Tell me what you REALLY think!

The Emperor Has NO Clothes!

2011-10-14T00:55:00.000-05:00

My daughter and I were talking about some social/cultural issues that are popular causes amongst many liberal progressives and are very emotionally driven but lack the big-picture "proof" of reality/logic/reasoning.

One of those was slavery, and the virtual slavery women in Islamic countries tend to live in.

A feminist relative of ours who is very tolerant and openminded told her (my daughter) that we should respect Muslim countries culture because they have a "right" to it.

In her usual way... my sweet girl thought about this for a couple weeks before bringing it up with her concerns. She understands that Sharia law demeans women specifically in bizarrely unequal ways and basically enslaves them. If you doubt this is true, think for a minute if "equality" really was prevalent. If things were equal.. MEN would be stoned for driving a car or leaving the house without a related female with them. Men and boys would be denied education and medical care, not just females. If a man dared leave his house without a full veil.. he would be arrested and stone or lashed. If a man was in a car with a woman not his wife... he could be executed by his wife or mother because he brought shame on the family. Are you convinced that Sharia = Enslavement of women yet? Ok then....

The problem with Sharia is that it isn't a religious "choice" that women can really make. If it were her choice, I guarantee she'd change her mind rather than be stoned for leaving the house to get medical care for a dying child. If you can't change your mind about your religion.. then you are a slave to it. The men are also enslaved in some degree to this culture of fear, but obviously less-so than females who are little better off than animals, and in some cases, probably would be much better off as a typical spoiled American house pet.

If my words offend you, it's because you recognize the painful truth that there is a huge elephant in the room, and it's offensively naked. Treating Sharia law with the same "diversity" program that we treat racial or gender equality issues with is just as socially insane as an entire kingdom of people standing around admiring the invisible and non-existent clothing of their Emperor.

We can respect the rights of Muslims everywhere to practice their faith and believe what they want without denying basic human rights and dignity to women unfortunate enough to live in Sharia controlled fiefs.

If slavery destroys every culture that tolerates it.. I wonder what Sharia does to "free" Democratic nations that, in a misguided attempt at showing tolerance, treat it as a "choice". Since when do slaves get to make choices? Under Sharia.. women and girls don't have the right to choose NOT to live under Sharia law.. that makes them a slave by any definition of the word.

Sharia.. It's not religious freedom people.. it's oppressive and regressive dictatorial system of government that systematically denies people the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness... it denies that all people are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights. Among these rights is the right to be free from stoning because you wanted to feel the sun and wind on your face.

Happiness is NOT relative

2010-10-26T20:51:00.002-05:00

You know you are happy when you are happy. It's not something that is relative. Joy either is.. or isn't.

The secret to happiness though, (as simplistic as it sounds, it IS true), is all in your attitude. Either you are grateful/thankful, or you are bitter and resentful or jealous or unthankful.

Being thankful for what you DO have really does make what you don't have seem less of a loss.

Try it! Be thankful!

CVS Rocks!

2009-07-29T00:03:00.005-05:00

CVS ROCKS!

I've been doing the CVS Extra Care Buck deals for awhile, but I REALLY love how all of the stores around me have gotten on board recently with people who are there "doing the deals".

A couple years ago, couponers were frowned upon, often treated rudely and one time, I had a manager stalk me in a Walgreens, remove items from my cart because apparently getting them for free when using a coupon struck him as something that should be illegal.
Never mind that the manufacturer was paying Walgreens to have the special advertised price AND were reimbursing them face value plus $.08 per coupon(all from the Sunday paper)... little Hitler didn't like couponers(he told me so), and unfortunately.. he wasn't the only one back then. While little Hitler still reigns supreme in his unloved by me Walgreen store.. the CVS stores have surrounded him and are universally loved by me.

I often drive by that pitiful little store and pray that they would "get what they deserve".
Speaking of Walgreens and why I don't love them... when I called the corporate office to report the coupon Hitler's harassment (seriously, it'd take another post to detail the painfully WRONG way I was treated there), the corporate office was also rude to me and suggested that people who want to get things for free are scarcely removed from a criminal who steals. Imagine! ME! Needless to say.. I've never been back.

CVS has always been nice, even when they were cracking down on coupon use, they've always been respectful and friendly.

Nowadays though.. WHO HOO!!! CVS loves me and I love them back.

This weeks Sunday-Tuesday deals were pretty good, I got a big bag of free school supplies, a great deal on some printer paper and some Aussie hair stuff.. and some super cute photo cards off the clearance shelf, not counting things like milk etc..

Check out moneysavingmom.com and hotcouponworld.com for great tips and deals from CVS. Go to CVS.com and sign up for emails with printable coupons, your loyalty card at CVS is probably the best loyalty card out there.

