I have a headache

Ever get one of those headaches that make you feel like your brain is rolling around in your head? I have that. Ouch. Coffee and Advil and a good Chiropractic adjustment are my best remedy although my Chiropractor would lovingly disagree with that approach. Anyway, I've really discovered Flylady this past 2 weeks and recommend that sight as a good kick in the pants kind of get up and go sort of start to dive in and conquer clutter...and I have. Its been so therapeutic. I love home keeping but not housekeeping. I love doing laundry but not putting it away. I'm funny. Not funny ha ha...funny weird. So my headache is making it next to impossible to think and plan a good blog entry but I'm bored because I can't do anything that makes me move too much. So I thought I'd ramble and share my huge happiness with Flylady and feel like I accomplished something worth while. I don't know how much value there is to rambling though. Anyway, a headache is just my body's way of saying slow down...so I think I might just practise "being still" today.

Planning, planning, planning

I love planning...this time of year is sweet to the homeschool teacher! It includes rest and lots of books. I think, not sure, but really do think, that homeschool teachers have a 'thing' for books. I get simply giddy around them (I think I've mentioned that before somewhere). So, while my kiddies are away at camp for the morning, I get this incredible 21/2 hours of complete quiet in my home. This is an unusual sound for me. My ears are actually ringing right now due to the click clack of my keyboard. So amazing downtime for me but also, a time of refreshing, reviewing last years mistakes and taking great heart that there is a new beginning in a few short weeks. School will be starting all too soon for some, but the gentle rhythm of routine speaks to my heart. And so, I'm planning my year. As I pour through my curriculum choices for my kids I've discovered that I made a gem of a find and it makes me think of my friend Kelly who loves all things Victorian. Its a book called 'Story Starters' by Karen Andreola and I highly recommend it to everyone who homeschools or simply takes a great interest in their kids education. It could be a fun weekend activity or rainy day thing...or an extra credit. It is valuable for every grade K to 12! What a resource. And...it doesn't have to be done in a year, it doesn't require marking in the traditional sense and it envelopes the Classical Approach to education that I love so much. There are the sweetest Victorian pictures to stimulate the imagination and the beginnings of great stories that our children get to finish. Their way...they are in charge of the outcome and really, for a reluctant writer, how cool is that! There's a quote in the book that says, "The soul without imagination is what an observatory would be without a telescope." H.W. Beecher
Is that not just a summing up of exactly what we hope education will do for our kids? Instead of beating the soul out of them, this shows us how important it is to pour imagination into them. And if they do go to school (I have one in there too...) then how much more important is it to feed that part of them when they come home. I've often heard it said that it takes 11 positive comments to erase the effects of 1 negative comment. We have much work to do when our kids return to us. And so, I just bless you parents, who work so hard and give up so much for the efforts you pour into your sweet bundles (even if they do tower over you..) and I say to you, be encouraged. You have great kids...great kids make great parents.

a REALLY great quote

I just love this quote...enjoy.
"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Out deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our own light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, and fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God! Your playing small doesn't serve the world! There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to manifest the glory of God that is within us! And it's not just in some of us; it's in everyone! And as we let our light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others!" - Nelson Mandela

Happy Birthday to ME

Yep! Its my birthday, its my birthday...well, yesterday was...but I like to drag it out! The big one is coming up next year...and I'm excited! I love getting older...wiser, calmer, more relaxed about actually living! So many good things in a life...even in the hard parts. So, for my birthday, I was blessed with an MP3 from my kids, which I am loading as I type and a GPS from my husband...now don't worry, its not for when I get lost...its a handheld, for hiking with my kids. We love to Geocache...check it out on Google, very fun! And our homeschool group plans a few hikes a year, so it'll be handy in these events! Also, a lovely pedicure my daughter gave me...complete with orange polish and a blue stone set into my big toe (very fun looking!) What a fun day I had doing exactly what I felt like! My little one is having his 3rd party to celebrate his birthday...today it is Pirate Day around here! Look out...

