Apologia General Science

JL is working on his science experiment ---- titled a Chemical Reaction. Okay - check out the table - so far in this experiment I am calling it - Very Messy Child Syndrome. JL has the baking soda on the table, on the floor and finally some in the balloon!

Chemical reaction in progress --- the balloon is blown up by the reaction. My kids love this experiment. We did it 3 years ago when JT was in General Science. JL got to help out. This time it was 'his turn' to be the driver! (so to speak). He got to be 'in charge' and running the experiment with his younger brother watching and learning. So what will we do when it is JJ's turn to do this one - since he will have no younger brothers to teach we will probably have to invite a few neighbor kids over to watch the fun! How else will he get the opportunity to be in charge when it is finally 'his turn'!

Leaving for camping

Helping out big brother - little brother volunteered to carry gear out to the car. They were excited Justin got to go but sad to see him leave.

Both younger brothers are helping to carry the gear out to the car. This was last week (sorry - behind in posting) when Justin was getting ready to leave for camping with the grandparents. He came back as of yesterday and had a fabulous time. Really enjoyed himself.

Plus (here's a good one) my parents had to call to tell me that everyone up North just loved Justin and thought he was wonderful. My mom's cousin has a permanent campsite at the campground they went to. Plus, since my parents go up to visit them often, they have personal friends at the campground. My parents told me that several of their friends commented that 'homeschooling must be working'. He is a very smart boy and delightful to be around. They even (gasp) commented that his social skills seemed to be above average. They thought he acted closer to 16 instead of 14. Whooo hoo! Isn't that wonderful to hear! Chalk one up for homeschooling!

TOG (again)

I do like TOG as a curriculum but find it to be totally frustrating at times.

I am currently putting all the accountability questions and thinking questions into Word so that I can add spaces for my students to answer. And as usual any use of technology with TOG is just not a good thing. They put the student pages (where the questions are located) into a format that allows for end users to block and copy. But when you block and copy in order to put it into a Word document none of the formatting transfers over. So I spend hours reformatting and getting it to work.

For those that don't use TOG - the reason I put the questions into a Word document instead of utilizing what is there is that there is no room to answer the questions. My kids don't like to have separate pieces of paper but to answer the questions right on the same page as the questions. I used to have to retype all the questions so TOG has gotten better by allowing us to block and copy. Still, they could go farther by putting it into a user friendly format that works with Word.

It is just frustrating. And time consuming.

Still I am excited that I am starting early this year. That is a positive.

A Promise of Hope

This is a newer author. This is the second book in the Kauffman Amish Bakery series. I have not read the first one in the series. This one was very good and I really enjoyed it. I did find myself questioning whether the author has truly represented the Amish correctly. In the book the characters go get a coke to drink and it just struck me as odd. I don't view the Amish as doing something so worldly as drink a soda --- but maybe they do. I haven't investigated it in detail but it seems odd to me. She does include some recipes in the book and they look to be fabulous. I might try one of them this weekend. I will let you know if I do and how it turns out.

Special times

My oldest has left to go camping with my parents for 10 days. He is thrilled to be off having fun for awhile. He took his bike and called yesterday to say he was having a great time biking around the campsite. We miss him but I am so thankful my parents took him. He has been such a help with Tom but now he needs to have some time to himself, some time for fun and relaxation. He took lots of books. Plus he is excited my parents plan to visit Mall of America while they are so close - he can't wait to go see it. Isn't that a hoot! A guy who can't wait to go shopping and walk around all the stores. Too funny!

Eeyore has left the house

Since Tom has been back to work - Eeyore has left!

You all know Eeyore - the whoa is me. I lost my tail. My glass is half empty instead of half full - Eeyore. Ho humm. Life is so sad and there is a cloud hanging over my head - Eeyore.

For the few weeks prior to going back to work - my husband was Eeyore. Now that he is back working, even though it is only part time, Eeyore is gone. Thank God. It is hard to live with Eeyore in your living room. While he isn't Tigger yet, he also isn't Eeyore anymore!

Thankful Fridays

I didn't get a chance to do Thankful Fridays last week but want to continue with it. I know that often it is easy to think of the glass half empty instead of half full. I want to change that focus and be grateful for all the blessings we have.

