Saturday, May 29, 2010

Happy Saturday !

Oh how I have neglected all of you dear hearts out there. It might seemas if I have simply stepped away. I have been rather introverted for a while now. Please forgive my absence all you who care so deeply. This blog has dried up so. All things go through transition yes...
simply a phase trials challenges and the dross up to the top can do such things. That dross a real bad reflection leaves the view rather dimmed. When I am not clear I try to keep silent more. I have already spewed out some uck coming up and out over the months. :)

So this day clearly I see and so I am sean.
Sleep so sweet gifted me last night with rest, real rest. The mask of the CPAP machine stayed on, once having to get up to use the bathroom it was pulled off. Coming back to bed half in rem my dear husband gently suggested to put it back on. When so asleep it is easy to just go back to sleep and overlook the efforts to put the straps of the head gear back on. Last night NO AIR LEAKS! It went very well and even though bedtime was late at midnight sleep gave me a fresh since of well being this morning.

Please pray
A very dear friend has a boy child who had to be amitted to hospital last night and is facing either a surgery this morning or a procedure. Please pray for M. and his MOTHER T.
T. has recently lost her mom and many trials have stretched her far and she really could use some hearts and hand to hold her up right now.

Friday, May 28, 2010

"I'm Bored" Summer's Magic Idea box

"Oh the magic box"

This is our solution to the lack of activities during those hot summer days.
Most are free and many have lasting memories.

For example here are a few...

Exchange a secret and keep it all day
Create a secrete code word
Play a board game 
Set out a large puzzle on a cardboard leave it out sit down a few times during the week together
Alphabet biscuits
build a fort out of chairs and sheets, spread stuffed animals on blankets
Decorate and parade bike rides
Be a detective solve a mystery
Organize a scavenger hunt
Write a letter to a friend, include at least 3 great things that have happened this summer
Paper plate crafts
Ice cream Sundays
Shaved Ice cups
Watch the stars
Macaroni collage
Water the plants
Feed the wild birds and watch in the cool through the window
Eat watermelon outside , let the juice run all over the place
(MOM) sit outside and drink ice tea
Make sun tea
camp out in a tent in a secured back yard yard
Make fresh lemonade (frozen juice from the winter here)
Catch fireflies (I wish)
Take pictures of the kids having fun
Walk in the grass bare foot
Paint your toenails
Use lotion, soap or shampoo that smells like coconuts
Put on a theatrical performance
write the play, line, costumes
Create food sculptures then eat it
Build a fun house
Make friendship jewelry
Make a pizza
play hide and seek
tour an observatory 
Learn about different religions
try playing gulf
go to a drive in movie
have a block party
visit a clock maker
make cookies
learn about winter wild flowers
discuss marriage
go horseback riding 
start a rock collection
tour a train station
make a homemade musical instrument 
try archery
visit the airport 
climb trees
visit a farm
have a discussion about sexual issues
play kick the can
swing on swings
Have a family talent show and record it
try a walk in the rain get all wet during the monsoon here
Learn about boating
Have a fire drill
paint a picture by numbers, acrylic for kids NO OIL PAINT FOR KIDS
Make a shoebox cinema
visit different parks in town
discuss being an adult
pick your own fruit
take flowers to a friend
visit a senior care facility
Talk about the galaxy
Tour a college campus
go for a train ride or the metro
Study local cacti
pan for gold
Play charades
discuss the effects of alcohol on the body
write a family history
study a culture
make mud pies
visit the fire station
Make a wind chime
attend a city council meeting and discuss
take turns playing favorite CD's
visit a tree farm
try decoupage
visit a museum
Play 20 questions
write a poem 
have a taffy pull
do a soap carving