Go CVS!

More Frugal Fun!

2008-04-21T18:37:00.002-05:00

I've been couponing since mid-February, again. It's been nearly ten years since I've packed up the old coupon file and headed to a store that doubles coupons, but I was ready to save some BIG money. Husband and I came up with a new budget and the most obvious area to cut back on (after eating out) was groceries. It's no surprise to me that we spend too much money on food, but I've been surprised at how much I've saved.

Here are the top 10 things I'm doing to save money on grocery and household/personal supplies.

1. Getting coupons. I find them in the Sunday paper inserts (buying multiple papers for 1.00 @ local Dollar Tree.. because I'm too cheap to pay full price even for a paper), I find them online at company websites, I find them at smartsource.com and other coupon websites, and most importantly, I find links to ones I can use at www.hotcouponworld.com.

2. Going to CVS and doing their Extra Buck promotions to get things like shampoo/conditioner/razors/soap/toothbrushes/paste/cleaning supplies/diapers/wipes/personal care etc.. for FREE or for around 80% less than at Walmart. This is COOL! Check out the CVS forum @ hotcouponworld.com to see for yourself... or moneysavingmom.com

3. Paying attention to the flyers for other stores beside my favorites. If I know I'll be near one and they have a deal worth doing, I add it to my trip list. Most deals aren't worth extra gas, but if I'll be driving by anyway... :D

4. Letting people know I'm couponing. I've gotten lots of tips, advice and help, PLUS free coupons.

5. Stocking up more intensely on things we use when they are cheap. For example, I used to buy 2 1/2 gallons of the organic milk when I found it marked down, now I buy ALL they have and freeze it. Also.. I have enough personal care stuff to last us 2 months, mostly stuff I bought for free(is that even possible? to buy something for free?) at CVS.

6. Checking www.moneysavingmom.com's website for her speed linking of deals to coupons available. www.hotcouponworld.com also has speed linking on some of their forums.

7. Eating what we have. Simplistic, but profound. If I stock what's cheap and we eat what we have.... true savings will result!
Our average cost for a nice homecooked dinner has come down to $5.00 to feed 7 people, plus leftovers for at least 2 lunches. It used to be $14.00 for the same dinner, and prices have gone UP on average, not down since I've begun my savings rally.

8. Rationing things. My son who eats four yoghurts a day now eats two (and gets his dairy and protein from milk and pistachios.. still cheaper than his fav brand Yoplait).

9. Taking snacks, packing sandwiches etc.. for our errand days. Including a Pepsi for me, since if I get the urge for one, it's a lot cheaper to pull it out of the cooler for .30 a pop (like the pun?) than to spend $1.49 at a drive-thru.

10. PAYING ATTENTION in grocery stores. I've found spending an extra 15min actually looking around me per trip has resulted in about 20$ per week in savings because of unadvertised deals or catching freebies via coupons that I would have otherwise missed.

I love gardening!

2007-04-24T01:02:00.000-05:00

This time of year just thrills me! I love getting out and puttering around the garden beds. Planting onions, potatoes, tomatoes, peppers, peas, beans, carrots, lettuce, spinach, garlic, and more. Tending the flower beds, dividing especially is my favorite thing to do. All the little baby plants or bulbs ready to go out into the world and do something wonderful.

Just this week, I've divided up some peonies, iris, blackeyed susan, and a succulent groud cover that immigrated on some plants last year and has done a great job of keep the weeds out. Put them all up by our mailbox where the bare patch used to be.

Now, I've still loads of work to do, but somehow, unlike household chores that overwhelm me and instigate burnout.. gardening overload just stimulates me and revs me up. I'm never more positive and optimistic than when my knees are in the soil and my fingers caked with black hummus. I wrote on my other blog, ramblingrose.blog-city.com that the most important ingredient of gardening is hope. Everything else is subject to that one rule. One must have hope!

The really beautiful thing about gardening.. is that just as one can choose to believe in God and choose to accept the miracle of salvation via Jesus Christ and His perfect plan (see Acts 2:38), one can choose to have hope that the little seed planted today will grow into a mighty and glorious plant bearing blossom and fruit. Faith is the substance of things hoped for, and the evidence of things not seen. To me.. that verse is talking about life. And if gardening isn't about anything else.. it's about LIFE.

The first profession was that of gardener. Adam and Eve.. they tended the gardens that God Almighty had planted and designed. We are surely created in His image, and it's that awesome connectedness to creation and our ability to interact and affect creation that moves me so when I work in the garden.

Some people think that farmers/gardeners were despised because God shunned Cain's offering. Not so. Cain brought the wrong thing, it was his rebellious attitude that marked his offering, not his career.