1) I am thankful for my husband's job and for the company he works for - they are so employee friendly and have been simply wonderful to my husband during his time of being laid up. They even have a scooter available for employees to use and will bring it down to my husband's desk - if he decides he needs it for a day or half a day or even a few hours. And they will come pick it up when he is done. So far he hasn't utilized it but it is a comfort to know it is available.

2) I am thankful for my parents who are taking my oldest for a week of camping and fun. He has helped out at home so much and deserves to have so time to himself for fun and relaxation.

3) I am thankful for my job where the hours are so flexible. I have been able to balance taking care of my family's needs along with still being able to work. It has been wonderful.

4) I am thankful for the local ballpark where I volunteer - and a percentage of the sales I make go to help pay our hockey ice fees. It is such a blessing to have this opportunity and not have to come up with the money out of pocket.

5) I am thankful for the wonderful fresh fruits and vegetables of summer. I just love eating fresh veggies and fruit. They taste so good when they are in season.

6) I am thankful for our virtual TOG group. Wonderful moms, wonderful kids. It has been such a blessing to have the group. It has helped my son grow and learn so much. He loves the interaction with other students his age.

7) I am thankful for chocolate - because what mother could live without it!

What was I suppose to Be - Ray Boltz

Cordon Blue Bake

This was a very good recipe. My oldest son just loved it. My middle son doesn't like things all mixed together and wouldn't even try it (but honestly if we ate what he liked all we would eat is peanut butter sandwiches. Therefore, in my mind, he is not a credible source!)

1/2 cup water

3 T. butter

1 cup stuffing mix

(I didn't use this amount - I had a box of stuffing that I made according to the stuffing directions. I then doubled the below recipe - all except the soup - I didn't double that and it was just fine - in order to use the whole box of stuffing.)

1 cup frozen mixed vegetables, thawed - I was not prepared and did not thaw them - it turned out fine to use them frozen

2/3 cup condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

3/4 cup cubed cooked chicken breast

2 ounces thinly sliced lean deli ham cut into strips

1/2 cup shredded Swiss cheese

Make the stuffing - remove it from heat and let stand 5 min.

In a shallow 1-qt (I used a 2 1/2 qt) baking dish coated with cooking spray, combine vegetables with 1/3 cup soup.

Combine the chicken with remaining soup; spoon over veggies.

Layer with ham and cheese.

Fluff stuffing with fork; spoon over cheese.

Melt about 2 tablespoons of butter and drizzle over stuffing.

Bake uncovered at 350 degrees fro 30-35 minutes or until heated through.

homeschooling events

Several people have asked about field trips I plan ---- how I find them, how I come up with the ideas? It gave me the idea to blog about some of the field trip ideas, homeschooling events and ideas so that others can borrow them.

Here is one that I found and it is fantastic.

Toastmasters.

Toastmasters is an international non-profit organization that helps to develop public speaking and leadership skills through practice and feedback. Most cities have local clubs. Some of the local clubs are closed clubs --- in other words they are often set up through a company and are only open to members that work at that company. Others are open clubs.

I googled clubs in my local area and emailed the person listed as the contact person. I actually contacted 4 or 5 of the local clubs. I told them I was a homeschool group and that I was interested in their Youth Leadership classes. One of the local clubs was absolutely thrilled we contacted them. They sponsored our group - paid for the books for our group. And each week for 8 weeks we have at least 2 adult Toastmaster leaders come and teach our students how to speak better in public. They are also taught the 'rules' of running a meeting. They elected officers. The students have to give 3 prepared speeches - 2 in class and one at the end when we host a more formal showcase. Plus, there are opportunities for the students to do impromptu speeches based on table topics. A student is picked each week to come up with table topics for the following week. Also there is a grammarian - this person is responsible to come up with the word of the day. Everyone in the room is encouraged to try to utilize the word of the day in some way. One of the jobs of the grammarian is also to count how many times everyone in the class utilizes ahhhh, uuuummmmm, like, and any other word that is used as a time filler instead of just allowing the silence to be okay.

