to. Yesterday I had to go to Sam's to return a Turbotax set. I had bought the wrong one. I took #5 in with me to make the return and he asked what we were doing. I said, "I have to get a thing for the taxes." "Oh I like taxes. They're really fun." "No, not a taxi, taxes. And they aren't fun." --------- Darkie is in heat agin. I am planning to borrow Clyde again today and I sure hope he can do the job. I am afraid he is too short. Anyway, I just can't wait until all of these expensive houses go in next door and the goat goes in heat. Boy are they in for a rude awakening!

I went to bed Monday night crying that I just don't understand how I can work from 7 a.m. to 10:30 p.m. and go to bed with more work than I started with. A woman's work is never done, I suppose. I did take a break last evening and go to dinner with a friend. Then we grabbed a hot cocoa at B&N and sat outside to enjoy the lovely evening and talk. It was good just to talk with a "big person" and have a few good laughs. She was commenting that her son got in the car after 4-H and said, "Isn't it nice to go to 4-H and not be held down, tackled, or teased?" She didn't know that he had been a part of the problems, so it was disturbing to her to hear that. It sure is nice though to not have those problems anymore.

Well the little game is over. I was there but didn't watch a bit of it. The conversation was more stimulating, and the commercials. Favorites are Richard Simmons in the head lights and the fire breathing bud light. #2 won first place in his category in the Unnatural Resources Fair yesterday. He made drawers out of orange juice cartons. He was very excited. #1 entered the chili cook-off at church, as did I, and neither one of us won. However, I came home with a bunch of chili, so I guess we are winners. I will be canning the rest of the day. This week starts a new chapter in home schooling. I will be handing #1 a schedule for the week and he has to get the work done by the end of the week. It is up to him when he works, and to make sure that he learns it. We'll see how it goes.

Forcing myself to stay with the resolution today. Tryon Palace is free today, and would be a great field trip to add to our history studies, but I really think I will be less stressed if I stay home. The house needs cleaning, the garden needs help, and the kids need attention. #1 is participating in the church chili cookoff and we need to get that started. You know chili tastes better when it has cooked a long time. ----- I think the cat that was raodkill on Wednesday was our cat, Leo. He hasn't been around since then. The two cats that have adopted us are sweet. Leo was a very moody cat, a great mouser so we kept him, but he would scratch and bite sometimes for what seemed to be no reason. As long as these cats are great mousers I will be happy to keep them. They are soft, like to be held and petted, and meow sweetly. ----- Interesting. People who work the graveyard shift have more hypertension, heart attacks, depression, and breast cancer. Electricity hasn't been the greatest thing ever, evidently.

I was thinking about Horton Hears a Who recently. You know the Dr. Seuss story; the elephant hears someone on a speck of dust but no one else does. So the elephant tries to save the people, but everyone else thinks he is crazy. They try to get rid of the speck of dust, to get rid of Horton, they ridicule and malign the elephant for doing what is right. I was thinking about this in a Christian perspective. Jesus tried to save the world and everyone thought he was nuts. He was ridiculed and maligned, and eventually gotten rid of. Now it is the Christians' turn to convince the world that they need saved, a little backward from Horton but still some parallels. Sometimes, though, when I look at all of the ways the world needs saving I feel like Horton looking at that field of pink flowers---where in the world do you start? People need the Lord.

Yesterday, I noticed a large bird circling the water tower next to our house. Soon afterward my husband yelled to come out back and look. There were lots of those birds flying around and swooping down close to the house. Then I turned and saw them swoop to the barn. The chickens!!! So I put on my boots and ran out to check on them. They were all huddled in the back of the barn and were fine, even the goats were hiding. Then I noticed where those birds were actually going--roadkill on the road in front of us. They were vultures. I went out to get rid of it, and it was a cat. The neighbor in front of us moved their house a few weeks ago, and evidently left their cats. Two have adopted us and seem to be sweet cats, hopefully fixed. Leaving animals is a mean, cruel, irresponsible thing to do. --------- Warning! There is a GI Virus going around. If you are tired, stay home and rest. #1 has something and stayed in his jammies all day yesterday. Somehow #2 took that to mean that he could also stay in his jammies. Today we are just staying home and resting again. Hopefully that will blow it out of here. --------- It has started to sink in to me that we are starting Middle School next year. I am trying to figure out how we are going to work it. I have some ideas, but planning is still going on in this weary brain. I am feeling a bit stretched and thin lately.

Yesterday the word optimist came up and I asked #2 if he knew what it means. He was close and I told him an optimist looks at the bright side of things, expecting the best; a pessimist looks at the down side and expects the worst. #2 said, "It's better to be an optimist. Then you like what is going to happen." #1 had been listening and gave this reply, "It is better to be a pessimist, then you don't get disappointed. If you always expect the worst, then it is good if something happy happens." Truly that is their personalities; I had just never seen a good reason to be a pessimist. ------------ I needed some alone time with God yesterday, so while the guys had their night out I stayed at the house and worshippped. Psalm 116 in the CEV struck me: I love you, Lord! You answered my prayers. You paid attention to me, and so I will pray to you as long as I live. Death attacked from all sides, and I was captured by its painful chains. But when I was really hurting, I prayed and said, "Lord, please don't let me die!" You are kind Lord, so good and merciful. You protect ordinary people, and when I was helpless you saved me and treated me so kindly that I don't need to worry anymore. You Lord have saved my life from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling. Now I will walk at your side in this land of the living. I was faithful to you when I was suffering, though in my confusion I said, "I can't trust anyone!" What must I give you Lord for being so good to me? I will pour out an offering of wine to you, and I will pray in your name because you have saved me. I will keep my promise to you when your people meet. You are deeply concerned when one of your people faces death. I worship you, Lord, just as my mother did, and you have rescued me from the chains of death. I will offer you a sacrifice to show you how grateful I am, and I will pray. I will keep my promise to you when your people gather at your temple in Jerusalem. Shout praises to the Lord! I like especially that God protects ordinary people, and that he is so kind, good, and merciful. It was a good evening.

Yesterday we were writing 4-H goals for the year. You have to do that every January and then at the end of the year, you see how much you accomplished. So I started with #1 and he had several good ones: Help at the Animal Shelter, Learn to ride a bike safely, Participate in the State Project, Visit new places... Then I asked #2 his goals: "You know those rides you get in and it seems like you are really on a rollercoaster, but aren't, and it shakes you around?" (virtual rollercoaster) "Yes." "I want to ride one of those." "What does that have to do with 4-H?" "Oh. Nothing, I just thought it would be fun." Can anyone spell FOCUS!!?

A man went forward yesterday at church to confess that he has a different face on Sunday than the rest of the week. He isn't as committed a Christian as he has lead some to believe, and thought perhaps his brother who has stopped going to church is more honest than he is because he still goes. Perhaps more honest is correct, but not more committed. Even if what you are doing is a farce, it is still showing a desire, even if it is subconscious, to please God. There are dry times in any relationship, friendly or romantic, and our relationship with God is no different. But you don't leave your spouse during a dry spell or it will be harder to go back and harder to ever have that close relationship again. Not impossible, but harder. The same seems to hold true with our spiritual relationship with God. He never leaves us, but if we leave him it seems hard to get back to him, too many other things get in the way. Just like your Lover, you keep reminding yourself why you love him/her. You keep doing the "expected" things. You stay put, and after a while you have that feeling back again. And then you seem to drink more deeply to quench the thirst.

I was thinking about my husband's cell phone recently. He uses it as a pocketwatch. He doesn't wear a wristwatch, hasn't for years; it pulls the arm hair. But he used to keep a watchface in his pocket to know the time. Now he just looks at his phone. I have seen a lot of people do that. My Papaw had a real pocketwatch. He wore overalls most places he went. He walked slowly, with his hands clasped behind his back. Then he would pull out his pocketwatch, on a chain, to check the time. It just seemed less rushed that way; somehow a cell phone time checker seems in a hurry to get somewhere. --------- I spoke with a young lady today who is doing her student teaching. They call it "Senior Internship" now, but it is the same thing; a stamina race to see who can survive the kids, parents, staff requirements, and low pay. She is teaching first grade just like I did, though I had to do two placements and also had 5th graders. It occurred to me later that the kids I had in that first grade class are at least as old as this young lady!!! The kids I student taught could now be student teaching!! Yikes. That means the fifth graders are...I don't want to think about it. --------- Today's sermon was about the Bible. Part of it was about how strange it can seem to us---Hittites, Girgashites, Perizzites, Edomites, etc. #2 looked at me and said "hippo-crites" (long i on crites). I couldn't help myself and laughed out loud. I told Hubby what he had said and everyone laughed. Pooor little guy was embarrassed. I told him it was a funny joke. He said, "Yes, but I didn't want everyone to laugh." Better not grow up to be a comedian.