Everyone ought to have living plants around them. All it takes is a scoop of soil, a container (with holes for drainage, or lined with gravel), and either a plant or a seed. Water when surface is dry, feed occasionally with leftover tea or a bit of fresh soil, and give it access to the sun. Before you know it, something wonderful is happening.. Life! Hope! Joy!

Sometimes you just need to take a break

2007-04-19T21:49:00.000-05:00

I'm coming back to the blog(s) after breaking for six months. Long enough (you would think) to have lost my rankings and most of my readers.. (you would think wrong.. for some reason my readers have gone up ditto rankings).

What can I say? I needed a break. My baby is bigger and more independent, we are over the winter blah's, and I'm feeling, once again, the call of the keyboard and the need to shape my words into something more lasting than thoughts.

I've read before that books change peoples lives, but blogs change peoples minutes. If that is true, then I may never write anything that will change someone's life, but it is my sincere desire to change your minutes.

Here's your thought for this minute...

Steadfast Simplicity.

It came to me about two hours ago in the van. I was pondering the complexities of my life and the surprise contrasts (how many Apostolic Pentecostal homeschool mothers of five children do you know who love the concept of permaculture and wants to be an urban permaculturalist?.. thought so). Out of the blue, I got those two words. Steadfast simplicity.

That's what I want for my life. Stability, steadfastness, strong foundational beliefs and lifestyle. Simplicity of logic, approach to life, everything really.

I see no need to practice the religion of consumerism. I feel no draw to participate in the culture of the cloned. I am not tempted to play weak logic games that justify selfishness and enables irresponsibility.

in fact, I like things to be simple. There is an elegance and beauty in simplicity. If you look at the most beautiful designer clothes, they are the ones with the simple lines, where the lack of adornment is all the adornment necessary. That's how I want to live. A life of such elegant and concise simplicity that it's beautiful.

I've got a long way to go. Many things clutter my world. Still, in the clearness of a few moments alone with my thoughts, I had a beautiful thought. I want steadfast simplicity in my life!

Michael's Hobby Store

2006-09-18T22:16:00.000-05:00

I went into Michaels the other day for a spool of thing white grograin ribbon. They didn't have any.. but that didn't stop me from browsing around and finding some irresistable ribbon in the dollar bin.

I needed the grograin for baby's pacifier clip. The satin kind gets dingy looking really quickly, and if we don't use the pacifier clip.. the pacifier gets dingy really quickly too!

While there, I found a super-duper calendar for 2007. It was only 1$, and is called a "family calendar". The spaces for names (Mom, Dad, kids etc), I'm going to use for homeschool subjects, and leave one for family happenings. This will be such a time saver, and is so simple, that I won't get "sidetracked" like I usually do when trying a planner. It's just a normal calendar, and I love it.

Free Stuff

2006-09-01T12:18:00.000-05:00

I'm a "BzzAgent" on my "Bzzagent.com" site

The gist of being a bzzagent, is that I get samples of things to try and share.. and they get feedback. I've gotten some great stuff to try.. Hershey's Take5's for example.

However.. my current crop of cool things are websites.

Audible.com has the world's largest selection of digital audiobooks and spokenword entertainment... AND.. since they give me free stuff to share... I can pass on the code to get 1 free audiobook with a trial membership (no obligation).
So.. for those of you who might be interested... here it is.... my "1 Free Download" site of just go to www.audible.com/bzz.

Also.. I have a free shipping from Smart Bargains.com. SmartBargains is like a mega online mall with all brandname stuff on sale every day. Click here my "Free Shipping" site or go to www.smartbargains.com/bzz.

I wish I could share my favorite recent bzzproject, for Aquapod, with you. My children absolutely loved these. Unfortunately.. digital samples of cute bottled waters are still unavailable to the general public....

Sign up yourself to bzzagent if you want.. lots of neat latest and greatest stuff. my "Bzzagent" site

I won't get anything if you sign up or use any of these.. it's just something I though one or two of my four readers might enjoy! ;-D

Legal Loophole Mastermind

2006-09-01T09:52:00.000-05:00

I used to work in fraud detection. This is probably my first mention of that seedy little tidbit from my past.. but it's true.
My research skills were honed on that job.. and I'm still grateful for the things I learned about identity protection. I also learned more about people than you would think.. considering I sat at a computer desk letting my fingers do the walking all day.

Working in such rarefied atmosphere exposed me to what might be the most elegant and ambitious use of legal loopholes I've ever seen.

Here's the story.

My bank issued credit cards. If you made purchases and paid it off (15 day grace period) each month.. no interest, no fees. Also.. your credit report got a boost from each month of paid off credit use. If.. however.. you used it for cash advance.. there was no grace period, and interest accrued from day one.. also.. it was a small strike against your report.