We meet once a week for 8 weeks and then have one more session that is the final showcase. The students have to run this entire meeting and showcase all they have learned. They are encouraged to send out invitations to grandparents, parents, the pastor of the church, etc. It has really been a great opportunity and the students are learning very needed skills. At one point or another everyone will have an opportunity to speak in front of others - be it a small group or a larger group. It reminds me of Moses - when God sent him to go speak to the Israelites - Moses felt ill prepared and inadequate to speak in front of others. God said he would help but Moses still objected. Finally, God sent Aaron to be the voice. We just never know when God will call upon us to be his ambassador and we should be ready for the opportunity should it arise.

I highly recommend this venture. It has been so worth it and could easily be organized in your own local area. Just contact a local chapter of Toastmasters and ask!

Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah

Quite a good book. I really enjoy her writing style. It was a fantastic book. But not a short book by any means. Our library only had the book in large print - so it was 637 pages. Wow. I have to say though it was hard to put down. I finished it in 3 days. It was very good. I was up late the last few nights reading though. Great mommy alone time!

It is a great story about 2 women who grow up together and are best friends. As they go through the stages of life they are their for each other, supportive of each other, encouraging each other and just friends - there for each other. I personally have found this hard to find. I had one very good friend from grade school. When I moved back after my husband and I got married, I was so excited to be back where she was living. Yet, it seemed that she never had time for me. I think we had just grown in different ways and the friendship worked long distance but those differences became too apparent when living in the same town. The break occurred when I lost a child. I had a miscarriage but I was in the second trimester. I had to go through delivery and we buried our son on my mom's gravesite. (It was such a little casket - that there was room. My mom wants to be cremated and so she offered up the spot for us. It was a relief to know he is with family - mom isn't there but other family relatives are close by.) Anyway, my so called friend heard about my loss but didn't call. When I finally called her she admitted knowing but felt I should be left alone. Didn't want to intrude on my grief. Really???? Is that a friend???? Honestly, I wanted and needed a shoulder to cry on. My friend was a nurse in the neonatal of a major hospital here. Plus she herself struggled to get pregnant. I would think she would have more compassion and caring for someone suffering a loss such as I did. Nope! No card, no call, no caring, no concern. I kind of figured - what was the point of the friendship. So I have never called her back.

I was amazed that the two women in this book were able to maintain a close friendship for 30 years - through the ups and downs of life. They are very different women with different goals. Yet, they seemed to understand and respect the other.

One of the women was very career orientated but then felt like she was 'missing out' on having a family - missing love and children. She felt very lonely even in a crowd. The other one was a stay at home mom but she often felt like she lived for her family and never got time for herself. It is sad but often it seems that no matter what route we as women take - the grass seems greener on the other side and we feel like we are missing something.

I do like this quote from the book. It is regarding Kate - the woman that was the stay at home mom. ""I love, you Mommy." Marah said. To the world at large, perhaps this was an ordinary moment in an ordinary day, but to Kate it was extraordinary. This was the reason she'd chosen to stay home instead of work. She judged the meaning of her life in nanoseconds, perhaps, but she wouldn't trade this instant for anything." p. 424

Being a stay at home mom I could really relate. It is the every day moments that matter - the being there to bandage the skinned knee, reading books together, making their favorite meals and watching them laugh and play. It is very rewarding but still there are those moments when we feel like life is passing us by. The book was very thought provoking --- about the role of women - in each other's lives and in the world at large.

Tom update

Tom is finding that it is hard work crutching around everywhere.

He is off to the medical supply store to get spongy pads for the part of the crutch that goes under his arm. He feels very sore there and even with tying on some cloth pieces - it is not enough padding.

Tom is back to work - he worked last week and this week at 50%.

Next two weeks he will be at 75%. And then full time.

He was released to drive at the same time he went back to work. Yah! That was a relief to me.

He is not allowed to put any weight on his foot yet - so no walking at all. We have x-rays in the beginning of July - and that will tell us how much bone has grown. Based on that we might have a plan to start walking. Tom feels he is growing bone like crazy! (His words!) He will sit in the chair and tell me 'he can just feel it growing!' Okay, honey!

Update: he didn't find the padding at the Medical supply store. They did find them on line but he wanted to see them before purchasing. No luck!