JP turned 9 up North

Click to play | Make your own Smilebox

Cancer is ugly

I don't like cancer. I hate it. I always say to my kids, "Hate is a very strong word" but that's exactly how I feel about cancer. I know too many people with it, lost some people to it and I hate it. Can I whine about that for just a moment? Its so hard to see really good people go through it and its just a horrible disease. But there are so many victories too...my mom, my aunt...famous people...there are survivors all over the place. So I'm encouraged. God gives us so many places to rest in his comfort, like in the greatest prayer ever written..."Thy will be done on EARTH as it is in HEAVEN." So the promise is for those who will grab hold, that cancer is not in heaven and God's perfect will is that it is not here either. Getting into that perfect will is hard. I imagine for a person dealing with cancer, it would be nearly impossible to get into the mind set when faced with chemo, radiation, pills etc. I'm just trying so hard to stay away from asking 'why' and ask 'what can I do'...'how should I pray'? If this is hard for me, I can only imagine how hard it is for those dealing with it. Give us strength God, wash us with your healing waters. Let us be in a continual waterfall of peace and healing. Bring comfort and good rest to all the families fighting this battle. You have already won Lord, show us how to win too. In Jesus name, Amen.

Bad Spellers Untie

I love words...the way they come together, the way they flow without a bunch of effort. I should have studied Lingustics but the thing that holds me back is that I can't spell. I mean, I can but...the dictionary and spell check are my best friends. And then, the cruelty of spell check is that it sometimes corrects a miss spelled word as correct because it's American. Can't catch a break...my uncle has the best shirt I've seen for this issue. It says, "Bad spellers of the world...untie!" Isn't that great? I had a stellar round of scrabble at the cottage and just loved my win...because it just never happens! That makes it really sweet. I won't post my score or my opponent may never speak to me again, but lets just say it was really good! So good, I had to take a picture of the board! It's all good...untie~~~

Daily Decalouge for Living

1) Only for today, I will seek to live the day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.

2) Only for today, I will take the greatest care of my appearance: I will dress modestly; I will not raise my voice; I will be courteous in my behavior; I will not criticize anyone; I will not claim to improve or to discipline anyone except myself.

3) Only for today, I will be happy in the certainty that I was created to be happy, not only in the other world but also in this one.

4) Only for today, I will adapt to circumstances, without requiring all circumstances to be adapted to my own wishes.

5) Only for today, I will devote 10 minutes of my time to some good reading, remembering that just as food is necessary to the life of the body, so good reading is necessary to the life of the soul.

6) Only for today, I will do one good deed and not tell anyone about it.

7) Only for today, I will do at least one thing I do not like doing; and if my feelings are hurt, I will make sure that no one notices.

8) Only for today, I will make a plan for myself: I may not follow it to the letter, but I will make it. And I will be on guard against two evils: hastiness and indecision.

9) Only for today, I will firmly believe, despite appearances, that the good Providence of God cares for me as no one else who exists in this world.

10) Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours, I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.

Hmmmmmmmmm.....................

To say that I'm relaxed is an understatement. My ears have come down about 6 inches from my shoulders as I predicted they would and I'm not able to get out of cottage time. Like the only things we planned were what to eat and when to eat it. Really a sweet and wonderful time of friendship, coming together as family and having just oodles of fun. Our friend tried water skiing for the first time in 20 years and lived to tell the tale and inspire all the young ones who dared! Way to go Tessa~you so totally rock! Mud was found in the ATV adventures and although Moose Hunting was a bust, we heard a Bullfrog Band of Banjos. Way cool! Now hunting Moose in Algonquin is not quite what you might think...we were hunting with our cameras. But we didn't see any...this time. We did find a water spring and brought some water home with us. All is right in my world right now. Rocks were collected, scrabble was conquered, beaver dams observed, mosquitoes fed, books enjoyed, prayers and devotions lead, landscape photographed, paintings begun, birthdays had, ice cream eaten, touring done, turtles found, cakes made and eaten, dragonflies landed, tubing and water skiing, swimming, canoeing, relaxing, ATVing, dancing, boating, spider looking, basketball playing, sleeping, discovering, Moose Hunting and driving all in the name of vacationing! Whew...I need a vacation from my vacation! Check out our boating angel who followed us everywhere! God is GOOD!