#1 is 11 years old today. He wanted a sleepover with friends and to watch the Lord of the Rings Trilogy. He got the dvds for his birthday, along with some books and gift cards, and everyone came about 3 yesterday afternoon. They played outside for a long time, had pizza for dinner, played outside some more, and every now and then watched a bit of the movies. At 11:30 I told them to get inside and the doors would be locked. I guess that is when they started watching seriously, and I went in at 3:30 a.m. to check on them and they were still watching!!! The two youngest had fallen asleep earlier than the others, so they were up at 7:30. It's going to be a long day. #1 has really been showing us how he is growing lately. Yes, he is tall, but he has been maturing in other ways too. He is doing things without my asking, helping out around the house, asking what he can do to help, etc. It is a welcome change. Part of his sleepover caused a little concern because he wanted to ask some of his female friends. Some parents were concerned about that, so we had the boys and girls "sleep" in separate rooms. At first, #1 had said he would invite one girl, but she isn't allowed to go to sleepovers. Then he asked if I knew why "because she seems very mature and responsible. She helps a lot with her brothers and I think she's a good girl." The poor thing is still unaware that the girl friends are actually girls! He couldn't figure out why they had to sleep in separate rooms, and I pulled a "because I said so," so that I wouldn't have to enlighten him on the fact that all of his friends aren't guys.

We went on a double date last week with some friends from church. The boys stayed with the friends' older kids while we went to dinner and a movie. We saw Juno. We all enjoyed it, but I don't know that I can recommend it to anyone. It could be taken different ways by different people. It is about a 16 year old who ends up pregnant and decides to give the baby up for adoption. When we got the kids back and were headed home the boys asked if we had a nice time. "Yes." What did you see? "Juno." What's it about? --At this point I am wishing we didn't have such polite, interested children! "A girl that misbehaved." What did she do? "Just misbehaved." Did she steal or tell a lie? Ok...I guess I have to deal with this. "She misbehaved and had a baby." #2 responds with "I thought having babies is a good thing." "Yes, but not when you are in high school and 16." That is when the fun began! #2: "It's good that we are homeschooled. When you go to public high school they make girls take birth control pills and don't let them tell their parents." #1: "What's a birth control pill?" #2: "It helps control birthing, because you know with all of those boys and girls standing so close in schools, they get pregnant." #1: "Mom, I think you need to have that talk with #2 that you had with me." I nearly busted a gut trying not to laugh during all of this!

We went to Jamestown/ Yorktown/ Williamsburg for a few days. We learned a lot and were able to put history into a better perspective, but what a trip it turned out to be! I don't normally complain, but listen to just a FEW of the things that happened...#2 started it out by not being able to find his gift card to KB Toys (we were going to the outlet there), we decided he has to learn to be more responsible so he had to suffer through his brother spending his card, #2 also forgot to pack a swimsuit for the hotel and any toiletries--toothbrush, comb, etc.--#1 has lost his coat and it was freezing or below freezing a lot of the time. I told him to take layers to wear, but he didn't. It was very, very cold, and it rained the second day. We blew out a tire and had to replace 3 of them. On the way home we picked up a rock in our windshield. I had to laugh or else I would have cried. We ended up not spending any time in historical Williamsburg. We didn't have tickets for it and it was much too cold to just walk around. We did eat at a tavern there and it was very nice. The costumed staff came around and entertained us. That was my birthday dinner. A trip for the memory books.

What a week. I hadn't even realized that I didn't blog all week. I have been gone every day this week to somewhere, and I really don't like weeks like that. Monday night was a 4-H Leaders' meeting that left me feeling overwhelmed. 4-H really has a lot to offer, and you just have to tell yourself that there is no way you could possibly do all of it. Tuesday was an all day 4-H meeting since we didn't have the business meeting the first of the month. We went ice skating, had pizza, and then the business meeting. The highlight there was the induction of #1 as President for the year. Then in the evening, against my better judgment, I met a friend and then spent a couple of hours at the library. I should have stayed home and gotten caught up. Wednesday was spent catching up and running to church. Thursday was spent running ALL day, most of it with 3-5 children in tow. I had hoped for a peaceful evening, but #1 had broken his glasses on Sunday and they were finally done, so out we headed again to get that taken care of. He is happy to see again. So here it is Friday with only one blog. Whew! So much for that Resolution. ------------ Last weekend we had some little friends over to play. They were here at dinner and so I fed them. While they were eating in the dining room I was eating in the kitchen. I could hear the unkind conversation in the other room, so I started singing, "Love one another, for love is of God." The other kids laughed and asked, "Why is your mother singing?" I heard #1 sigh, "Here we go again. This is what she does when we aren't behaving." I thought it was funny, like he was sighing over a lecture or something. ------------ Darkie is in heat again. I will try borrowing Clyde again, but I am afraid he may be too short for her. At least it will make her stop crying all night! I really was hoping for some sleep last night.

I cleaned out my van yesterday. I only took out the garbage and vacuumed; it still needs to have the vinyl washed and the whole outside washed, of course. I bought the van a little less than two years ago. I test drove a Yukon. The boys and I really liked the Yukon---leather seats, drove like a breeze, nice and roomy. Except for the trunk. There was hardly any space in the "trunk" and to get to the third seat was going to be a big hassle. So for the ease of life I said "no" to the Yukon and took the much more practical Honda mini-van. It was a good decision. In the last two weeks the van has hauled a dog, LOTS of children, animal feeds, groceries, food for dinners, packages, luggage, and goats. Yes, goats. I bought two goats yesterday and hauled them home in a dog carrier cage. The Beverly Hillbillies never rode in such style. I doubt that is what Honda intended with their mini-van, but it would have been good advertising to me. ------------ The goats are Nigerian Dwarf goats. They are about the size of small sheep. They are both supposed to be pregnant, due at the end of April. Nigerians are supposed to be pretty good milkers for their size, soI am hoping for some fresh milk this spring. For now we are all trying to get used to each other. The goats are trying to decide who is the boss of the field. The biggest and oldest goat, Darkie, doesn't really care. She hasn't taken over in any way; she just wants peace and quiet with a little gentle petting. Sounds good to me.

I took the boys to a play last night about the White House. It was really good. We all laughed so hard and still learned quite a bit about the White House. Afterward, a couple families went to Krispie Kreme to enjoy a treat together. #1 made a comment about not drinking after a girl because that is how babies are made. The kids laughed and he didn't know why. That hurt his feelings and he had a hard time with the rest of the evening. When I found out what happened, I had a talk with him privately. He told us last year he didn't want to know how it occurs. I asked if he was ready yet. He told me yes, no, maybe. So I gave him enough info to move him along, but not the full details. I told him it would be better for the sake of his embarrassment, not to say anything about how babies are made. Then I wished I could have left him thinking that drinking out of the same cup as a girl would make a baby. It would eliminate a lot of problems, colds being the least. ------------------- I am going goat shopping this afternoon. I hope to come back with 2 pregnant does, Nigerian Dwarfs. They are about the size of a medium to large dog. I went out this morning to check on the chickens and heard two robins calling to each other. Last year it was February before we saw robins. The winter has been so mild I guess they decided to come back early.

Ten days into the New Year's Resolution and it has been shot at by the enemy. Of course, with this being the third year that I have made this resolution, I feel like I have battled it a little better. Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life: I signed the boys up for art yesterday, and when I got home I found out about the music class the university offers. Then I had a dilemma. I would like the boys to have both opportunities, but quiet evenings at home are a must for me to have a quiet life. I tried to come up with several different ways to accomodate the class, but I am just going to have to say no. Now that it is in cyberspace perhaps I will have to say no or eat crow. To work with your hands: Not doing too badly with this part. I am wanting to get out into the garden soon so I can actually plant this year when I am supposed to. And to mind your own business: The house across the street disappeared this week. I didn't even notice until Hubby pointed it out, so maybe I am minding my own business. But now I am wondering what is going to go in there. A couple of houses went in down the road on a lot that I thought couldn't hold more than one house, so now I am wondering...None of my business!