Jared update

While we weren't worried about Jared's mole as continually the doctor has said she thought it was fine but that it is the type of mole that tends to turn bad. So the removal was more preventative and the fact it was bothering him - itchy.

Still, when the doctor called to say it was not cancerous - I was very relieved. It is just very good to have the official confirmation that all is okay.

The Star-Spangled Banner

"The Star-Spangled Banner" Lyrics

The lyrics to "The Star-Spangled Banner" are particularly poignant and meaningful during this time of national mourning and pride. Be sure you and your kids know the words to this anthem that has brought courage and hope to so many during dark times.

Lyrics, by Francis Scott Key:

First Verse
Oh, say, can you see, by the dawn's early light,
What so proudly we hail'd at the twilight's last gleaming?
Whose broad stripes and bright stars, thro' the perilous fight,
O'er the ramparts we watch'd, were so gallantly streaming?
And the rocket's red glare, the bombs bursting in air
Gave proof thro' the night that our flag was still there.
Oh, say, does that Star-Spangled Banner yet wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave?

Second Verse
On the shore dimly seen, thro' the mists of the deep,
Where the foe's haughty host in dread silence reposes,
What is that which the breeze, o'er the towering steep,
As it fitfully blows half conceals, half discloses?
Now it catches the gleam of the morning's first beam,
In full glory reflected, now shines in the stream;
'Tis the Star-Spangled Banner, Oh long may it wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Third Verse
And where is that band who so vauntingly swore
That the havoc of war and the battle's confusion
A home and a country should leave us no more?
Their blood has wash'd out their foul footstep's pollution.
No refuge could save the hireling and slave
From the terror of flight or the gloom of the grave,
And the star-spangled banner in triumph doth wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave.

Fourth Verse
Oh, thus be it ever when free men shall stand
Between their loved homes and the war's desolation!
Blest with vict'ry and peace, may the heav'n rescued land
Praise the Pow'r that hath made and preserved us a nation!
Then conquer we must, when our cause it is just,
And this be our motto, "In God is our trust"
And the Star-Spangled Banner in triumph shall wave
O'er the land of the free and the home of the brave!

mole gone

My son actually wanted me to take a picture of his stitches - he wanted to see what it looks like. It is on the back of his arm and not in a place he can easily see for himself.

So here it is - the stitches - mole gone! Looks like it is healing well so far.

Spring cleaning (Finally?!)

It is pretty sad when the kids accidentally spill my tea on the living room carpet and I cheer. I just figured it was a good time to clean the carpets and now I had a really good excuse to move all the furniture --- clean out the 'nest' and dog hair --- and get the carpets cleaned.

Normally, every spring we clean the carpets. Unfortunately, this spring we were dealing with surgery and healing. So finally, I used this as an excuse. The carpet in the hallway just looked nasty, spotted and grubby. Something about having 3 boys and a dog that will do that to a carpet.

I asked my oldest son to help out and do the carpet cleaning for me. He wonderfully did! Yah! Thank you Justin. I am so happy to have that clean carpet smell and not the old, musty - been too long since carpets have been cleaned smell. We only did the hallway and the living room. We didn't do the bedrooms. Left that for a later day. But I feel a sense of accomplishment.

What is it with kids though??? As we are in the process of cleaning one (who was outside) walks in with his shoes on. Excuse me???? Do you not see that we are getting rid of the dirt? Take your shoes off!

'Well I just needed to ask you a question.'

Okay do it from the kitchen or take your shoes off!

Not 15 minutes later the next child goes outside and comes back in for a football. Tracks right through the living room with his shoes on. EXCUSE ME!!! The carpet isn't even dry yet! Take your shoes off! He stares at me - like somehow I am the problem.

Tom update

Tom is exhausted. This is his first week back to work - he is working 50% this week and next. Then he will be at 75% for two weeks and then full time. We are so glad he only went back at 50%. He is just so tired. He doesn't seem to be on a normal sleep schedule yet. When he first got home from the surgery his foot tended to throb more at night - so he ended up being awake more at night and sleeping into the morning. Then he would nap during the afternoon. Then he wasn't tired at night because he slept all day. The last two weeks he has tried to get to a more normal schedule but still he sometimes finds it hard to fall asleep at night. I think he just didn't have enough normal activity during the day to make him tired at night. Plus he would still nap during the day (and wonder why he wasn't sleeping at night??? Hmmmm!)