This guy (my Loophole Hero)had taken a trip overseas about two years before we "caught" him.. and like many travelers.. he'd purchased his traveler's checks with his Mastercard. When he got his bill... the savvy mastermind realized that the Traveler's checks were billed as a PURCHASE... not a cash advance. He saw the opening.. and dove through it.
For two years.. he maxed out two high limit credit cards each month with traveler's check purchases that he coverted to cash and invested in short-term guaranteed returns, and then paid them off each month. One card had a due date of the 15th.. the other of the 30th. By rotating card use.. he was able to keep them paid off each month and never pay a dime of interest. What he DID with those free loans is even more interesting... He was earning 3.5% interest on money that didn't belong to him.. and getting an incredible credit card score in the process.

I still remember how my boss frothed at the mouth over that. You'd think he had robbed her personally.. when in fact.. there was absolutely NOTHING wrong with his scheme. He broke no laws.. didn't even stretch his credit use agreement.
However.. and it still saddens me to think about it (because anybody with that much gumption should be rewarded).. we canceled all his cards and gave him a fraud flag on his report. A fraud flag means.. at the very least.. that somebody is watching all the time(very frequent usage reviews). At the worst.. it means you can't get credit.

I still feel sorry for the man. Just because he figured out a way to beat the system.. he got nailed with a fraud flag.. and probably won't ever know why.

Want to try your hand at it? As far as I know.. the only catch is finding a card that charges Traveler's Checks as purchases.. not cash advances, but be sure to read the fine print just to be on the safe side. Look here for a no-fee one lowermybills

False Economy

2006-09-01T07:42:00.000-05:00

I'm still on the "be frugal" bandwagon over at my "Get Out Of Debt" site .. but increasingly.. the ideas I've come across are silly at best, logically ridiculous at worst.

Here are a few that didn't make the cut:

1. Newspaper subscription solely to get coupons. Wow. We haven't had a subscription since my daughter began to read, and even then.. it was something like $25.00 a month for the paper. When I do coupons.. I usually only save $20 or so a week on groceries, unless I happen to get a double bundle of coupons in that paper. So.. kill a tree, spend money, for the priviledge of losing money(not to mention that I feel obligated to use those coupons, which translates into more trips to the grocery).
*Here's a better idea. If you do coupons.. go to Ebay, Phoenix Freebies or your local Grocery store recycling bin for paper. You can "buy" coupons (illegal to buy/sell them.. you are usually paying for the time and effort) that are exactly what you want for pennies(saving you time, money and hassle). A good friend of mine gets 5-10 papers a week from Kroger's paper recycling bin for free.. and she saves a ton, and has enough duplicates to take advantage of combining a coupon with sales. No need to get a newspaper subscription. That's what the internet is here for.

2. Gardening as a way to save money. If you get lucky.. you might. Most people don't though. The "necessary" supplies really add up, and my "hobby" usually costs us about $200.00 a year. We might save $80.00 by not buying peppers.... hardly frugal.

3. Buying clearance clothes that require dry cleaning. Always figure out the potential care costs before buying something. That includes your time too... something that will be ironing intensive probably won't get used much.. so save your money and invest in more practical choices.

4. Getting a job.
Probably not intuitive.. but when I figure how much I can earn versus my costs (fuel, wear and tear on my van, spending $, childcare, clothes), we'd have a negative balance, and that's before figuring out how much "value" I can add by staying home. Thinking about breastfeeding versus formula... my 6m old sun went through $50.00 of formula a WEEK.. that adds up fast, and if I worked.. I'd have to supplement (pumping doesn't work out for me).
Doing in-home childcare is just as bad. Getting paid peanuts to expose my children to germs, our family to liability, and reduce our ability to be spontaneous (park on sunny day etc) just isn't worth it. The only job that I might be able to afford. would be something like selling on ebay, or my stock trading hobby (needs more time than I have right now!). Always factor in the costs.
Changing jobs to get more pay but less benefits. At risk of being repetitive.. ALWAYS count the costs!

Trivia

2006-09-01T07:28:00.000-05:00

For "Lone Ranger" fans.. Kemo Sabe means "soggy shrub".

Lee Harvey Oswald's cadaver tag auctioned for $6,600.00 in 1992. Imagine what ebay could do with it now!

Chocolate helps counteract depression. Well, that explains a ton! (pun intended!)

It's Cheaper to Homeschool than Public School

2006-08-19T15:58:00.000-05:00

News Flash! Homeschool - The Frugal Choice!

