In an effort to post more...I'm putting the weekday alliteration to good use! Hey, it works for my menu planning...ask anyone who has experienced Taco Tuesdays at our house!
Soooo...tis the season...that the caffeinated awesomeness that is iced coffee comes back into my life. If thirsty I just drink it black over ice...but I'm a snob and have trouble using old morning coffee for that purpose. Therefore, this TUTE (tutorial) is for using that cold morning stuff in the bottom of the pot.
I add about two inches half and half, the Splenda packet and then one big ole gorpy spoon of SCM! Yes, gorpy is a technical term. Feel free to gorp up the sides of the glass...it leads to ribbons of happiness in your glass later!
I know it is a blessing to be the Domestic Engineer, the Heart of our home...but so often I find myself over involved in a multitude of good things and so rarely HERE! And even though I've been blessed with good organizational skills...and can still have a tidy home and meals on the table (thank you Crockpot)...When I'm running all day long...it's hard to be HERE even when physically present!
I need to slow down. To be truly be HERE. To be sure I'm only doing what I've been called to do...and not all I can possibly squeeze in...or want credit for...or all the things that other people think I should be doing.
I need to capture the moments...so I can see the Divine Appts.
And today, I'm HERE...at home with a mildly-upset-tummy-boy...who needed some extra attention and loving. I sew and he plays with my button collection. I blog and he chats with me about the "letter of the day." And although there were other plans for the day that had to be shelved...I wasn't there...I was HERE.
My God is SO GREAT! A recent trip to the Children's Museum had us dealing with how light is refracted...among other things. In our lab lesson, the scientist talked about how what we learn from animals has been put into technology. He mentioned a special screen they are currently designing so we can see our iphone screens even in the sunshine.
And as we examined peacock feather, butterfly wings (new high tech surfaces), magnified gecko toes (velcro), and looked at burrs...
All I could think was...MY GOD IS SO GREAT! Anything we are discovering is something He's created! What an amazing creation...What an amazing CREATOR!
Psalm 8:9, "O LORD, our Lord, How majestic is Your name in all the earth!"
1. Share one fun thing you did last week, while the Hodgepodge was on
'spring break'. I went Letterboxing as a family! I had never heard of this...it's similar to geocaching but much more family friendly. GREAT wholesome fun! How many things can you say that about?
2. April 10th is National Sibling Day...do you have siblings, and if so
are you close? Share a favorite story featuring one or all of your
siblings. If you don't have siblings, did you ever wish you did? I have one baby brother...10 1/2 years younger than me! He was incredible fun as a baby...I taught him his animal sounds and loved and delighted in him. There was a period of time (his teen years) that I worried he'd be a pest forever...but I'm happy to say that we're friends now. I'm especially thrilled with the sister he gave me by getting married this past June!!
3. Is it important to you to 'buy American'? Why or why not? How much of
an effort do you make to 'buy American'? If you're not American, insert
your own country in the blank. Not if it isn't a quality product.
4. Besides The Bible, what book has impacted your spirituality in some
way? Embracing Obscurity by Anonymous Changed Into His Image by Jim Berg Trusting God by Jerry Bridges
5. April showers bring May flowers or so the saying goes. Do you find
rainy days calming or depressing? When were you last caught in a
rainstorm? What's blooming in your neck of the woods today? I can enjoy a rainy day here or there...but weeks of rain can be depressing. (I guess I should pray that God doesn't ever move us to Seattle.) The last time I was caught in a storm was at the grocery store with both kids. It was er, exciting! I have lots of daffodils and hyacinths blooming right now. The cherry and dogwood trees are blooming too! Gorgeous Spring!!
6. What's your favorite yellow food? Summer Squash...which in my family is called Squeaky Squash because of the squeak it makes on your teeth! Yum! Can't wait for summertime. Remind me to share the recipe for zucchini combo.
7. April is National Poetry Month...what's a poem that holds special
meaning for you, and why is it special? After A Bath by Aileen Fisher After my bath I try, try, try to wipe myself till I'm dry, dry, dry.
Hands to wipe and fingers and toes and two wet legs and a shiny nose.
Just think how much less time I'd take if I were a dog and could shake, shake, shake.
I think of this poem a lot when doing bathtime with my kids...because my Mom, who has a great memory for verse, used to say them. There's also Before A Bath.
8. Insert your own random thought here. Well, I'm glad to report a happy ending to a stressful situation that none of ya'll knew about. Our dog got a hold of some rat poison, brought into our yard by a squirrel. It looks like she's going to be okay...after an overnight stay at the emergency vets and lots of $$$...I mean, TLC. Phew! Praise the Lord...who cares about all these crazy things. Just a heads up...cuz I'd never considered it before...but rat poisons are pretty lethal...and rodents can carry them to other locations where pets and toddlers can get them. Keep an eye out!
My Mom made me this beautiful quilt! It has lots of fabrics from my childhood (doll clothes, shirts, curtains, etc.)...and is quilted with a pattern of her hands and hearts interlocking! As soon as the van was unpacked I carried it upstairs and put it on the bed! My poor tired Loverbrains, who did allll the driving, finally said..."Are you done taking pictures so we can get in bed?" HAHAHA!
Aunt Bev and Uncle Don introduced us to letterboxing! It was love at first hunt!
Letterboxing is an intriguing pastime combining artistic ability with "treasure-hunts" in parks, forests, and cities around the world. Participants seek out hidden letterboxes by cracking codes and following clues. The prize: an image from a miniature piece of art known as a rubber stamp—usually a unique, hand-carved creation.
Letterboxers stamp their discoveries in a personal journal, then use their own rubber stamp, called a signature stamp, to stamp into the letterbox's logbook.
Atlas Quest started as a set of tools for letterboxers, but has grown into a community of letterboxers.