So this week has been tough. The biggest thing is that around the house (since our house is small) he uses a walker - it is easier to get around with that. Since he can't walk at all on the one foot he uses the walker to hop with the other foot. Going back to work though he uses his crutches. He is finding his under arms, chest and upper back are sore from crutching everywhere. Even with the handicapped sticker he has to crutch in about a block or so to work. It is hard work and he is putting BenGay on at night now. It is good it is the weekend so he will have some time to rest.

Southwest Vegetarian Bake --- ohh this one is good!

As you can see, my son couldn't wait to dive in. As a matter of fact I got the 'must you take a picture of it? I really want to eat now' comment from him as I was trying to take a picture for the blog.

3/4 cup uncooked brown rice (I believe they want the long cooking - brown rice - I cheated and used the brown minute rice that cooks in 10 minutes --- but I used 2 full cups of it uncooked)

1 1-2 cups water (this is to make the rice and I followed the rice directions not this)

1 can (15 ounces) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (11 ounces) Mexicorn, drained

1 can (10 ounces) diced tomatoes and green chilies (I used mild)

1 cup salsa (I used mild)

1 cup (8 ounces) sour cream

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded cheddar cheese

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1/2 cup chopped red onion

1 can sliced ripe olives drained

1 cup (4 ounces) shredded Mexican cheese blend

In a large saucepan, bring rice and water to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 35 to 40 minutes or until tender. (Again, I followed the rice directions on this.)

In a large bowl, combine the beans, Mexicorn, tomatoes, salsa, sour cream, cheddar cheese, pepper and rice. Transfer to a shallow 2 1/2 qt. baking dish coated with cooking spray. Sprinkle with onion and olives.

Bake, uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Sprinkle with Mexican cheese. Bake 5-10 minutes longer or until heated through and cheese is melted. Let stand for 10 minutes before serving.

This recipe was taken from Taste of Home The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook. We really liked it alot.

the MOLE

My middle child had a mole that was changing and as a precaution we had it removed today. He handled it like a trooper. The doctors were very impressed as he was not at all nervous or upset about the whole thing. The mole was honestly bothering him - he said it itched. So he really wanted it gone.

It was amazing to my husband (who loves surgical stuff and had to watch the whole procedure) how deep a mole really extends into the skin. He has quite a few stitches inside to pull things back together and probably about 15 stitches on the top. Still, it was all handled in the doctor's office with a local.

Chicken Veggie Casserole

This recipe came from Taste of Home - The Ultimate Casserole Cookbook

This one my family told me is a definite make it again recipe. It reminded me a bit of chicken soup but this is a thicker, casserole version. It was very, very good.

3 cups cubed cooked chicken

4 medium carrots, cut into chunks

3 medium red potatoes, cut into chunks

3 celery ribs, sliced

1 can (10 3/4 ounces) condensed cream of chicken soup, undiluted

2/3 cup water

1/4 teaspoon pepper

1 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Original blend seasoning (I just decided to add this - and it added nice flavor)

Place chicken in a greased shallow 2-qt. baking dish. Top with carrots, potatoes and celery. Combine the soup, water, seasoning and pepper; pour over vegetables.

Cover and bake at 350 degrees fro 60-75 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Very easy to make and delicious.

reason for history

Those who don't know history

are destined to repeat it.

Edmund Burke (1729-1797)

Free DVD from NASA about the Stars

click here

There is also a free educator's guide.

click here

While this is a good resource it does contain evolution --- so preview it first and see if it will work for your family.

The Cross Gardener by Jason F. Wright

This was different than the Amish books I have been reading lately.

John is the main character and many people close to him die in various accidents or due to illness. Then, the love of his life, his high school sweetheart - his wife - dies in an auto accident along with the child she was carrying. John sinks into a deep depression and the story is about his climbing out of the pit of despair.

It is a wonderful book talking alot about the after life. I don't agree with all of his statements on how the after life looks but it is fiction - so keeping that in mind --- it is good to open the mind and think about it. He talks about the cross gardener painting away sins.