Parents concerned about the cost of homeschooling their children should compare costs. According to thisarticle.. most parents will spend $527.08 on school supplies to send their children to school.

I spend less than that.. and so does every other homeschooling parent I know.

Here's a breakdown of our costs:

$435.00 Deluxe My Father's World package for second/third/fourth grade. (it covers history, science, literature, writing.. basically everything except penmanship, spelling and arithmetic).

$50.00 for "classroom" type supplies and teaching tools, anatomical charts, maps, paper for arts and crafts and a "real" painting kit (acrylics, with "real" brushes and paper.. it's not a kiddy craft thing).

$3.00 for plain pencils

$15.00 for a good electric pencil sharpener (our big "luxury" item!).

$50.00 (rounded up) for supplemental curriculum from Abeka, Rod and Staff, and a "home economics" primer.

Last year.. I spent about $30.00 on clearance or "back to school" things like crayons etc.. and STILL have two large totes full of arts and craft supplies.. so I'll count that $30.00 towards this year too.

My son's (1st and K4) are using hand-me-down curriculum from my DD, and all I needed to buy was new writing tablets, erasers and pencils (already covered above).

That's $583.00. I'll add an estimated $50.00 in extra printing costs (paper, toner) and that brings us to
$ 633.00 for educating my three oldest children for the year. Not bad.

Aside from curriculum, supplies and teaching tools... (as it's obvious we've saved money already).. here's the other ways homeschooling saves us money.

1. Lunches. We wouldn't qualify for "free lunch" programs, so I'd either pack a lunch, or send money... either way, it costs at least $1.50 per "bag lunch" or to buy... so that'd be $270.00 per full time student ($540.00 for both). At home.. we eat simpler, lots of leftovers, and my average cost to feed all of us (me and the four eaters) for lunch is $2.50. Figuring that my DD8 and DS6 eat nearly as much as I do.. that's a savings of $360.00 just for lunch.

2. School clothes. We are blessed to get lots of hand-me-downs, and I usually only buy two "nice" day outfits a season per child. Because the hand-me-downs wouldn't work really well for school(either too bummy, or too "churchy"), I'd have to buy lots more clothes. That'd be for three children.. since my two boys are wearing the same size (6). Figure a minimum of $15.00 per outfit X 2 children x 8 days worth plus $15.00 X 1 X 3 days (preK), and that's ANOTHER $360.00 that I don't spend thanks to homeschooling.

3. Fuel. Assuming we allowed our children to go on the bus (a false assumption btw).. I'd still have to take my 4yo to preschool and pick him up every day. If he went three days a week, I'd use a gallon of gas every day just to get him there. So.. that'd be around $324.00 in extra fuel costs. If they went to private school (much more likely).. it'd be a total of $1040.00 just in fuel costs.

4. Birthday parties/teachers gifts/etc. I'm just taking a wild guess.. but if they went to three parties each per school year (this would be extra.. since we don't "know" these kids already).. and we spent just $7.00 per gift, plus a gallon of fuel $3.00 per party.. per child.. that's $90.00 (a low figure, according to my SIL), and if we gave three teachers gifts per child at Christmas.. that be another $50.00 at least. so.. $140.00.. which is a low estimate.

So far, what do we have?
Lunch-----$360.00
School Clothes------ $360.00
Fuel---------$324.00 (a very unlikely minimum.. but assuming our children rode the bus)
Birthday/extra holiday $140.00
For a total of.........$1194.00

That $1194.00 is BEFORE the "average" outlay of $527.08 per student. So.. if we did that.. it'd cost us a total of $2775.24 just for the priviledge of letting the NEA get ahold of my children's minds. (oh... did I mention their latest resolution to teach INCEST in schools???? oh, yeah.. I'm SO interested in my kids learning that kind of stuff as alternative lifestyles... ick.)

IF... on the other hand(and much more likely if we didn't homeschool).. my children went to our "inexpensive" but very well ranked Christian school (they are in the 90th percentile nation wide of all students consistently)... it'd cost us much, much more.

Tuition would be $585 per month, or $5265.00 for the year (that would be for all three children.. but still!)
Plus $4500.00 for lunches, school unifoms, fuel, and holiday/birthdays. Total (minimum.. probably cost even more, since I didnt' even get into shoes etc) $9765.00

So.. by homeschooling our children, in addition to numerous other good benefits, we are ALSO saving...

Homeschool versus Public School = $2142.24 saved
Homeschool versus Private School = $9132.00 saved

A Look at My Day

2006-08-18T22:44:00.001-05:00

Today.. was one of those days. A hungry newborn baby, fatigue, a nagging headache.. and Homeschool.

Thankfully.. it's Friday, and I'm still making post-partum allowances for myself.