Yesterday #1 was working on some research for a paper. He is writing a story about pirates. The book he was using had a recipe for pirate biscuits and he wanted to make them. I told him I thought that would be good for lunch and to go for it. He made the biscuits with a little help from me, and then #1,2, and 5 had them for lunch. #2 told me he didn't care for it and it tasted sour. #5 took a bite and shuddered from head to toe. "That's tewwible," he said. The recipe called for 5 tsp of soda! I refused to even try it.

I was leaving to get the oil changed when my neighbor stopped me. "We have a problem. Again." So nice to see you too. The problem for him is that he believes the development next to us is building so that all of the rainshed will come onto our property and the road in front of our home. He was ready to go to City Council about it; he was very irate. I told him I thought the first thing to do would be to go to the developers. I talked to him quite a while and he never saw why that would be the right thing to do. It was almost as if the "right thing to do" was another language to him. Finally, he ended by saying, "I guess you're ever the optimist." I ended by restating, "It's just the right thing to do." He shook his head and walked away.

I started yesterday by singing to my children of how they needed to get out of bed, making an early start, help their heart, work out long so they will be strong, etc. #1 asked me to please not wake them that way today. I thought it was a pretty good song. We went to the gym early and had a good work out. I had a "mother tiger" moment. I took the boys to the pool for our cardio workout, and an old woman there started yelling at #2 for splashing her and getting her hair wet. Now, I was trying to tell him to move over to the rope to swim, but her tirade just kept going, so I let her finish and then asked him to move. Then she jumped on me for letting him do that. I understand old women not wanting to wet their hair. They go get it done once a week and then leave it alone. BUT, if you are going to go to the pool you should expect to get a little splash or else wear a shower cap. I thought I would take that woman out back and knock some sense into her-- mother tiger. ---------- I went to the funeral yesterday. It was a long day, but good to be there for my friend. The widow seemed to be holding up well. I imagine it will hit her later today.

Today the routine is supposed to start. The holidays are officially over for us and we head back to school. To change it up a bit though, we will be going to the gym in the mornings BEFORE school. Homeschoolers are not known for very early mornings so we are talking a major routine change here. The boys are upset that it means no tv in the mornings before school. -------- Although today is back to routine, there will be very little of it. The father of a friend passed away and I am going to the funeral, 3 1/2 hours away. So the kids will go to a friend's house for a while, and I will watch my "extra" kids later this week. My friend who suffered the loss was not raised in the area, so another friend and I are hoping we can be her support today. -------- #2 came in the other day and told me Jesus sure was late. "What do you mean?" "Well he was supposed to be born around April, but he didn't come until Christmas. That's what I call late!"

I spent a whole day writing our Christmas/New Year's Letter this week. All of that writing and editing put me on hold to write any more. It was fun to read back through my year of all that had been said. The kids are so funny, and they get it from their dad! --------- The year seems to be having a rough start for some people close to me. A friend left last night to go be with her dad. He was starting to have respiratory failure. He has been doing some experimental procedures and it didn't go well a couple weeks ago, I guess. He has cancer. Another friend found out her aunt, who has no other family, has masses through her body. The friend will likely move herself and her kids down to be with the aunt and help care for her. We will miss them terribly. I am still fighting some type of infection in my toe. It started before Christmas, and is seeming to get worse. I can't wear regular shoes. I was in the grocery yesterday with all my sweatsuit and cold weather attire, and sandals on my sock feet. I got several weird looks. ---------- #2 had his birthday party on New Year's Eve. The kids stayed up and had a great time. I think I wrote that already. But then, they went outside and played all day together. At 1:00 I asked if they wanted to go to a movie with us, and they did, but wanted to go home first. So their mom picked them up and we picked them up after that an hour later. We went to see The Water Horse. What a great movie! People even clapped at the end. My mom asked if it has a great moral. No not really, it is just a nice story. --------- I did borrow a man (billy goat) for Darkie. He seems to have done the job, although we won't really know for a few more months. The fellow seems happy here, a big field to roam and a girl at his beck and call. What more could a man want? ----------- Did you hear the Mountaineers won the Fiesta Bowl? What a wonderful thing for them. Morgantown was all astir about Rodriguez leaving like he did. I am glad they won and could put that in his ear and blow! The way he left was so selfish and irresponsible. ----------- I tried triple coupons at the store yesterday. I got up at 6 a.m. so I wouldn't have to deal with a bunch of people on my first try. It went great, except that I forgot the 20 coupon rule and so didn't get as many triples as I had hoped. I went back later and tried again with some other things. Did great again and DID remember the rule. I got things for 14 and 19 cents, and a few things free! ------------- One last thing and I think you will be caught up on our lives. It is COLD here! It was to go down to 15 last night. Today is 47 and all week to get higher, until next week is back in the 70s, but for now we are COLD! Hubby says if you are going to be this cold at least have the decency to snow! I think we all agree.

Happy New Year. Last year Hubby and I went to bed and let the kids stay up to midnight. This year #2 was having his birthday party that night and wanted a sleepover. So we had movies, cake and ice cream, pop-its and sparklers, AND managed to stay up until midnight. The kids and I went out and set off sparklers and pop-its at midnight. Then I ran back in- it was COLD- and they stayed out a little longer to play cowboys and indians. It is nearly 8 a.m. and the kids are all sacked out in the livingroom in various positions; one little guy is going to have a stiff neck. So what about a Resolution? This will be the third year that I make the same one. It comes from Thessalonians; Make it your ambition (insert resolution) to lead a quiet life, work with your hands, and mind your own business. It is the "lead a quiet life" that I have mostly focused on, and yes after three years I am still working on it. I have a tendency to try and do too much. I enjoy life so much I want to do as much as possible. The problem is that I end up not enjoying the life when I do so much. This year I will be trying to watch my commitments- to kids' activities, teaching classes, animals, garden, etc. Each year I have gotten better, so I hope to do well with this resolution. ---------------- I did not write the family Christmas letter this year. I am hoping to write it in the next few days. It is the first year in about 15 that I haven't written one.

Bless the Name of the God of Rain. We had nearly a full day of rain yesterday, and an inch of rain the day after Christmas. Thank you, Lord. -------------- #2 received a letter from Santa as part of his Christmas present. It was addressing his request for World Peace for Christmas. The letter said that there are many things Santa gets asked, but that he can't give, like jobs or finding lost parents. But the gift #2 asked for was already given many years ago in the birth of Jesus Christ, the Prince of Peace. Santa followed it up by saying that he tries to be a peacemaker by being kind and generous. Other people have tried to make peace in other ways, like Martin Luther King, Jr. And Santa hopes that #2 will be a peacemaker as well. The letter came with a movie, The Nativity Story, and a book on King. My aunt read the letter and said she disagreed with the ending. She would not call MLK, Jr. a peacemaker. She said she remembers watching the news and being afraid at what was going on at the time. Marches and riots were scary and she didn't understand why they had to go about it that way; it was definitely NOT peaceful. I wonder if that is what people said about Jesus. He upset the balance of communities. He overthrew tables in the Temple. He lead great crowds of people around the countryside. He certainly looked to some people to be attempting to overthrow a government. Perhaps the Prince of Peace was the Tyrant of Terror to some. Yesterday in Bible Study class we were looking at the book of John and two healings. Jesus heals a man who had been crippled for 38 years and a man who had been born blind. The Pharisees could not "see" Jesus, who he really was, like other people could. It occured to me that God had never been to Earth before, except for visits with Adam and Eve or in the form of an angel. To have God come and live with us in the form of a man, and have to do everything that a man has to do, well that was incomprehensible. It was blasphemy. It was breaking the very Law of God. To bow down and worship a man was strictly forbidden, remember Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego? I am glad I am on this side of the Ressurrection. It is much easier for me to believe something that has been tested through 2000 years of history. I just can't feel contempt for the Pharisees; I don't know that I would have recognized God in the form of a man who was causing trouble either.