explore the attic
Let adolescent/teenagers sleep in and play with the little ones
Make paper hats
Plan a surprise birthday party
Paint a mural
play a card game
discuss sexual abuse and what to do
raise money for charity
write a story
go to a high school graduation
visit a mining town
Study dear and visit a forest
make popcorn balls
skip stones on a nearby lake
go jogging  or power walk a mall
flay Frisbee
pick up litter off the streets
clean the closets
learn about adoption
go to an auction
wash the dishes together
make someone breakfast in bed
try sponge painting
read a biblical scripture and discuss
go fishing
play "I see something you don't"
tell each other about school experiences
Learn how to budget money
learn how to get water in the desert
FLAG DAY?MEMORIAL DAY learn about patriotism
Tell stories about your ancestors
start planning a summer vacation or camp trip
prepare a menu together
roast marshmallows
play hopscotch
set up a lemonade stand (remember to stop at one)
build a wooden toy
learn CPR
learn about clan systems
Have a family awards night
bake bread
make up puns
go bowling $$set up in a long hallway with the doors closed
go to the library and check out a book or a film
father's day talk about male role models
visit grandparents
make the grocery list together
spend an afternoon at a local flea or farmers market
work on a crossword puzzle
talk about gun safety
learn about herbs
visit a lake
try canoeing
go wading in a creek
visit a hospital
have a wiener roast in the park
go to a baseball game
play badminton
learn about archaeological history
discuss what it is like to be in the hospital
have a family portrait taken
attend an arts and crafts fair
make a greeting card for a grandparent
design your own wrapping paper
play charades
attend an athletic event
visit the solid waste plant
have a bonfire
visit a neighboring state
make a wind chime
visit a relative
build a house of cards
visit the neighbors
whistle together
learn a new dance or just dance to rock and roll or big band
Watch the full moon come up
tour mom/dad's work place
listen to a radio show (we love prairie home companion)
wash all the windows in the house
visit the snow bowl
exercise or diet together 
find a new recipe and make it
learn how to save energy
find and read a very old newspaper
make and fly paper airplanes
cook a meal and eat by candlelight
play miniature gulf
talk to each other in pig Latin
invite friends over for breakfast/lunch/supper
Watch for meteors
have an indoor picnic
create and tell jokes
learn a new game (check out a trift store watch for all parts to be there)
Have an indoor scavenger hunt
make caramel corn
go to a movie
hug one another
dig out old yearbooks and share experiences
switch roles for the evening
discuss water safety 
hike a canyon
read a book together taking turns out loud
sew a stuffed animal
study the clouds
make your own trail mix
talk about love
have a backgammon or checker tournament
feed some ducks
visit the post office
take pictures
discuss ice safety
discuss the importance of the civil war
read poetry out loud
have a sing a long
watch a TV show and discuss


so many more but I do hope that this is a fun list for you too
enjoy the summer with the children
making memories is a gift that gives for a lifetime

copy by
high lite the list
control c, then control v
over to word and then cut and paste on 3x5 cards



Thursday, May 27, 2010

The last day of School

Summers here and I am so jazzed! I love having the children home. The giggles and fusses make everyday a teaching and pleasure opportunity. Yes I know I am a strange bird. But it is the summer that we have so many chances to tie ropes that bind us together. It is the time of ease when they slow down in conversation that and have time to build up the courage to ask questions that are on their mind.

Dash said to me this morning...
"mom I am sad to leave my old class. Even though there were a few rotten kids they were my class. I am going to miss Mrs. M. so bad mom. She is an awesome teacher. I will miss you almost as much as when my dog got out on the big road and almost got hit.
"I really do not want the school year to end mom"

Yep we are uncommon alright.
I am excited the kids will be home and my son does not want the school year to end. Ha!
This pup will be happy for all the play to come.



Dove had an end of school hard lesson. Yes mom really does love me.

She had be deceiving us that she no longer needed her planner signed everyday.
Repeatedly she has been asked..."no mam we don't do that anymore"
Well yesterday I found that planner when she left her back pack home and ...
Since February she has forged not only mine by Daddy Man's signature.
You may ask...Well why did the teacher not tell me?
Well she has the other kids Peers stamp the planners each day for a parental signature.
???
Two weeks restriction and the loss of the End of year Slumber party that her friend was having.
I called the mom and cancelled with her support.
Dove found it all out after school.
A terrible fit for a good hours time (during a visit for the allergy shots)
I kept my cool! almost lost it one time but sucked air :)
I let her know I was really angry. That I was so looking forward to playing and now that we will just have a lot to do around here, housework and chores. She was reticent.

  ret·i·cent  (rt-snt)
adj.
1. Inclined to keep one's thoughts, feelings, and personal affairs to oneself. See Synonyms at silent.
2. Restrained or reserved in style.
3. Reluctant; unwilling.

However...
Last night it was amazing !
I trimed her poor hair.
She had torn it out badly  due to anxiety over expecting when her menstruation would start.
Poor thing. We used an instruction book and she got a nice hair cut. Then we started sharing. She told of things she was experiencing at school. Boys saying crude sexual things and kids that were being hurt by their parents. After all of the talk and the cut she went to get her night clothes on. 
She said 
"mom I will meet you on your big bed alright?"

I heard the opportunity to bind our hearts and did so.
That child who had just lost every privlidge for 2 weeks and even the party ...
She met me there to have tickle bug time. 
She sang for me and I was so stunned at her talent, really she is soprano and clear clean strong voice. She drummed on my back and the rhythm that child has is amazing even with complex beats.

