Every time we return from our visits South, Cameron always starts singing "Back Home Again In Indiana" like Jim Neighbors does at the Indy 500. It's quite comical and funny after being in the car for 10 hours.
As usual, Cameron decided we needed to leave at 7:00 PM the night before we were suppose to leave for Mississippi for Thanksgiving. :) My granddaddy used to do this sort of thing to my grandmother. I'm mostly use to it. Mostly. I managed to remember everything except some knitting supplies that I needed to finish Kate's sweater. Not bad for a rush packing job.
We had a nice visit, with great weather and an uneventful trip home. Uneventful is good! :) The girls did great! Callie has always been a great traveler and Kate hasn't been too bad. Callie's essentials have always been food and books. It seems that Kate's essentials are Barbies and a flashlight. And "Blankie".
Speaking of "Blankie", Kate has left it at home for two Sundays in a row now! Both times it was sort of an accident but now that she knows she can do it, we are going to make a habit of forgetting it every Sunday.
Today is the first Sunday of Advent. The only problem is, we just got home last night and I still have fall decorations everywhere! I'm thinking maybe I can transform the house tonight after the girls go to bed and tomorrow we will be ready to start celebrating and preparing for this wonderful season. I just feel a little off about the whole thing with Cameron gone. It's just weird.
Tomorrow we will be busy picking up the dog, going to the library and going to ballet. Then Tuesday it will be back to school!
I'm off to "transform" the house and get the Advent calendar ready!
I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving.
Sunday, November 27, 2011
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Yarn Along
I'm so excited to be participating Ginny's Yarn Along two weeks in a row!
I was able to start fulfilling Kate's request for another sweater that would match a hat knit with her yarn right away. The hat is made with the yarn that she dyed back in the summer and we went to our local yarn shop to get the yarn for the sweater. It is pretty cool to know the sheep and the woman who spun the yarn and then be able to make it into something colorful and fun.
Both sweaters are knit with Cascade's pima cotton and wool blend. It's very soft but easily separates. I've bought it twice though so obviously it doesn't bother me too much. It helps that it has been on sale both times! I'm about four rows into the sweater. I'm hoping to finish while we are on our way to or in Mississippi. I want to get it done quickly because I have a gift I need to start as soon as the needles come in the mail.
pictures by Callie
I haven't been reading anything for myself lately. I still have to find a copy of The Help. I hate to buy one because I never read these things twice, but there is a long waiting list at the library. Callie and I just finished House of Sixty Fathers for our China studies and are still reading about Lottie Moon. She was a missionary in China after the civil war. Both books have been very good, but my favorite book that we have read about China is the one that we read this summer, Mao's Last Dancer. It has everything this family could ask for, ballet, a little suspense, a little romance and wonderful insight into the daily lives of poor peasants in China in the early 60's and 70's. It is written for adults, but there is a kids version that I want to check out from the library.
I'm going to go do that right now.
Monday, November 14, 2011
The Plan
A few weeks ago when I called Cameron to tell him that we had no water, he had some news for me too. Another 4 week detail. This means he is gone for four weeks and this time it is during "the most wonderful time of the year." He will be back for the big day and there is a slight chance he can come home one weekend.
I'm a pretty big baby about this sort of thing and so a few days later we had a little talk about his timing! In hindsight, it was probably good timing because I didn't have time to sit around and have a big long pity party. I only had a little one.
This time, I'm coming up with a plan. We won't try to entertain ourselves to death and stay so busy. That sort of backfires into a tired, grouchy mommy. Not what we need! What we do need is something to look forward to each day and evening and no pouting!
We always tweak our curriculum in December anyway and this year we will be tweaking the way we observe the Advent season too. For four or five years now, we have been doing the Advent readings and lighting a candle in the evenings and maybe singing a carol. I know by the end of the day, I will be tired and they will be whiny and every evening without Daddy around will get pretty old. So, we will be doing the readings in the morning and we will be learning about the history of some of the carols and the people who wrote them. I already have a good book that I think Callie will enjoy. We are going to be doing an art project that I'm pretty excited about and reading some special books. I placed a little Amazon order last night and so the day that he leaves we will have something to open and be excited about. We will keep our tradition of our Advent wreath too. This idea came from this blog several years ago. I can't decided which is more depressing though, to do some of the things we normally do without Cameron or to not do them at all and come up with something different. So far, I haven't come up with any thing different that is still free. I'm still working on that one.
