Daybook for May 14th

Outside my window… there is a small mountain of fur from the German Shepherd. It’s that time of year, so she’ll need a few good brushings to get all of her winter coat shed.

I am thinking… about the archaeological excavation of some of the Easter Island statues. I had no idea that some of them had complete bodies that were buried! The EISP website has some interesting photos and field notes about the project. I find archaeology and ancient history absolutely fascinating. An archaeologist was one of the things I wanted to be when I grew up!

I am thankful for… a reason to hope.

From the learning rooms… our study of the Olympic Games is quite interesting, and of course I am enjoying the astronomy unit that we are doing in science!

From the kitchen… I’ve been playing around with making my own hamburger/sandwich rolls. I’m hoping that it will save some money, but it definitely means fewer chemicals and artificial preservatives. The kids are definitely enjoying the homemade bread and rolls too!

I am wearing… black pants, a Piano Guys t-shirt, and the purple crocs of course!

I am creating… a nice wool cardigan. It’s a pretty cable design, and perhaps I’ll even get some photos posted here when I’m further along.

I am going… to check out the new reviews that are up today. Have you looked at the Home Educating Family review site lately? New reviews go up every Monday!

I am reading… still reading The Sound of Red Returning. Some things came up over the past few days and I didn’t get any reading done, so I’m going to plan on taking the time to finish it up this week. I want to find out what happens!

I am hoping… that the teething Little Guy will sleep well tonight.

I am hearing… Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing sung by Twila Paris. I’ve been seeking the familiar comfort of the hymns that I grew up with lately.

Pondering these words… “With numberless blessings each moment He crowns, and filled with His fullness divine, I sing of my rapture, oh, glory to God for such a Redeemer as mine! A wonderful Savior is Jesus my Lord, He taketh my burden away; He holdeth me up, and I shall not be moved, He giveth me strength as my day.” – Fanny Crosby

Around the house… week one of menu planning has started, and there are plenty of green plants growing that will soon be blooming!

One of my favorite things… crayon-drawn cards from my kids.

A few plans for the rest of the week: learning, laundry, and the like. This will be my first week following my menu plan. We will see how well it works out!

For more daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

The Real Battle

With the current White House Administration’s announcement of support for homosexual “marriage”, a veritable firestorm has exploded across the internet.

As a follower of Christ who accepts a literal interpretation of the Scriptures, I can only accept the view that marriage was instituted by God as a covenant between a man and a woman. It may not be dissolved, and it may not be re-defined.

However, I’m not here to debate the definition of marriage with anyone today. In fact, I wish to address the churches and pastors who would probably readily agree with my definition of marriage.

You say that we must vote for the Republican candidate for president, regardless of who that may be, in order to win the battle for marriage. The truth is, you conceded that particular fight years ago. In 1923, to be precise, when the federal government passed the Uniform Marriage and Marriage License Act.

Among other things, the act forbid pastors (or any officials who were allowed to perform a marriage ceremony) to marry any couple who had not first obtained a state marriage license. The church should have nipped it in the bud then and there.

That wasn’t the first anyone had heard of marriage licenses, though. It originally started in America in the mid-1800s. Certain states began to allow interracial marriages, provided that a state license had been obtained. Historically, a government issued marriage licenses only to permit a marriage that would have otherwise been considered illegal. Why on earth would the government then begin requiring them for every marriage? The simplest answer is that it’s an additional source of revenue.

But why would the churches not object to government interference in a God-ordained covenant? That’s a good question—one I don’t have an answer to unfortunately. My best guess is that it seemed innocuous enough that it just got overlooked. Remember, in 1925 America was in the midst of the tumultuous prohibition era. New federal laws regarding marriage license likely didn’t make front-page news.

Since then, church organizations really haven’t bothered to question marriage licenses. In fact, anyone who does question them is pretty quickly denounced in most circles. If someone tries to point out the potential danger in allowing government authority over something that falls within the prevue of the church, they are dismissed as fringe extremists. The commonly-held view is that there is no harm in complying with a such seemingly benign law. Some even take it so far as to declare that marriage without a state license is not recognized by God as a legitimate marriage. (Absurd, considering that state licensure of all marriages is a relatively modern thing.) Actually, if you follow that line of thinking, you could conclude that God would approve of homosexual “marriage” as long as they obtained their state-issued license first!

Do you see where I’m going with this? Why is the church suddenly engaging in a battle with the state over the definition of marriage, when for the past century they have been more than happy to concede all authority over marriage to the state? Even if the church “wins” this battle, they’ve still lost the war. When the church allows and endorses governmental control over marriage, they forsake the moral high ground.

“Then he said unto them, Give then unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s, and to God those which are God’s.” – Luke 20:25 Geneva Bible 1599

When we continually ascribe God’s authority to “Caesar”, should we then be surprised by the corruption and sin that results?

Daybook for May 7th

Outside my window… sunshine is streaming through the windows and ducks are visiting the pond. What a beautiful day!

I am thinking… about George Washington’s farewell address. Excellent advice therein! You can read it at the Avalon Project website.

I am thankful for… my IT staff being home! He was at the state Republican Convention this weekend, and while I’m glad he went, I’m very happy that he’s back home!

From the learning rooms… having some fun with our Olympic Games study and working more on mental math strategies with Munchkin.

From the kitchen… I’ll be starting some bread in the bread machine once I get this post done. I really enjoy the bread machine!

I am wearing… jeans, a Piano Guys t-shirt, and the trusty purple crocs.

I am creating… a valance for my kitchen and aprons. It’s nice to finally have a curtain for the window over my kitchen sink, and I think the new apron pattern I came across will be good for Christmas gifts.

I am going… to try out menu planning. Maybe that will make putting together my grocery list this week a bit easier.