She was so happy! As am I.
Summer Miscellaneous
Summer time and the living's easy...

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

A lesson in contentment

This morning while counting out the change collected around (the only cash on hand) the house to cover Doves roller skating field trip today...



All of the coins collected counted up into $9. or so, an uneven amount. Dash and I were sitting there and he asked why I was counting up all the coins. Upon telling this child of mine that Dove needed $5 for her field trip and that I was trying to see how much I had so I could share it evenly with him.

he said

"Mom you keep that extra for yourself for I do not want the money, there is nothing I really need or want"

Monday, May 24, 2010

Trees were dancing in the wind

We were so fortunate to have used our budget wisely enough to take a trip up to the high country yesterday. I love it! Knowing right where we stand to the dollar.
Dave Ramsey knew his stuff.

This was the stopping point for the wind was so stiff that we ate our sandwiches fast on the court house lawn. That breeze was at 50* or so. Strange early summer weather.

We drove on into the national forest of Thumb Butte.
This is a large granite outcrop of a stone butte. The image makes it look too small but then we were half way up the trail. The sun warmed us just perfectly on the trail and the trees kept the wind off of us.

Do you love the forest like I do?
Boy the children sure do. It was so hard for them to understand that they had to stay on trail. Our populous has grown so that if not there would be no forest left.


My two play so well together. They were playing army and had all the guns and ammo they could imagine and boy did they imagine. 
That is the best part of children in the forest don't you think?

Explain this to a kid...
The cattle is one thing but this was really made just for them to have fun on.

The elevation change was so that on the low land of the trail the jojoba berries were plenty, up the hill the bushes were just coming into full bloom. Jojoba is a very useful plant used for centuries by the Native North American Indians and now often in hair care products.


I am always so fascinated by wild life and the history of both flora and fauna.
My hopes are to see what grows in your area
This is Lambs Ear...=bum wipe in the history of pre-paper. Soft almost succulent like this native is as cotton ball soft. Leaf is large enough for the practical purpose of old.
The image is one of four like it. Looking off left, then right, then up finally forward.
The movie Night at the museum...My dear daddy Man is so fun always full of humor
Are your families silly that way?
At times it is a little frustrating but the lessons I have learned about lightening up are so wonderful.
Humor was never much in my childhood.
Good thing to add to life folks.

Dove took picture of the old folks...:)
Oh the vista. Everyone must stop and stretch the vision sometime.
It is far too long a time in between. We realized we had not come up here in 3 years time.
It is only a few hours drive and a nice road to travel if the freeway stays clear. We had a traffic jam due to a very bad accident and were stalled for a good 45 minutes. 
Just took the time to pray for the responders and the victims.
If it were not a fatality I would just know God gave them angles to watch over them.
It was real bad.
 
LIKE A ROCK!
My Beloved stands a man of honor who could desire more?
This is granite a large as you can see, specimen.
It was real nice of him to hold it up while we passed.
Stones like these fell down off of the butte over many many decades.
You just know they make the trail go around it. 

I hope all of you enjoyed your trip to Prescott Arizona, Granite Thumb Butte we sure did.
Are you getting away from the city at all.
It was so refreshing to do so. 
Many many events and adventures. Just got to love adventure.

Oh youth we were once so young

30 years later

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Dogs off leach...what would you do?

Leach laws are often ignored.


Today It almost cost this woman injury and the life of this dog.
In addition the safety of my children.
The owner was threatening our bodily safety as well

We had a wonderful day up in the mountains today. At the end Steve and I sat and watched the children just a little longer...Thank GOD!
For a large beautiful pit bull dog was off leach. The owner was asked by me to please put your dog on leach as I told the kids stay right where you are! Do not move!
Then it happened again only moments latter as I was rather ticked off at this point for the dog was moving toward my kids in a defensive manner.
The man took the dog off to his car and then stood there at the back of his car and TOOK THE DOG OFF LEAD!
With my radar up I watched him do it.
Then I saw it an elder with her dog on trail entering the parking lot.
I signaled to her to stop! 
She did not understand IN AN INSTANT that pit bull was running full bore at the woman and her dog! The owner runs behind cursing us! 
That we upset his dog because we were screaming for him to control the dog!
The woman and the dog were getting attacked!!
The man told the elder to let go of her dog as the pit was full on top of it in the mating position biting it!
She was trying to save her dog and I was yelling at the man to get his dog.
The dog then let go of her dog and headed for my KIDS!
The man finally got the dog and then verbally became VERY threatening to us telling it was our fault that we upset his dog!