I will let you know the books that we are going to use after I give them to the girls. Callie sometimes reads this so I don't want to say too much. I'm pretty excited about them and I think the girls will really enjoy them.
I'm going to have to figure out some quick and easy dinners. I might be tempted to go all frozen, but those usually involve lots of wheat which Kate can't have much of. There will be lots of paper plates. I don't want to eat out a lot, but when the main eater and the one who is so encouraging and enthusiastic in my efforts is gone, cooking loses almost all of it's appeal.
I know that many women deal with being separated from their husbands way longer than I ever have and I am determined not to whine (too much). I also know that their are those out there dealing with much worse issues too. I'm sure I will need a daily reminder of this though.
Every once in a while I think about how when I was in high school I always said there was no way I would marry a military man. Almost every guy I dated ended up going into the military before or after college. I knew they weren't the right ones! :)
Any prayers that you can send up for us would be appreciated.
I'm a pretty big baby about this sort of thing and so a few days later we had a little talk about his timing! In hindsight, it was probably good timing because I didn't have time to sit around and have a big long pity party. I only had a little one.
This time, I'm coming up with a plan. We won't try to entertain ourselves to death and stay so busy. That sort of backfires into a tired, grouchy mommy. Not what we need! What we do need is something to look forward to each day and evening and no pouting!
We always tweak our curriculum in December anyway and this year we will be tweaking the way we observe the Advent season too. For four or five years now, we have been doing the Advent readings and lighting a candle in the evenings and maybe singing a carol. I know by the end of the day, I will be tired and they will be whiny and every evening without Daddy around will get pretty old. So, we will be doing the readings in the morning and we will be learning about the history of some of the carols and the people who wrote them. I already have a good book that I think Callie will enjoy. We are going to be doing an art project that I'm pretty excited about and reading some special books. I placed a little Amazon order last night and so the day that he leaves we will have something to open and be excited about. We will keep our tradition of our Advent wreath too. This idea came from this blog several years ago. I can't decided which is more depressing though, to do some of the things we normally do without Cameron or to not do them at all and come up with something different. So far, I haven't come up with any thing different that is still free. I'm still working on that one.
I will let you know the books that we are going to use after I give them to the girls. Callie sometimes reads this so I don't want to say too much. I'm pretty excited about them and I think the girls will really enjoy them.
I'm going to have to figure out some quick and easy dinners. I might be tempted to go all frozen, but those usually involve lots of wheat which Kate can't have much of. There will be lots of paper plates. I don't want to eat out a lot, but when the main eater and the one who is so encouraging and enthusiastic in my efforts is gone, cooking loses almost all of it's appeal.
I know that many women deal with being separated from their husbands way longer than I ever have and I am determined not to whine (too much). I also know that their are those out there dealing with much worse issues too. I'm sure I will need a daily reminder of this though.
Every once in a while I think about how when I was in high school I always said there was no way I would marry a military man. Almost every guy I dated ended up going into the military before or after college. I knew they weren't the right ones! :)
Any prayers that you can send up for us would be appreciated.
Sunday, November 13, 2011
November Gratitude
391. Our wall of thanks. I love hearing what the girls are thankful for and seeing it every time I pass the stairway.
392. Hand me down dishwashers. Especially when that hand me down just happens to be a really nice Bosch!
393. Little girls having play dates and dressing up like princesses.
394. A husband who perseveres.
395. That this crazy wind that we have had here for several days has not been accompanied by cold temperatures. I know that time is coming, but I'm glad it hasn't arrived yet.
396. For our new window and the plan for three more. Those curtains aren't moving at all!
397. Our Thanksgiving meal at church. It's like one big family sharing a meal and saying what we are thankful for.
There's so much more that I could say, but my mind is sort of a jumble. I didn't get my Sunday afternoon nap. :)
Inspired by Ann
392. Hand me down dishwashers. Especially when that hand me down just happens to be a really nice Bosch!
393. Little girls having play dates and dressing up like princesses.
394. A husband who perseveres.
395. That this crazy wind that we have had here for several days has not been accompanied by cold temperatures. I know that time is coming, but I'm glad it hasn't arrived yet.