Instead of really hitting the books (with my daugher and two oldest sons).. I hit the books for myself.
Besides doing a minimal job of HS (my DD did Math, division drills, creative writing/drawing, Bible search and her Good Manners book.. the boys (ages 5 and 4) played very imaginatively and watched some Andy Griffith with my 2yo...
I myself read two Dorothy Gilman novels, and most of Dorothy Sayers "Murder Must Advertise".

It was a great day for reading. The children were subdued and happy (except Baby who nursed every 15min or so it seemed). All day, it was pleasantly overcast, not too warm, and I had two great excuses for hanging out in bed with a couple good books.

Breakfast.. was milk and pumpkin bread (homemade last night) and was delicious.
Lunch.. frozen Jack's pizza. Ok.. but we supplemented with more pumpkin bread.
Dinner... Perfectly cooked ribeyes, oven roasted garlic potatos, corn and carrot sticks.. with brownies for "bedtime" snack.

Thing is.. besides doing a few upkeep chores (rebooting the DW twice, ditto laundry, working on school stuff, cleaning up several spontaneous messes gratis my 2yo, and baths all around after one particularily spectacular mess)... I hardly did anything except snuggle with baby and read.

I DO enjoy Dorothy Gilman's Mrs. Polifax series.. Except for the part where shes a widow and lives alone... Mrs. Polifax is the kind of woman I'd like to be when I grow up. Kind, tough, compassionate, sentimental, patriotic and brave.

It was a Dorothy kind of day.. because Dorothy Sayer's Lord Wimsey fitted right in. I've adored Sayer's for several decades now.. I think I was around eleven the first time I discovered real mysteries (versus Nancy Drew).. and I've never looked back. Dick Francis came after my discovery of Dorothy Sayers, and I realized that this was a genre with endless possibilities.

My 8yo daughter is desperate to begin reading my Agatha Christie collection (two shelves worth).. although I would have thought the titles enough to worry one so young... mystery must be in her blood though.. it certainly is a family tradition.

Other girls practice cheers, or have pretend boy-friends.. I used to dress up in an overcoat and fedora and pretend to be a private eye (using a dilapidated round scrub brush as a pretend magnifying glass if I remember correctly). In my world back then.. there were spys and criminals lurking beneath the facades of most of the people I came across.. and I'm still not sure how much of my present fondness or dislike of certain people is based on what character's I assigned them.

Homeschool... allowed me to have a down day and not feel really guilty about it. We are already 45 days ahead of the public schools.. so who cares if my postpartum days are filled with snuggling with my children, reading books to them and for myself, and musings about whether to make brownies or cake.

One of my favorite movie quotes.. is when Meg Ryan says "I have a small life.. small, but valuable" in "You've Got Mail". That quote describes how I feel today to a "T".
You won't find my name in lights, or on a tabloid.. but the life I lead is full of very precious and worthwhile happenings. I'm just grateful to have been humbled enough that I can live in the moment and enjoy them. Today is what I have.. it may be small.. but it's valuable!

Speaking of small but valuable.. here's a small but priceless quote from Dorothy Sayers that brought me intense joy to read. In response to Lord Peter asking somebody about what reason we had to buy butter if margarine was so great...
"You don't need a reason to buy butter, it's a natural, human instinct."

Missing Church

2006-08-17T14:36:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, I began the process of getting us (me and my five children, ages 8,6,4,2, 3wks) ready for church at 4:30PM.. Church starts at 7:30pm, and it was 8:15 when I was doing the very last thing.. putting baby's socks on his feet.. and looked at the clock. Church is over by 9pm, and we have a twenty minute drive... so by the time we loaded up (5min), drove to church (20min) and unloaded/walked in (5min).. it'd have been 8:45PM when we finally were in our seats.. just in time for the closing prayer.

I really hate being late to church, and REALLY hate missing church. It's one of those things.. if I'm on time.. everything is good, I feel good, we are all happy (the children are usually well-behaved etc).. but if we are late.. it seems like we might as well have stayed home, because Husband and I are tense, the childen are tense, and we end up spending more time in the foyer than in the sanctuary.

The very worst thing.. is missing church. I need my "fix" of worship, praise, Bible study and fellowship in the middle of the week. If I miss it.. the rest of the week and weekend til Sunday seems dreary and I seem to get weaker and weaker (ie.. crankier!) until I get another "fix"of church.

These people who can go months/years/lifetimes without being in a good church service, hearing the Word preached, and participating in warm fellowship and praise... I just don't see how it's possible. I NEED my church family. I NEED time in prayer and worship. I NEED a pastor and the preached Word.

God is with me.. but without that human touch.. that "divine" in action... I grow weak, heavy hearted and discouraged so quickly.