What would you do?
remember this is a "G" rated blog
:)

I borrowed a phone called 911, tended to the elder and the dog. 
The man raging at us threatening saying 
"go ahead and call the cops, Good luck with that!"

So after waiting for the sheriff an hour in the cold wind we all got tired and headed to find the police station. 
It was CLOSED!!
The Sheriff had jurisdiction. 
The Sheriff WAS CLOSED!
Finally the ANIMAL CONTROL Sheriff came and met us all in the parking lot of the sheriff department. 911 operator  did not even bother to say more than"there was a dog incident up at the park"! No mention of the attack, verbal threat that was given and the endangerment of my kids as well as Steve and I.

How would ya all do that one?!

So we stayed with this dear heart and at the end of a TWO hour effort just to make a report were told that because the woman's dog was alright there was nothing she could do. The license number was bogus.
The only thing she could even charge him with would be get this...
dog off leach violation! a $130. Fine!

But we stayed course and made witness to the assault, tended the elder and even though nothing leagal came of it...we stayed with her and did the right thing by her. Sweet lady. Say a prayer for Maude.

Think about it...how would you respond if a pit bull was running at you full force to attack you and your dog, or child? STUPID man, beautiful dog un-leached. Wonder why they get a bad wrap it is the idiots who act all tough that do it! If that dog got my kid or that woman's dog was killed or bitten then they could of/would of given us support. Rather thank GOD that non of us were made his meal.
They should shoot owners like that not the dogs
:)

Daddy man...well we all prayed for the dog owners salvation. "we never know another mans story...it is far too easy to hate and much more difficult to understand why a person would do such a stupid thing." said father to children
Query...What made that man the way he is. 
Thus what the father of my children...forgave. 
Yet it was that we would the man be held accountable for his actions.

He taught...
Pray for your adversary rather than too curse him

We met a new forever friend in Maude the un-wounded woman with the living dog.
Because we were made to be there just a few more moments in time.

Older women likewise teach the younger women...

• how to love their husbands
• how to love their children
• how to be self-controlled
• how to be pure
• how to be keepers at home
• how to be kind and submissive (not subservient) to their own husbands. (See Titus 2:3-5)

Blog Archive

By Maya Angelou

'A woman's heart should be so hidden in Christ
That a man should have to seek Him first to find her.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not shouting 'I'm clean living,'
I'm whispering 'I was lost, Now I'm found and forgiven.'

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I don't speak of this with pride.
I'm confessing that I stumble and need Christ to be my guide.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not trying to be strong.
I'm professing that I'm weak and need His strength to carry on.

When I say.. 'I am a Christian' I'm not bragging of success.
I'm admitting I have failed and need God to clean my mess.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not claiming to be perfect,
My flaws are far too visible, but God believes I am worth it.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I still feel the sting of pain...
I have my share of heartaches, so I call upon His name.

When I say... 'I am a Christian' I'm not holier than thou,
I'm just a simple sinner Who received God's good grace, somehow!

Words have power. Here are a few of my favorite sayings.

  • A warm cup of tea is like a cuddle with a friend.
  • The North American Indians have a more eloquent word for ‘friend’ than we do in English. In their language, the word for friend literally means, “the one who carries my sorrows on his back.”
  • Return with Honor
  • The sage anticipates things that are difficult while they are easy, and does things that would become great while they are small. All difficult things in the world are sure to arise from a previous state in which they were easy, and all great things from one in which they were small. Therefore the sage, while he never does what is great, is able on that account to accomplish the greatest things."
  • "HOME IS WHERE YOUR STORY BEGINS"
  • “Live so that when your children hear these words they think of you… Fairness Caring Integrity Honesty Love Trust.”
  • "O Lord help my words to be gracious and tender today, for tomarrow I may have to eat them."
  • "No man has ever been shot while doing the dishes"
To The Ends Of The Earth
Sisters by Heart

Click here for all crafts

e patterns My sister told me of this site

Please pray for her parents and family

Please pray for her parents and family
Amy has clicked her heals and flown to her real home. There is no place like home.




This was given to me for the third time in just a few weeks.

Zephaniah 3:17 NLT
"For the LORD your God has arrived to live among you. He is a mighty savior. He will rejoice over you with great gladness. With his love, he will calm all your fears. He will exult over you by singing a happy song."

Thank You Ross

Getting to know Me

What warm hearts you all offer

Thank you all for the kindness you have shown me with every Award. I am embraced. You Are a blessing.

Thank you Michelle

Thank you Michelle








































Thank you Annette they are beautiful
Thank You Annette
neno award from Kat


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