We are back! What a lovely trip home for the holidays we had. We saw all, ALL, of the families, and managed a little time for a movie and shopping. Poor #1 got very sick Christmas Eve and was up all night. That put a damper on his excitement for Santa's arrival and opening presents, but #2 enjoyed himself. Now I am unpacking while the kids play with their new things. Hubby has headed off to work. So I guess we are back to the routine. We took the dog with us on this trip since she is the biggest problem when it comes to our leaving. She did well in the van, but by the time we got home last night she was ready to be here. She travelled a lot while in WV since we couldn't leave her anywhere. The other animals are doing well, thanks to my little 4-H helper while we were gone. Darkie is need of a man, so I am hoping to borrow Clyde, the billy next door, this evening. She was up all night crying for him. The best Christmas present I got was a canner. Now I can make soup and can it for our lunches! I can't eat chicken from the store, so I have sorely missed chicken soup. By the way, the hog didn't get butchered, so the chickens will soon be in the freezer. So much for their savior.

Merry Christmas! Today is Christmas Day at our house; last night was Christmas Eve. We went out for Chinese and then a little shopping. Then we drove around and looked at lights, came back, lit the Advent candles, and watched a Christmas movie. This morning we opened presents around the tree and had chocolate chip pancakes- a House special- for breakfast. Now we are spending the day together at the gym and a movie- Alvin and the Chipmunks. Later we will get everything packed for our trip home. I think I am going to like this Christmas. I have always wanted to have Christmas with just my family and this seems to be doing it for me. My screwball of a husband was unwrapping presents with us when he picked one up that said to M from M. Then he thanked himself and opened it. He said he kept leaving a coupon around the house and I never took it, so he went and got what he wanted and wrapped it up for himself. He got juggling pins and a video. Look out next year at the Holiday Banquet and Talent Show! The boys got air rifles. They have wanted them since we moved here and theirs were lost in the move. So now they are running around like hooligans shooting at each other. I got chocolate. What could be better?

I have decided on the perfect gift for a child who asks for World Peace---Jesus. So he is getting The Nativity Story DVD and book. That is if I can FIND it in the stores around here. I looked until 10:00 last night and no luck. There are a couple of stores to try today still, and we can always call WV and have them check there. I also got him a book about MLK, Jr. I think Santa will write a letter to him about how Jesus is the Prince of Peace and here is an example of how to live that out. World Peace starts one person at a time. ---------------- Speaking of world peace...My children have been having trouble getting along with kids in 4-H. It doesn't seem to be my kids' fault. I know that sounds like the parent talking, but this is coming from other children, not my own. Anyway I have contacted one of the mothers of the problem children and am waiting to hear back. I hate confrontation. ----------------- We have joined a gym and yesterday learned how to use the weight machines. My worst fears were realized. Those machines are torture chambers. Don't they just look like something from a war movie? Like they will tie you to it and start stretching you, like they did to witches. Probably shouldn't tell them #1's enjoyment of all things Harry Potter and dragon.

#2 has a little more trouble with the Santa letter. He constantly changes his mind. So a few weeks ago, maybe a month, he wrote Santa asking for an MP3 player and "lots of books." Then, last week when #1 sent his letter to Santa, #2 decided he would send one as well. He sealed it up and didn't tell me what he asked for. A couple of nights ago he came into the kitchen yelling, "Commercialism, commercialism! It's all turned into commercialism." He was speaking of Christmas. So I said, "Well you have turned it that way too. What did you ask Santa for?" "World peace." That was it. He asked for world peace. Hubby said they were coming home from Guys' Night Out the other day when #2 said he would like to have a couple of things. I believe they were a knitting book and a dragon book. #1 said, "You can't ask for that. I asked Santa for that and you can't get the same thing. What did you ask Santa for?" "World peace." "No, really." "I asked for world peace." "Well, what else did you ask for?" "Nothing." "Too bad." "Why?" "Because you aren't getting what you asked for." It seems we have a realist and a dreamer at our house. --------------- As hubby told me that story, he was reminded of it because he was taking the dog out. She did #1 and #2. I want to put a disclaimer here: In no way do I think of my children as processes of elimination. That thought had never occured to me, only to their father! I am ONLY speaking of birth order when I call them that. It is only for their protection and safety that I do thus, and in no way describes how I feel about them.

My 10 year old- almost 11 year old!- wrote his letter to Santa last week. It took him a long time because he can never decide what it is he really, really wants. I did not suggest that he write to Santa. I am so pleased that he still has the innocence to believe. He wrote the letter, addressed it, and took it to the box. I couldn't be trusted to take it out. Here is what I recovered: Dear Santa Claus, How is your wife? Did you have a nice summer? I know I haven't been perfect, but I hope I can still be on the nice list. So I hope I can still get some presents. Here is a list of things I want: Harry Potter DVD Interactive Game, Charmed Knitting, How to Draw and Paint Dragons, Marvel Superhero Fact Book, Transformer Action Figure, as many magic tricks as you can find, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix 2 disc DVD. Love, #1 ------------- I will share #2's letter tomorrow. Today was spent finishing up 4-H projects, and we are DONE! Tomorrow is our last meeting for the year and we will really be done after that. We joined a gym last week and I had to drag myself and 2 kids there this morning. I worked out in the pool and it really seemed to help stretch out my back. Tomorrow we train on some of the equipment.

He's my kill the spiders and roaches man, catch the mice and chop the rooster man. He's my pick up heavy things man, wait in the car man, cry on his chest man. He's my humorous man, my academic man, my juggling and jokester man. He's my complete the taxes man, forgive my ignorance man, my live on a farm when I'm a city boy man. He's my goose me, grab me man, he's my angry kiss when Rodriguez goes to Michigan man, he's my staring at a beautiful woman (me) man. He's my Lover, my Great One, my Friend, and my Brother. He's every man to me and he's mine for 18 years today. Happy Anniversary Sweetheart.

Oh how the time is flying. I planned our school calendar to have all of December off, but just knew that we would still do some school during the month. Guess what? Nada. This afternoon and evening the boys and I did manage to get quite a dent in the 4-H year-end requirements though. That is a relief; I was getting worried. I did however take the time to go to the beach yesterday. The weather here was so beautiful this week. I really wanted to go on Monday- it was supposed to be 79 degrees and sunny! But it just didn't work. I have to say yesterday was perfect. It was about 72 and the sun was shining strong. The kids managed to get wet, even though they were in jeans! We took some friends with us and dug in the sand, walked, looked for shells, played frisbee, and just relaxed. I felt a little guilty knowing that there is so much at home to do, but it is supposed to be a Winter Break and so I broke loose. Last evening the temperature started dropping and about an hour ago the rain started dropping. We are about 18 inches short on rain this year and we are hoping to get 2 inches out of this tonight. It won't make a whole lot of difference, but we will take what we can get. My parents were surprised a few nights ago when I told them that we got a salad out of the garden. It has been so warm here, but we really should get some more salad if this rain comes through. I had my first shopping trip this week with real coupons. I guess I did well, but it was more than I had really wanted to spend. I had to tell myself that you can't really shop by the week, but have to look ahead. I was able to get some things for 4-H co-op lunches in the spring, and some sodas for #2's birthday. I got some Betty Crocker brownie mixes for 20 cents each and Cheerios for 50 cents. When I got back from the beach I found out hubby had sold one of the goats. Millie was our oldest goat and the one that had had the kids the last couple of years. A hispanic family stopped on our porch and were knocking when Hubby came home. He was able to understand the spanish for milk and told them she didn't have any and isn't pregnant, but the spanish for "tie her legs together" was eluding him. My father thinks he should brush up on his spanish in case he needs to preach to someone in spanish. Hubby said he doesn't think "tie her legs together" is going to come up in his preaching! Tomorrow is our 18th wedding anniversary. It has been a good trial period. I think I will keep him.

I was counting my blessings this morning. There are so many I don't know if I can count that high! I was talking with my dad last night and saying how blessed I am to have been raised around people who know how to do things and how to live on less. There are so many people who don't even know how to cook! He agreed that more and more people are not cooking- said with a smile in his voice as Mom brought dinner home! I also am blessed that I didn't have children outside of wedlock. A cousin just had a baby this week with a girl he barely knows. She got pregnant, it would seem, the first night they met. Pregnancy is a wonderful experience that is also full of non-wonderful changes. I can't imagine going through that with a guy you know can't keep it in his pants. Now they have to figure out how to live with each other and with a new baby. There are a lot of strangers in that house right now. I am also blessed that my husband is still here. A friend is moving this week and there is a lot of turmoil involved with closings, builders, inspectors, banks, etc. When life gets stressful for me I always have hubby to help me through it. Somehow we never seem to melt down at the same time, holding the other up. This poor friend is alone. Yes, she has friends and family, but it isn't the same in the middle of the night when you can't sleep. I have filled out a lot of medical paperwork lately and it has made me realize how blessed we are in that realm as well. I don't have prescriptions, my kids are healthy, we haven't had to go to the doctor in quite a while. (Except for Sunday when #2 had unexplainable hives. He is fine now.) Some other friends are looking for work, but are being unsuccessful because of criminal records. They made mistakes in the past that are still haunting them years later. I am very blessed that my stupid mistakes were not illegal blunders. Of course there are blessings of friends, family, hearth and home. But I have a feeling there are other blessing I don't even realize at the time. Thank you God for all of the known and unknown blessings.