So.. this week, I missed our midweek service. Yes, I have a newborn and am still recovering from birthing. Yes, I have four other small children, and a husband who has to work long hours and drive a long commute. Excuses and reasons, logic and justification.. those things don't satisfy and uplift me the way spending an hour or two together with other Christians does.

I need Jesus! I need His people.. the ones who are called by His name!
and.. I'm still missing church. As though my loved one has gone away and left me behind... I'm missing that feel, that warmth, that blessedness of being together with "God's Wonderful People".

so....Til Sunday... I'll be missing church.

Cool Free stuff site

2006-08-16T23:47:00.000-05:00

Just a quick post to share my favorite freebie site in the world. Phoenix Freebies Not only do they have a very extensive, up to date and commented on list of categorized freebies... BUT! Phoenix Freebies also has new coupon and rebate forums, trades, auctions, surveys, and a host of other fun and useful features.

A long overdue HatTip to a Freebie site well done!

Humble Homeschool

2006-08-16T17:10:00.000-05:00

Homeschooling has never been easier.. there are literally millions of links and tips available... all ready to show us the "best" way to homeschool.

I've been thinking about the simplicity of the concept lately though... Homeschooling is something nearly every single parent does to some extent or another. Most parents don't consider themselves "homeschoolers".... but if they thought about it.. they would see that homeschooling is just as much a part of parenting as fixing meals and laying out clothes. Everytime we read our children a book, tell them a story, explain what a word means, mix up a batch of cookies with them.. nearly every parenting moment can be a homeschool moment. What parent has never helped with homework? What parent has never drilled the multiplication tables or ABC's?

The curriculum sellers have beautiful and awesome offerings... things that excite and motivate us to do better. I think though.. that the "homeschool" movement is so much larger than just those of us who eagerly peruse the latest educational offerings at conventions and "hotel" meetings. The humblest homeschool moment I've had was when I realized that those parents who "homeschool" their children before and after sending them off to public school actually spend MORE time "schooling" their children at home than I do. They also spend more time on school related chores (ironing clothes, packing lunches, dropping off/picking up, etc).

I'm blessed to be a Homeschooling mom. It's what I want to do. However... I try to keep in mind that just because it's the best choice for me (and usually.. the best educational choice for children)... I don't have a moral "high ground" just because I homeschool versus public school. It takes nerves of steel to send your precious darlings off to be tempted, abused and pressured by the world. It takes time, energy and money I just don't have to send children to school. Dealing with children who've been stressed all day, and dealing with a never ending stream of "need to get/do/find's"... that's something I don't think I'd be good at.

My days are as quiet as they can be considering I have five small children. We don't have high stress.. we don't have peer pressure.. we don't have to worry about teachers/principals/other children or parents criticizing or discouraging us.

I guess.. I just feel grateful to be able to school my children at home. Not only is it the best educational, social, physical, financial and emotional choice for my children.. but it's the best choice for ME to. I've heard too many people say things like "I could never Homeschool.. it'd be too much work(or money, time, hassle etc)... I've never been able to find a polite way to respond.. because I feel just the opposite. I can't imagine "having" to public school my children. After the hassle of sending them off to school, picking them up, and doing the various school related chores.. I'd STILL have to supervise homework, chaperone field trips/parties, read at bedtime, and provide a supportive home. It's like doubling the effort for less return and exponentially increased emotional/psychological grief.

I'm happy in my humble homeschool.

Those Who Tresspass - Illegal Immigration

2006-08-16T14:17:00.000-05:00

An open letter sent to Washington:

I feel compelled to write and tell you that I personally am in favor of
securing our borders against illegal immigration (which is an
inaccurate term anyway.. they are trespassers.. not immigrants). Not only do I
feel very strongly about this.. but it seems everybody I talk about this with is
strongly concerned with the laid back approach our elected government
officials have taken and propose to take towards this issue that affects so
many aspects of our nations security, prosperity, cultural integrity and our
peaceful tradition of unity by common goals, language and loyalty.

It seems that illegal "immigration" isn't a stand alone issue either...
drug smuggling, prostitution rings, theft rings, terrorists and other
groups that have the intent of deliberate harm to our society are being
granted free access to our borders due to a general attitude of Federal
negligence. Also... the huge and unaddressed issue of fraud, identity
theft, cost of educating their children, and immense local and federal
burdens of expense that is not balanced by corresponding taxes paid by
legitimate workers.. The total cost of allowing unfettered access to our
free country by people who do NOT respect our laws, our customs, our
culture or our rights as citizenry is far too high to allow it to
continue.