396. For our new window and the plan for three more. Those curtains aren't moving at all!
397. Our Thanksgiving meal at church. It's like one big family sharing a meal and saying what we are thankful for.
There's so much more that I could say, but my mind is sort of a jumble. I didn't get my Sunday afternoon nap. :)
Inspired by Ann
Friday, November 11, 2011
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
Yarn Along
I Did It!!!
All photos by Callie
As for reading, I just started a new book called Putting Amazing Back Into Grace. I've only read a couple of pages, so I don't really have an opinion yet. I have mostly been in "research" mode. I'm getting our December reading together. Some from the library and some things I have purchased. For me I got Advent and Christmas: Wisdom from G.K. Chesterton. I've never read anything like this before, but I think it will be really good. I'll try to post about all of that soon. I've got quite the plan in my head for December. Also, I want to get a copy of The Help. I thought that would be perfect to read on our upcoming trip to Mississippi!Go see Ginny for more knitting and reading inspiration!
Saturday, November 5, 2011
Out of the Mouth of Callie
Callie has always had a way with words. Sometimes a way that has gotten her in big trouble. :) Many times a way that has us laughing until we are crying!
As she has gotten older, the super funny things don't happen as often. Recently, though, she's been on a roll.
We had watched a DVD about the Chinese Terra Cotta Warriors. A few days later I was commenting on how amazing it was to me that these were built in China before the time of Christ. I think it was something like 350 BC. She said that it was interesting but didn't understand why I thought it was "so amazing."
Now I'm sure there is a lot that I don't remember that some teacher actually taught me, but I do not remember ever learning about ancient history. I was taught the Bible at home and at church, but It was not until I was an adult that I realized the order of things was not Old Testament, New Testament and then everything else. So now that I know, I love to see and learn about things, like the Terra Cotta Warriors, that were happening at the same time as things in the Bible.
So anyway, I said...."Callie I didn't really learn history like you are" and I was getting ready to tell her all the rest of that, but before I could, she said..."That's because your teachers didn't even come close to your mind blowing awesomeness!"
I kid you not! That's exactly what she said. I almost ran off the road laughing. I told her to remember that when it was time for math the next day.
About a week later, she hit her head pretty hard on the car door while getting in. She said, "I'm afraid I'm going to have a colon." I asked her what she said and she said it again. I asked her what in the world she was talking about. She said, "like when you can't wake up". Luckily, Cameron was driving this time!! I told her it was "coma not colon" and then we had a little anatomy lesson.
I haven't laughed like that in a while.
As she has gotten older, the super funny things don't happen as often. Recently, though, she's been on a roll.
We had watched a DVD about the Chinese Terra Cotta Warriors. A few days later I was commenting on how amazing it was to me that these were built in China before the time of Christ. I think it was something like 350 BC. She said that it was interesting but didn't understand why I thought it was "so amazing."
Now I'm sure there is a lot that I don't remember that some teacher actually taught me, but I do not remember ever learning about ancient history. I was taught the Bible at home and at church, but It was not until I was an adult that I realized the order of things was not Old Testament, New Testament and then everything else. So now that I know, I love to see and learn about things, like the Terra Cotta Warriors, that were happening at the same time as things in the Bible.
So anyway, I said...."Callie I didn't really learn history like you are" and I was getting ready to tell her all the rest of that, but before I could, she said..."That's because your teachers didn't even come close to your mind blowing awesomeness!"
I kid you not! That's exactly what she said. I almost ran off the road laughing. I told her to remember that when it was time for math the next day.
About a week later, she hit her head pretty hard on the car door while getting in. She said, "I'm afraid I'm going to have a colon." I asked her what she said and she said it again. I asked her what in the world she was talking about. She said, "like when you can't wake up". Luckily, Cameron was driving this time!! I told her it was "coma not colon" and then we had a little anatomy lesson.
Friday, November 4, 2011
{This Moment}
{this moment} - A Friday ritual. A single photo -no words- capturing a moment from the (two weeks ago)week. A simple,special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savor and remember.
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