We had our annual Progressive Dinner last night with our congregation. The appetizers were at our house. The boys went to stay for the evening with their best friends. How that was a punishment I am not sure, but they thought they were being "sent away." It greatly offended them that it was an adults only event. I guess they never figured that out the other years. Anyway they had pizza, watched movies, and played with friends- wish I could be "sent away" some time! The Dirty Santa gift exchange at the end of the night is always fun. I ended up taking a piggy bank that farts when you put in money. I told you I've been with males too long! I can just see my brother-in-law laughing, though, when I give him that for Christmas. The friends who watched the kids thought it was funny too. Now I am home with #2 who got up this morning not feeling well. He went in the bathroom and yelled, which means he is vomiting. Actually this time he yelled in order to overcome it and NOT vomit. I know the feeling. He is covered in a rash that is spreading, so we will be heading to the Urgent Care at 10:00. Hubby thinks I planned it because I was having trouble waking up this morning. ------------ Hubby tells me I am hard to shop for because I don't care for jewelry or clothes. The fact is I very much like clothes- I wear them every day, for goodness sake! I have told him what I want for Christmas, but he never remembers what I say. (Maybe he just doesn't like what I say I want.) So I wrote my desire on a post-it note the other day and stuck it on my forehead. Then he took it and wrote it on his calendar so he won't forget. I want someone to come and clean the house in March. By then my schedule is so busy I start to get stressed when I can't keep up with the house. Of course, after he wrote it down, I started having guilt spasms about being a stay-at-home mom and needing someone to clean my house...I certainly do struggle with pride.

11:54 p.m. I woke to hear the bleating of our goat, Darkie. She was obviously upset, and I went to see if there was a goat thief or coyote or something bothering her. No, she is just hankering for a man. She was at it again at 6:30 this morning. I guess she will get her second chance soon. -------- When we had our boys about 10 years ago, a lot of friends were also having boys. When we would attend different churches around the country I would notice their classes were filled with boys. I once remarked on it to an older woman and she replied that it is a sign of coming war. Sure enough we went to war. But this whole thing of being with guys so much of the time could give me a complex. I counted 13 people in my home yesterday, and only 3 of them were women- myself included. Women of the World, please forgive me if I start to saunter when I walk and speak while belching. I may even start to punch you in the arm when we meet, but it is all a sign of the company I keep and not disdain for the feminine. ----------- My friend was over yesterday to help with the coupon and smart shopping lesson. It appears that CVS is actually a good place to shop. Who would have thought? Anyway, I am now part of a coupon shopping group, and am hoping to reduce our bill by $100 a month. We'll see how it goes.

The boys finished art class at the university this week. They always have an art show of what they did all semester. We were disappointed to hear that our favorite professor will be taking a semester off this spring. I am sure we will continue to take art, but this lady was good with the kids. #2 actually took 2 classes this fall, so we had 2 shows to go to this week. Then yesterday we went through all of the art projects from the last couple of years and decided which ones really need to be kept. I will be heading to the recycling center this afternoon. ----------- Last night we were discussing "religionism." That is religion that you become addicted to. For instance, some people must be given communion by a priest before they can go back to work on Monday. I tried to think of how this affects me. The only thing I came up with is silly. I know it isn't true and yet I still have trouble with this. Soon after I was married, I wrecked our car. I had just stopped singing Christian music and was singing a secular song. I felt like if I had kept my mind on Christ, then I would have been protected from the wreck. Even to this day, I sing secular songs in the car only when I am very alert. Crazy, but true.

Yesterday was interesting. My husband told me on Monday that he would really like to have a date with me this week. I guess he is missing me; how sweet. Well the only time that worked was yesterday morning. So I arranged for a friend to keep the kids for the morning. He told me he didn't care what we did on our date, that he just wanted to be with me. So we went to Cracker Barrel for breakfast. Then we went to Sam's to fix a flat tire, to Target to buy a can opener and some birthday gifts, to Globe Hardware for Christmas gifts, and then home so I could get ready for the 4-H meeting. Hubby said he had a nice time. He must have been desperate for a date! ----------- #1 was running for President at 4-H yesterday. He had to have a campaign speech, and he did a good job explaining why the kids should vote for him. He has been to all but 2 meetings in the last 3 years, he has been to every County Council meeting this year, he knows his leaders, etc. He was unopposed at first and then another kid decided to run. His speech was not prepared and so not nearly as good. The other kid won. Now, this is coming from other parents- not the parent of #1- it seems that one of the kids in the club incited the others to vote against #1. This kid has a problem with my boy that mostly has to do with a girl, jealousy, and too much testosterone. After it was over the kid that won said he really didn't want to be President and declined to accept the election. I was very proud of how #1 dealt with it all. He was obviously disappointed not to win, but he didn't say or do anything bad. He didn't cry or pout. Then when he won, he felt badly for the friend who was taken out by his mother and reprimanded. When I questioned #1 about it, he said he will just have to work hard to prove to those who didn't vote for him that he is the right man for the job. Very grown up in my opinion. ----------- The dog was on the couch this morning. She needs to die soon.

The Scrooge Family has the tree up and some decorations on the mantles. Just thought everyone would want to know. The boys put up the decorations on Saturday. #2 didn't feel the need to have them up since we will be gone for Christmas- my sentiments exactly! But #1 wanted to get them out. The truth be known, he didn't care about the decorations, he just wanted to get the Christmas movies out. -------- I kept track of everything we spent in 2007 and added and averaged on Saturday, and found out we did pretty well. I had thought we would need to start using the envelope system and watch more carefully, even start cutting our spending. But actually we did ok. We spent more fixing the house and not much at all on savings or retirement, but the equity in the house is probably a good idea. I did come to the conclusion, though, that some things could be cut. We will be eating out less, and a friend is coming this week to help me learn how to take advantage of grocery coupons. However, one of the biggest problems has been the animals. They really are a liability right now. So we will be getting rid of the rabbits and 2 of the goats. One of the goats is getting a second chance to produce a kid, but if she can't then she is out of here. I am in the market for a good dairy goat though. It would save us a lot of gas money to be able to milk our own instead of driving to the farm for fresh cow's milk. As far as the chickens go...they are being saved because they do occasionally offer me an egg, and because we are getting a butchered hog for Christmas and I won't have room in the freezer for the chickens too. So the hog's death is saving their life. --------- Speaking of the chickens...There is one that I have to put in the coop every night. She really likes to hang out in the manger. Last night I picked her up to put her away as usual, and she started purring! I thought for sure she couldn't be, but I looked it up and YES chickens do purr! She has become a sort of pet after all of the picking up at evening, so I guess she finally felt like showing me some love. She pushed against my chest, held my hand, and put her head against my shoulder in the crook of my neck. Who says chickens are mean?