Sailing scout badge

It was J's turn to do the sailing badge and he loved it. He got to go out on Lake Michigan and had an opportunity to steer the sailboat. It turned out to be a great day for sailing. Not too windy but enough wind. No rain. A bit chilly but no rain. He had a very good time.

Great quote

The truth will set you free,

but first it will make you miserable.

James A. Garfield

Spring cleaning - yes it is time!

With two kids gone I actually had some time to do some of the more heavy duty cleaning. I am embarrassed to admit this was under the stove. Well, it is not there any longer. I cleaned all the burners on the stove, washed the entire stove down and cleaned under it. Yuk!

I am feeling like I accomplished quite a bit today - as I also got to move out the nightstands in our room and vacuum under them. I vacuumed under the bed and cleaned out all the items my husband has stored there - of all places.

I also (while the kids are gone) pulled off all the sheets and bedding - washed and put back on.

Washed the kitchen floor, cleaned the bathroom and vacuumed the whole house. I threatened to rearrange the furniture in the living room - my husband looked at me in horror! "No, no! Don't touch my chair!" Isn't he funny! So I did NOT move his chair!

Tom helping

We found something that Tom could help out with - the dog is in full shed and needing brushing. He is such a good dog and stays so well. Tom was able to hobble outside to the back stoop, sat down and brushed Tanner! Hopefully, it will cut down on the amount of hair balls inside.

The Telling - book 3

Book 3 in the Seasons of Grace series by Beverly Lewis

I liked this series and it gives a great view of the Amish lifestyle. The books move rather slowly but then I also think that since the Amish cut out much of the things that make life fast paced - that their lives move slower, also. The books seem to move at the same, slower pace. There is a parallel there. In this last, book Mom has finally been found and returned home. The secret that began in the first book is revealed to the family. The reader has been made aware of the sin and the problem that caused her to go searching back in the first book. It was a sin that had been carefully covered up and buried by the family. Mom could no longer live with that --- the sin was eating away at her. She eventually does a kneeling confession in front of the whole congregation.

I found this interesting because while our faith does stress confession of sins we do not confess to others - unless we have wronged them - we do apologize and ask for their forgiveness. But our confess is handled in prayer - straight with God. For it is God who forgives sins. Still, there is something to be said for kneeling confessions as it helps a church to stay healthier. Our church has a saying - we lower the threshold but raise the bar. The problem with this is that lowering the threshold while it may seem welcoming and certainly we except all people - but lowering the threshold can also give the appearance of tolerance and acceptance of the sin. It is still a sin and it is not okay to continue sinning or to wallow in the 'filth' of life. Due to our relationship with Christ we want to strive to be more Christ-like and that includes trying to live a sin-free life. Of course we will never be perfect - it is only with God's help we can even attempt to try.

The kneeling confession, though, isn't just for the benefit of the person confessing but for the benefit of the congregation as an example - demonstrating that this act that was done IS a sin. Something that now days we seem reluctant to admit to. How can we confess if we don't even admit it is wrong - don't admit it is a sin? The kneeling confession helps to keep the congregation healthy as it is a visible witness to others that this was a sin, it is wrong, the person has confessed and now has received God's grace and forgiveness. What a powerful testimony that is! Certainly, something to think about. Although hard to do. I, for one, know that I have sinned and prefer to take it up with God directly. It takes a lot of courage to do it in the public's eye like the Mother does in the book. And what is the culture at today's churches - is it like the Amish where we would be enveloped and welcomed back after the confession? While we know we are forgiven by God, are we forgiven by the church membership? Or will we be met with judgement? It just got me to thinking, that is for sure and for certain!

A very good series and I do recommend them. My only complaint is that they do move along slowly but the story line is good. The content is good. Very much a Christian series.

Here's one you don't hear often

Our boys headed out for a weekend camping with the scouts. As we were dropping off at the parking lot - one of our scout leaders who had went up early today called to tell us this ---- as he was pulling in --- the Ranger said, "Go HOME!" He was dumb founded. The Ranger then said, "The mosquitos are so thick they will carry you away!"