I understand that it costs money to erect fences, hire patrolmen, and
enforce deportations. However.. these people who trespass are not
primarily taxpayers who add value to our budget.. they are leaches that
suck tax dollars away, displace unskilled and even skilled citizens who
then go on welfare since they can't get hired.. these lawbreakers and
trespassers also have children who then have a "right" to go on being a
burden to the taxpayers of the US of A indefinitely.

If we really do need the extra population... or just need the extra
low-paid workers.. let there be legal alternatives and then enforce
harsh penalties for those who continue to trespass into our country and steal
opportunity, peace, and economic parity from those who belong here by
right of citizenry. We the citizens of the United States of America..
we OBJECT to being taken advantage of.. being mocked... having Mexican
flags waved in riotous rebellion.. having illegal trespassers moving into our
towns, our neighborhoods, our work place, and especially.. the culture
we hold very dear to our hearts.

I personally will not "assimilate" with the Mexican culture. If they
will not respect our laws, our culture, and our people... learn English and
become law abiding citizens as those peoples who lawfully emigrate from
every other country must do.. they are not welcome here.

2006-08-16T13:55:00.000-05:00

Project Car Musings:

I've told you before ( at my old blog http://ramblingrose.blog-city.com ).. haven't I? About Husband's project car. Here's the whole story(well, most of it anyway). He bought this car as a teenager and drove it for several years. Matter of fact.. I first saw him in June 1990 at my best friends house walking to this car. It wasn't exactly love at first sight.. but I thought about him quite alot and when he asked me out later that year... that first "sight" was what made me say yes(I was 15.. a mere baby). The car in question is a 1970's era Buick Centurion convertible. Right after he asked me to marry him.. he decided to restore the car properly, and it's been in various stages of rust and unrecovery ever since. Until, that is, I gave him a strong nudge.

My words on the subject (coming after the caged free storage from my favorite uncle had "expired" after four years) were "Either finish it and soon.. or get rid of it and stop burdening ourselves and others with it's existence". At that time.. it'd been in a damp and mousey garage for years, following being in a dry and mousey barn for years, following being outdoors without hood or decent top for years. We'd been married almost 12 years, and this thing had done nothing but add clutter, stress and a nagging sense of guilt.

Perhaps other women would have said it more strongly, or not even presented the option of restoring it. I'm on this uneasy road to learning how to keep a good attitude and a submissive heart.. so I did what felt fair. Which is how we came to be spending thousands and thousands of dollars on this car that:
1. Will require garage space we are currently using for other things.
2. Will require specialty insurance.. after all..it's a "collectors" car now.
3. Will NOT legally hold our family of seven.
4. Is a ragtop... so it won't be comfortable in winter.
5. Is surely destined to be babied and so won't be drivable in anykind of "tough" circumstances. I hesitate to imagine how Husband will react the first time the children manage to grind a granola bar or fruit snack into the carpet.

Why.. you may be wondering.. would I want Husband to go ahead and restore this car?

1. It's part of our shared history. My first Husband sighting.. our first car ride together.. our first trip after engagement.. various and sundry other "firsts".
2. It's part of Husband's personal history. And.. I've learned that cars figure in men's history in a way that women can't usually relate to. This car has emotional meaning for my husband, and losing it would be like losing a friend.
3. We'd reached the point of having no more free storage available.. it was "restore" or move on time.
4. I decided that even though he seemed willing to part with this car... it had to be his decision, and that if he chose "restore".. that I'd help make it work and would enjoy it.

I'm sure we could have used the money for other more practical things. Trust me.. with five children, a needy house, and a bare wardrobe... there are always things to spend money on that are practical uses.
However... my dear husband works so hard for us... everyday he gets up before dawn and goes to work.. commuting 50min each way to return near dusk. Sometimes doing impractical fun things is the right thing to do. Practical uses of money don't always trump doing something that is totally impractical that has great meaning and signifigance. After all.. it's just money. Money that doesn't get used to bring joy or security into our lives is wasted money in my opinion. Just because our needs are many doesn't mean one of those needs isn't to have some fun.... Whatever else this car is.. it's going to be fun. After all.. it's a convertible that rides like a huge sofa going down the road!

Husband has some pictures I can share (whenever I figure out the uploading to blog thing) so you can see his new "baby". It's jaguar green (my favorite color) with cream interior and ragtop.

We've gotten notice that the restorers are finished (just sticking a few pieces of trim on and finishing fine-tuning the engine).. so this week we are cleaning out the garage to make room for our new(old) family member. Husband isn't acting really excited... I'm not sure it's sunk in that he'll finally be getting his baby back.
Besides the garage cleaning out project.. I've got to try to find a seatbelt attachment that will allow us to buckle four instead of three in the back seat (it's certainly wide enough!).