We went to the Morehead Planetarium on Thursday. It is on the UNC-Chapel Hill campus. We actually had to drive up a hill to get there! Boy, I haven't had to drive up a hill for a long time. I took 6 kids in my van, and that was interesting. The conversation of homeschoolers is different than most kids. They had talks about new laws that are being considered, about democrats and republicans, and about their campaign speeches for the upcoming 4-H elections. Of course there was the normal talk too about super heroes and Garfield. It was a good day, and the boys liked the ending of it. We were on our way to pick up a pizza as we pulled back into town, and they thanked me for a good trip. I asked if it was a good last day of school. They were stunned and greatly pleased; they were supposed to have had school on Friday and then be done. They have enough days in and I didn't want to start a new section in anything, so we are now on Winter Break. Yee Haw! We will be hosting the appetizers portion of our church's progressive dinner next week. I signed us up for it, but somehow it never entered my brain that that means I need to decorate the house for Christmas. Hubby reminded me; he's so sweet. So I think this afternoon the boys will be putting up the tree and other decorations. I guess it is ok since it is now December. We have watched a few Christmas specials on ABC already. My shopping is done and the boys have just a few more things to get, so let the season begin! ---------- I have often complained about having to go back to WV for Christmas. I really would like to have our family open gifts from Santa on Christmas morning under our own tree. I remember my Christmases as a child so fondly and I want that for my kids. Hubby has tried to tell me that the kids have a different tradition and that it is ok. They LOVE going to the grandparents for the holidays: being with family and all of the excitement. Well, I finally have gratefully accepted that as our tradition. The other day a friend was saying that they will be staying home for Christmas this year. It is their turn to go to her mother's house, and the mother doesn't really care if they come or not. She said she would rather they visit in the summer when the weather is nicer and there is less stress. My friend said that is the advantage of coming from a family that isn't loving and closely knit. There are no expectations to see each other or to have to be cheerful. I was surprised that there is an advantage. I decided I don't ever want my kids to think they came from an unloving family, and if it means going to someone else's house and having a great time, then that is what we will happily do. -------------- #2 receives a subscription to Ranger Rick. The subscription is about to run out and he has been getting concerned about whether or not he will get another one. He told me the other day, "Mom, PLEASE! You have got to get me another subscription. I was reading this story and they left me on a coat hanger. They won't end the story until next month!" "That's a CLIFF hanger dear."

Most of you know I hang laundry on the line to dry. There are several main reasons that I do this: 1. To use less electricity, thus helping the environment. 2. I love the smell of the fresh laundry when I bring it in. 3. It saves money. 4. It gives me a chance during the day to be outside. I often look around at how the landscape is changing. There is a barn in the field next to us that is hidden by trees and at this time of year it reminds me of home. The leaves change colors and with the sun shining through them it looks so much like Nestor's back home. Then there are the goats and chickens to watch, and Kelly and Leo give me some entertainment as well. About a week ago I was hanging laundry and looked up to see a bald eagle about 20 feet above me! There were 4 of them flying around the water tower. They came back several times over the next few days. It was really great. So I guess I would add #5. Enjoying the wildlife. However, as I was ironing shirts today and stuck my hand up the sleeve of hubby's shirt, I no longer enjoyed the wildlife. There was a bee in the sleeve from hanging on the line yesterday. It got my pinkie finger and really hurt. That doesn't happen when you use the dryer! ------------- I have been trying to think of ways we can save gasoline and tried an experiment yesterday. I wrote down all of the places I needed to go, and since it was a day that included picking up or dropping off children 3 times in one afternoon, I tried to accomplish all of my errands in one afternoon. I thought that way I wouldn't have to go out the next day except the one time to pick up children. So much for that experiment! Hubby had to have his car inspected so it was run to the shop this morning to leave the car and then run back this afternoon to pick it up, plus picking up children. I did try. Perhaps the carbon police will let me slide this once.

Cassie, Neener neener neener! I have begun the Christmas calendar. Just had to throw that in there. I have a tradition of making a calendar for our parents every Christmas. I think this is the 9th year I will do it. I make a scrapbook page for each week of the year. It is fun to look through and see what we did that year and how much the kids have changed. It is also sad to look back and see this is the year that Grandma was gone for the whole year. Anyway, I spent way too much at WalGreens this morning getting pictures printed. I really get frustrated with the digital camera. I know it saves in film, and it's great to have the pictures stored on the computer, BUT it seems I don't ever print them until Christmas and then WHAM! ------------------- So how do you talk to an unbeliever about prayer? Mostly, people think of prayer as asking God for something--health, safety, a home, children. Certainly to speak to an unbeliever the discussion would start there. You aren't going to start by talking about "listening" to God or they may call the "Looney Wagon." But how do you come to terms with the family that prays for a child and never receives one, while others never ask and all they do is multiply like rabbits? Or when one family loses a mother to cancer and another is miraculously healed? I don't have a good answer, but I am leaning toward a parental answer. My children ask me for things that sometimes I grant. I may allow them to do something or I may buy something for them just because I am in a good mood and want to see them happy. But there are sometimes that I say no. Often they understand the reason I give for the negative response, but sometimes it is just a simple, "I am your mother and you will just have to trust that I know best." That answer from God is hardest because I don't actually hear Him say, "I am your Father and you will just have to trust that I know best." He doesn't often give me reasons for negative answers, but if I wait long enough I usually figure the reasons out. I guess the greatest part about praying to my Father is that He doesn't get tired of my constant questioning and begging. If the boys were to pester me so much I know I would huff and puff and blow them down. Thank God that He is a better parent than I. Now that is a good prayer!

We took the family on an outing yesterday. We have been wanting to go to Ocracoke for quite a while and everyone's schedule finally allowed it. We drove to a ferry and rode 2.5 hours to the island. It was a very windy day and the ferry was really rocking. We ate a snack, played yahtzee, looked around, had lunch, and watched dolphins off the ship. Finally we arrived and took off to see the island. I really think we would have enjoyed it more without the biting wind in our faces, but it was still a lot of fun. We found shells, a bat, the skeleton of a stingray, and several shells of horseshoe crabs. There is a British cemetary that has 4 sailors bodies. They were patrolling off the Outer Banks during WW2 when a German U-boat torpedoed them. It was amazing to read how often that happened. I hadn't heard about that before. We also took a different ferry over to Hatteras Island. We were looking at lighthouses for hubby to photograph. He got the one on Ocracoke, the Hatteras lighthouse, and then also the Bodie lighthouse at night. I hope those come out- the full moon was behind it- neat. We ended by eating at Big Al's in Manteo and the boys picked a song on the Jukebox. -------- Today we headed over to a stock auction to see how birds are selling. The prices were about the same I get here at the house, plus you have to pay the barn. So I think the best way for me to sell ducks will just be to put a sign in the yard. If worse comes to worse, I could try to sell them there in a large group. I will go back a few more times to see if maybe today was a bad day. I was also looking for a Nubian goat to buy for milk, but they didn't have any. There is a guy staying with us for a few weeks, though, and his wife's grandfather raises Nubians a couple of hours from here. So maybe I will find one that way. I bought milk at the store today and nearly fell over when I saw the price. I have been getting milk from a farmer but I have to drive so far for it that I didn't this time. I have decided the price is right, even with the drive, since I can't drink store milk without getting sick.

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. We live not too far from the original site of Thanksgiving, and we hope to visit it within the next year. The thought of being so close has made me think about what the original must have been like, and just what exactly I am thankful for. I am thankful that I do not have to cook for that many people. I am thankful for what I am cooking that I have an electric stove, indoor heat, a grocery store, good pots, pans, and bakeware. I am thankful that I have indoor plumbing and do not have to travel to get my water. I am thankful that my family is all alive and healthy, and that with a quick push of some buttons I can talk to all of the family that is still far away. I am thankful that should someone become sick, they will likely recover, that we do not fear for our lives, that no one is starving. I am thankful that we will gather with friends who have these same blessings. Mostly, today at least, I am thankful that my country still takes time to be thankful. May we all see our great abundance and give thanks to God.

The Great Confusion is ocurring on the north side of our house. We live next to a water tower and main water line. The area here is growing like gang busters, so they are doing work on the water lines. The problem is they have been working on it all year, ok, at least since early summer. The workers are out here at least once a week digging up the area, burying something, and then coming back to dig it up again. They come with big equipment, generators, and lots of men. I have come to call it "The Great Confusion" since they don't seem to know what is going on. Perhaps (hopefully) it is only I who am confused. ------------ I had high hopes that our insurance rates were going to go down soon. A university within our religious movement worked out a national group plan with Blue Cross/Blue Shield. But for the options available to us, it will be about $1,000 a month. Our current deductible is much larger, but the monthly premium is about half that. Certainly the coverage they are offering is better, but we can't afford 12,000 for insurance a year. This is a topic I will be watching closely in the election year ahead. I live in a country with the best medical knowledge and services in the world, but I don't get to use any of them. They are reserved for the rich. Yes, if something extreme happened, we would be offered care, but at a price that would make us wish it weren't available. That isn't much of a choice.

The in-laws just left, the dishwasher is running, the laundry is started, and I need a shower. There is no school today for us, and we are all loving it. I get the "extra" kids at noon, 4-H this afternoon, and #2's art class. I am trying not to focus on all of that, and just enjoy the slow morning. We saw Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium last night after dinner at, where else?, Golden Corral! The movie was great, rated G, yet deep and lovely. Not an ounce of ugliness or impurity, just plain wonderful. The idea that you can only see life as magical if you believe it to be magical is one to never forget. Now if I just had a magical nose to twitch this work done.