Now Rangers tend to be rather woodsy and just hard core when it comes to being out in nature. For a Ranger to say - Go Home! Well, I can only imagine how thick the mosquitos are!! We did send OFF and some itch cream. Still, I bet the kids are going to come back quite bit up. One of our leaders is a lady and she did decide to head back home to grab the fogger. I think that was a very wise decision! Normally, that kind of equipment is not allowed on scout trips but this seemed to be an unusual situation that warranted it. When 'Rangers' start complaining - honestly that a sign it is really bad. Those guys are just hard core woodsmen.

Thankful Fridays

I am keeping up with Thankful Fridays.

"O Lord my God, I will give you thanks forever." Psalm 30:12

1) I am thankful it is Friday.

2) I am thankful for a wonderful boy scout troop that my two oldest are in with Godly men leaders. They are all fantastic.

3) And I am thankful that my two oldest are camping with the boy scouts this weekend! Only 1 at home - no fight! It is wonderful.

4) I am very, very thankful for our wonderful virtual TOG co-op. There are some wonderful Christian ladies and fantastic kids in the co-op. We are so blessed to be a part of it. It has been simply wonderful for both my two oldest to have others to discuss concepts and ideas with. They like being connected to other homeschoolers. It has been just such a great experience for our family. Thank you all - you Rock!

5) I am thankful for computers and technology that make the virtual co-oping a reality. It is wonderful. We didn't have anyone locally that was ready for the high school level - and this way my son could connect and share at his level. It also helps as it cuts down on the amount of running and leaving the house that I have to do.

6) I am thankful my husband is going back to work - he is feeling much better but was getting to that I am not well but I am not happy with being cooped up anymore - and just plain grumpy stage. Really grumpy! It is a great thing that he will head back to work - and have a break from us and be able to be around adults and adult conversations again. I think he really, really missed that!

7) I am thankful for all the fresh fruits and vegetables of spring and summer. They taste so good. What a blessing!

8) I am thankful for my Mom and the wonderful conversation we had today. Nothing big and important - just talking on the phone, sharing and enjoying each others company. It was wonderful.

9) I am thankful for bats (hang with me here on this one!) The kids and I saw a huge one the other day at dusk. The mosquitos are out in full force right now and I am thankful God made bats to eat the bugs. (Have to say the bat did startle me when it swooped down though!) Still, I would take a bat to a mosquito any day.

10) I am thankful my friend, Collette, who listens to me when I complain about my grumpy husband. She loves us both and yet is able to be sympathetic to my issues. She is one of those rare gems that is able to hear your troubles and not judge. She is just a fantastic friend. Collette - you Rock!

Tom update

We went to the doctor and bone is starting to grow. It is about an eighth of an inch thick on the bottom and on the back end of the heel it looks to be about a full half inch thick. It is encouraging to see it growing. Tom is now fully off the pain killers. Yah! He still gets some swelling and throbbing but it is manageable with tylenol.

He is being released to go to work as of next week Monday. Plus he has been released to begin trying to drive. The doctor feels that is okay as there is no weight being put on the foot. He still can't stand or try to walk at all - not even with the walker. But whooo hooo! He will be able to drive to work. I got his temporary handicapped sticker so he will be able to park closer and crutch into work. He works downtown and even close parking is three blocks away. So the handicapped sticker is essential. That parking fills up quickly - so we are hoping that he will find a spot when he goes to work. But I won't have to drive him there and back. I honestly thought June would be a killer and it is turning out to already be much better than I ever imagined.

He is going to head back working 50% for 2 weeks and then 75% for 2 weeks and then will be full time. He is grateful for the transition as sitting at a desk (sitting up with the foot down - type of position) will be hard on him. He mostly has kept his foot elevated and it does throb more when it is not elevated. He is so excited to head back though so that he can start to utilize his mind again. And have adult conversations.

The Missing - by Beverly Lewis Book 2 of Seasons of Grace

This is the second in the series. It is a good book too. But the series is moving slowly. It has taken us two books to find out where mom is but the family still hasn't figured out why she left or if she is coming back. It is a great book in helping to find out about Amish customs and lifestyle. It is well written and interesting. I just can't believe we are two books deep and still Mom is not home! On to book 3! I will keep you posted.