Saturday was busy, but great. #1 had soccer playoffs that whole day. They do it all at once to get it over with, but for those with more than one child playing it must be sheer torture! Anyway, our inexperienced team won the championship!!! He was happy, but really was so tired that there wasn't as much celebrating as I thought there might be. We told the boys we were going out for dinner to celebrate, but didn't tell them that their grandparents would be meeting us at the restaurant. It was the perfect ending to a great day. So the in-laws got here Saturday evening, and are staying until tomorrow. Hubby and I got a date last night and went to see Beowulf. I liked it; he did not so much. It was intense, which is unusual for me to like, but the story is good. And the special effects are amazing. The way the artists thought of every detail and animated it is just remarkable. Today we went to a little town nearby to get some fresh seafood to cook at home. Then we walked around looking at the boats and wildlife. It was a gorgeous morning, leaves changing, sun shining, cool breeze. Just like fall should be. This evening we are all going to see Mr. Magorium's Wonder Emporium. There is no school this week for us, and we are all enjoying the break.

The Iraq War is a big issue today, in this age. Yesterday the 3 year old told my boys that we started Iraq. They were confused thinking he meant we started the country. It was something his father had told him, and he was just repeating what he had heard. But the issue is so big now that you don't even have to add the word WAR to it. The issue is hard to discuss without strong words and strong feelings pouring forth. I don't have strong words or feelings about the issue. I think I see both sides of it. I do think that Sadam was a threat to the world, many Kurds would agree. I think that oil policies were part of the decision. I think terrorists will continue to attack as long as no one counter-attacks. I do not want to lose my sons in war. I also do not want to tell my sons that it is ok to treat women like dirt, that women and children have no rights, that you should ignore the plight of the poor and helpless. There are some who say that this is a religious war. Others question how God could endorse war. I guess I say there is no answer to those questions. God must surely greive at the behavior of those who attack, and at those who ignore the hurting. I can not pretend to know what God would want from this. I do think, however, that he would like both the war and the ill-treatment of his creation to end- at the same time. That will only happen in the next age.

The conference was nice last night. I learned a couple of new things, and got some free resource books, AND had a nice, free dinner out. There were 4 homeschool teachers there and another registered that didn't make it. I saw statistics recently for NC home schools, and was flabbergasted. There are 68,700+ home school students in NC. It is nice to see us making a good impression on professional teachers and college professors. -------- Yesterday was a good day because I got a lot done in the morning, nothing out of the ordinary happened, and I had the evening to look forward to. Tuesday was not so great. I thought I would take the boys out to get their Book-It free pizzas before picking up #5 and then they could eat that for lunch. #1 went out to wait in the van only to come back in and tell me the doors wouldn't open. I had left the dome light on Monday evening and the battery was DEAD and more than 6 feet under. So Hubby had to come give it a jump and I went straight to pick up #5 and then to SAM"S to get a new battery. So we ate at SAM'S and that threw everything off schedule. Then I picked up #3 and #4 and took the kids to play at a playgroup so I would not have to waste gas going back and forth to town since #2 had art class at 4:30. I was glad to get home. I suppose all of that made me appreciate yesterday even more.

After reading my post yesterday, my husband informed me that he had gone to bed at 11 and the kids hadn't gone until 10:00. I guess the time change is just affecting the old woman of the house! I made it to 8:50 last night. -------- Back to the atheists...A debate that I watched between an atheist and a Christian had the atheist saying that a God who would allow such horrible things as this one evidently has should not be worshipped---pain, hunger, war, disease, and especially the crucifixion of his son. I can see his point. It certainly does sound like a horrible God when looked at that way. The Old Testament God often sounds like something I would not want to worship. But if I had to worship, were given no choice, then that would be a dictatorship of a God. Sometimes dictators work well, but usually they turn into tyrants. I think anyone could see, if they looked honestly at it, that a God who gives free choice is a better one to worship, even if it means he allows bad decisions, like war or destroying the planet and causing hunger. A God who will give his son over to death does seem harsh. But a God who loves me enough to even give his son for me, now that is a God I love to worship. And Death did not hold that son, and both he and the Father knew it couldn't. So how can that be bad? Again a lot of that is taken in faith, and therein lies the difference between an atheist and a Christian. --------- I have been thinking for a while about what I will do after the kids leave home. Recently I wrote that we have had to decide that life is different now than when we were children and I will not be going back to work soon like our mothers did. But at some point I need to make some money. So I started thinking about carpentry or electrical work, then yesterday I saw men working on a house at the community college and realized with the way I have messed up my back this year, that is not an option. So then I had to think about where will I be in the future. The common theme was that there will likely always be a small college nearby and with a Master's Degree I could probably teach at the college as an adjunct faculty. So now I have to decide what I would like to have a Master's in...I do NOT want to teach again in public school or private, but maybe education is an option, or history, or government, or speech and communications, or linguistics, or English Composition, or, or ,or Anyone want to offer an opinion? How in the world do we expect 18 year olds to make this decision? ---------- Along the same vein, I will be attending a conference this evening given by the local university. I have gone the last couple of years and enjoy being a "professional" again. We will be discussing education in the global community.

The time change has greatly affected my family. Night before last I went to bed at 8:00 and last night I barely made it to 9:00. Even my husband has been going to bed earlier and he is a night owl. I do wake up a little early that way, but I enjoy lying in bed and slowly entering the day with time to think and pray. In Texas the time change wasn't such a severe change in our lives because you are so far west, it is like being an hour early anyway. Here we are so far east that the change makes a big difference. I was thinking this morning that we have been here three years now. That has always been the mile-marker for a place to feel like home. 18 months to not be homesick all of the time, and 3 years to feel like it is home. I have to say it did not take that long this time. We love this little town and our home so much. We made friends so quickly and this is such a great place to home school that we really didn't take long at all to fit in. But now the three years are up, and I have to say I do notice now being at home here. I don't feel like I need to go see someone from my past or my family, if we stay here for holidays or weekends, it is just fine. I also know how to get just about anywhere from anywhere and that is a major sign that this is home. Home Sweet Home!

I have been confronted by atheism several times recently, and have come to the conclusion that atheism is very similar to theism. Both believe remarkable things, all in faith- there is no hard "proof" for either argument. To believe that this world and, all that is within it, just happened over time is quite a statement of faith. To say that there is a God who made it all and put it into motion is also quite a faith statement. But considering both of them, I would rather be a theist. An atheist who is confronted by disease, poverty, hunger, war, and death sees no hope and becomes bitter. But a theist who is confronted with the same things, sees a God who wants to welcome him home and gains great comfort. I enjoyed this piece of an article on the subject: "So if we open our minds as Bloom would have us to do- or perhaps, open our eyes- we can see that it is not true that contemporary American individuals are merely civilized animals. They are refusing to do what nature intends them to do, and no other animal is self-conscious enough to do that. And it is not true that they are unmoved by death. They want to avoid death so badly that they have refused to generate their natural replacements. Our individuals seem to know as well as the philosophers that existence is basically biological and that one's death ends all, so they work hard to stay alive as long as possible. But that self-centered work has been very hard on their friends, families, nations, and even their species. Our extreme individualism would raise the spectre of our species' disappearance if it were not for the fact that so many non-individualistic peoples remain on our planet, peoples who have not been remade by the philosophers. Individualistic Europe's likely future is not depopulation but Islamization, which probably won't be good either for philosophy or for Enlightenment." Peter A. Lawler

We had a busy Saturday, yesterday. #1 had a morning soccer game- won 4 to 0- and then we headed to church for a fall cleaning day. We threw away a bunch of junk, and that always makes me feel good. I like to declutter. Then we had a history expo in the late afternoon, and the boys did a presentation on the Renaissance: Leonardo da Vinci. He was a really neat man, so very smart. He designed a submarine, helicopter, airplane, and so much more. Most of his inventions were never made, but one was a lion that he presented to the king. When the king would tap on its nose, lilies would pop out of its chest! This was in the late 1400's!! Of course there was his paintings, too. The reason so many people were naked in the portraits at that time, was that they were just starting to understand anatomy and how muscles work. It wasn't a ludeness as much as an excitement about how the body works. Da Vinci would cut open cadavers to explore the muscle system. He was one of the first anatomists---this word was often written by my boys as atominist. So we had a talk about atomic war and how very different it is from anatomy! ----------- Today we had church and went out for lunch. Now we are home for the day and enjoying it. Tomorrow the boys go to a day camp in the afternoon and hubby and I get to go to lunch together. It is good to have co-op and the history expo done.

#1 received his first college information in the mail this week. He is in 5th grade, so it isn't something I expected. We have talked a lot about college, what he wants to do, where he wants to go, etc. But actually getting something in the mail was a bit of a shock. I figure we have 3 1/2 years before we have to get that serious about it! --------- #1 also had a bit of trouble with his writing this week. He had written what he thought was a finished biography on Leonardo da Vinci. After I checked it, it became apparent to him that he was not finished. The tears started after I had checked off quite a bit. I assured him that that was ok; his friends had been in tears recently for the same reason. My husband had heard the exchange, and at dinner brought it up. He told the boys how he used to write a paper, check it, then hand it to me and I would mark a bunch of stuff on it. Then he would rewrite, give it to his dad and HE would mark stuff. Then he would rewrite, turn it in, and the professor would mark things anyway. The boys wanted to know, "Why is it always HER that marks things?!"

We had a contractor come to give us an idea about what we can do with the attic. The very least is $10,000. He is going to draw up some ideas and give us a few options. But now it comes down to deciding how committed we are to what we have decided. Do we continue to live the way we have because we believe it is best for our family, or do we change our lifestyle, look for a job for me, or something else? It is time to put our money where our mouth is I guess. ---------- The ducks are officially setting now, at least I think they are. I guesstimate the ducklings will hatch around December 11.

A friend is going through misery with her daughter. Not that the girl is terrible- she isn't on drugs or running around with older guys- but she is causing stress by not following the plans her mother has made out for her. She isn't completing her school work and is looking at failing the ninth grade right now. Her mother has such high hopes for her, and the daughter is letting her future fizzle. It reminded me of God saying He knows the plans He has for us, plans to help and not to harm us. And still we let His plans go unfulfilled. We must stress God out, too. ------- The boys are working on a project about the Renaissance. They are learning about THE Renaissance Man, Leonardo da Vinci. So this week I told them they could either paint a portrait or a Biblical scene. They chose the latter, and #1 is painting his favorite Bible scene, Revelation 12 and 13---DRAGONS! He told #2 that he couldn't copy, so #2 had to pick another battle, of course. Anyway, he chose the scene where Elisha sends his servant out only to report back that they are surrounded by the enemy. Elisha asks that his eyes be opened and he sees that they are also surrounded by God's army. So #2 is painting looking through Elisha's eyes. In one eye is reflected what the regular person saw, and in the other eye is the spiritual scene. I was so amazed I didn't have the heart to tell him that that would not be a Renaissance painting. He is in a whole different realm.

A bird flew through my house last week. It was just a little bird. I actually wouldn't have recognized it, except that it visited the week before and told me its name. It said it was an ugly bird and really shouldn't visit, but it had been seen around and thought it would drop in for a bit. Then it showed up the next week, most unwelcome. I told #5 (who is 3 years old) that it was time for his nap and he told me it wasn't. In a stern, but loving voice, I assured him it was time for his nap and he would be taking one. That's when the bird flew into the bathroom. #5 was going through the routine of potty before the nap, and he wasn't happy about the situation, so he invited the bird to visit me. I was of course stunned, and wouldn't have thought a thing about it except that I now knew that he knew what he was doing. Now tell me when it started that a three year old should know this bird. He learned it from school; kids in an older class-- grades 1-3! ---have been inviting the bird to land at school. He saw it and learned how to call the bird to come when he wanted it. I was so glad that my boys are not in school to learn such things. Then they went Trick or Treating and saw a word written on the road. The fathers tried to move them along, but it had caught their attention. Someone had tried to change the word so it wouldn't be so offensive. Now #2 thinks the word is f-g-i-k. It quite confused his friend when he told him he knew the "f word" was fgik. I was STUNNED that he knew there is an "f word." I am pretty sure I was in high school before I heard that there was another word. That one does seem to be the big one. They know damn and hell, but really they hear those at church. So they know there has to be intent in those words. But the others- that they don't know yet. Ugh. I am sure it will make me vomit when I hear my babies start to use those words. And that bird just better stay away or I will get my butchering knife out!

I turned the heat on yesterday. The weather outside was pleasant, but the nights have been cold enough long enough that the house had gotten cold and wasn't warming up. So I did make it one month without ac or heat, but now the bills start again. But the change in weather has reminded me how little sense my children make. #2 spent the whole summer in long pants. He wore shorts maybe 3 times all summer, and always told me how cold he was. Now that the weather has turned cooler, he wears shorts and complains of the heat! Right now both boys are topless in the other room watching some movie on the computer. My husband wants to know why I'm not more like them! ---------- The new month has me thinking that we are so close to break. "Just hang on! It will be here soon!" I plan on taking December off when I make our school schedule. Not that it is really taken off; that is when we finish up all of the 4-H things and catch up on anything that has fallen behind. It is also a time to clean and clear out, and that is what I am looking forward to. The living room has to be repainted because the paint has peeled. The boys finally knocked some of it off the wall, and so it can't be ignored any longer. Teacher workdays mean a whole different thing when you home school!

I read a blog yesterday that was very emotional. The woman writing is going through morning sickness with an unexpected pregnancy, fires in CA were near her house, her parents are divorcing, and she found out her dad had had this friend for a long time. She was angry, frustrated, and tired. She was taking it out on God. She is feeling like she has been in a deceitful relationship with God, because he didn't protect her from these things. I understand her feelings. When everything starts falling in on me, it is hard not to blame God or just to blow him off. But I just can't imagine leaving God. Yes, I yell at him. I tell him I don't think he is doing his job right. I beg. I cry. But I don't leave or push him away. Even in my times of distress, I know deep down that God is in control and will do what is right. Of course even as I write this I wonder if I am jinxing myself to get some trouble and see if I push him away! ----------- The heat isn't on yet. I looked at the weather for the ten day forecast and we may have to give in on Tuesday night. I wasn't home enough yesterday to notice the heat, or lack thereof. I heard it may snow in Maine today. It isn't nearly that cold here!

I finally heard back from my uncle about the ducks. It seems they will lay about 40 eggs before they start to sit, so I should have been collecting eggs to eat for a while now. I don't know how to go about that now, since they have laid so many I have no way of telling which ones are new. Next time I guess. I did look online to see about buying ducklings for eggs instead of chicks. Ducks are just so much nicer than chickens, especially drakes over roosters. If you get to come back in the next life definitely pick a duck over a hen. Our rooster, Ugly, treats the hens like they are a fly and he is the swatter- quick, fast, and hard. Moe, our drake, is so gentle,slow, and easy- much nicer if you are the female, I am sure. Anyway, I digress. I was unable to get Khaki Campbell ducks at this time of year. They are good egg layers and don't get broody. I have to wait until March. They only hatch them March to October. So I was a little late. But this gives me the winter to figure out how I want to go about the change over. Yes, I remember that I recently said ducks are dirtier than chickens, but the nice thing is winning me over. If I can get a couple of pools to put out in the field I think I can overcome the dirty goat water issue. --------- I took the boys and a friend to see a farm today. They are learning about soil conservation in 4-H this year (#2 and his friend), and I have a friend who is a farm consultant. So we went out to see how no-till works and what other techniques farmers have to save the soil. Then we came back and worked on the presentation they have to give about it. Afterward I took them to see the Bee Movie. It was really cute and funny. Now I am back to make cheese and butter. What a day!

Last night was fun; it always is. I think Halloween is my favorite holiday. I love the dress up and candy. Last night the dads took the kids out and the moms stayed at the house and passed out the candy. That was a first. As we sat there talking about this and that, it came up that there is a 23 year old who doesn't know how to cook or do laundry. It reminded me of when we were in campus ministry and the students were clueless. One didn't know how to make orange juice from a can. All you do is read the directions and add 3 cans of water! Then I started thinking about my own kids. Last week I had #1 make brownies from a mix- not something that happens often here. He put the eggs, oil, and water in the bowl, mixed it up, and declared it done. I looked at him like he had lost his mind. He didn't add the mix in the box! So Iguess my kids will go to college knowing how to cook from scratch, but don't expect them to make a mix.