I am reading… The Sound of Red Returning. I am SO enjoying this book! I’ll be reviewing it for Home Educating Family’s review site!

I am hoping… that I’ll be able to turn of the coal stove soon.

I am hearing… tales from my IT’s staff’s weekend and all about my sister’s adventures in New York.

Pondering these words… “Of all the dispositions and habits which lead to political prosperity, religion and morality are indispensable supports. In vain would that man claim the tribute of patriotism, who should labor to subvert these great pillars of human happiness, these firmest props of the duties of men and citizens.” – George Washington’s Farewell Address

Around the house… the weekend was spent on some spring cleaning. I found some canned stuff on the tippy-top shelf of my panty that expired in 2009!

One of my favorite things… travel mugs that keep my tea warm.

A few plans for the rest of the week: School with the kiddos, menu planning and grocery shopping, and plenty of laundry.

For more daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

Thrifty Cleaning Solutions

In an ideal world, all of my cleaning products and personal care products would be natural, organic, and toxic chemical free. The problem is, most of those sorts of products are really expensive. I’ve looked at replacing everything with a “green” alternative, but the price tag about made me swoon! So I set out to try making some of my own.

I go through a lot of spray cleaner. That seems to happen when you have four kids and a dog! I’ve swapped out regular all-purpose cleaner for a mixture of equal parts white vinegar and water. It works surprisingly well! I can use it on the table, the counter, the bathroom sink, the toilet, the mirror, and a whole bunch of other surfaces too. I add some lavender essential oil to cut the vinegar smell a bit. The same formula can also be used as a replacement for spray on “fabric refresher”. If you don’t know how a particular surface will react to the vinegar, then you might want to try it out on a small patch first just to be safe. It’s really cheap and it’s safe to use around my kids!

We also use quite a bit of lens cleaner. With three pairs of glasses, sunglasses, and the iPhone/iPod screen to clean it doesn’t take us long to use up one of those small bottles of lens cleaner from the optical store. We ran out one day and I did a quick internet search for substitutes. I wound up using a fifty/fifty mix of rubbing alcohol and water. Again, it works well and is so much cheaper!

Does anyone like scrubbing soap scum? Didn’t think so. We have hard water, so it seems to be particularly bad in our tub. This isn’t exactly a “green” cleaner, but it’s cheaper and at least I don’t have to deal with the awful fumes from some of the other cleaners I’ve tried on my tub. Heat up about half a cup of white vinegar and mix in half a cup of blue liquid dish soap. (The directions I came across specified Dawn, but I used a generic brand and it was fine.) Pour into a spray bottle and spray heavily on the soap scum. Walk away for about half an hour. Use hot water and an old washcloth to rinse it off. There will be a LOT of soap suds, but when I tried it out almost all of the soap scum literally melted off my tub! I had to spray one or two spots a second time, but the stuff works like magic!

I’m still trying out other cleaning product recipes. But so far, these three have not only worked well, but they’ve been real money savers too.

What frugal cleaning recipes or tricks do you use?

Daybook for April 30th

Outside my window… the weather has been beautifully sunny, but it’s too chilly for me with that cold wind blowing.

I am thinking… about theological debates and remembering why my study of the various denominational theologies was very short-lived…

I am thankful for… a Creator who is so much more than the doctrines we strive to fit Him into.

From the learning rooms… we are beginning a study about the Olympic games! Watch the Home Educating Family review site for the coming review!

From the kitchen… the homemade granola bars I attempted were well-received by the kids, and I’m already thinking about what tweaks I’ll make for the next batch.

I am wearing… jeans, a swirly-print pink and burgundy shirt, and the trusty purple crocs.

I am creating… pajamas! I had a pair of PJs that was just too big for me, but Muchkin really loved the fabric print. I had just enough fabric in the too-big PJs to cut out the pieces to make her a pair. It looks much better on her than it did on me! Mr. Q was also in need of summer PJs, so while I was at it I sewed several pairs of pajama shorts for him to wear with his white t-shirts. I did discover that it went much faster when I made his shorts assembly-line style.

I am going… to have an uneventful, quiet week… well, I can dream can’t I?

I am reading… Lies Homeschooling Moms Believe. It’s a short book, and I’m almost done with it. Then it will be on to some reading for more reviews!

I am hoping… to get all of my ideas for blog posts translated into actual blog posts at some point!

I am hearing… a beautiful rendition of “Blessed Assurance”.

Pondering these words… “Dear Math, I’m not a therapist. Solve your own problems.”

Around the house… I can see some of the flowers starting to sprout!

One of my favorite things… is the wonderful uniqueness of each of our children.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Just a typical week at our house, with a bit of dog-sitting thrown in.

For more daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

To Breakfast, or not to Breakfast…

It’s completely reasonable to be eating breakfast at 10:45, even when you’ve been up since about 7. My kids had their breakfast a few hours ago, but I’m just managing to sit down with lukewarm green tea and some sort of healthy breakfast bar that tastes like apple-flavored cardboard. Honestly, I’m lucky that I’m even eating breakfast. My Mom, doctor, midwife, and even my husband have all taken turns over the years telling me that I need to stop skipping meals! The only time I consistently eat three meals a day is when I’m pregnant. The rest of the time… well… I just get busy, you know?

Little Guy is still nursing a couple of times a day, so he wants Mom first thing in the morning. After changing him and nursing him I remind the older three to get dressed if they haven’t already. We go downstairs, strap the baby into the booster seat and give him Cheerios to much on. Then the dog needs to go out. The kids need milk poured on their cereal, and they are not quite old enough to be trusted with pouring from a gallon jug. (You know who would be mopping it up.) By now, the dog needs to come back in and I put medication in her eyes while Munchkin dishes out her dog food. We clear the table and start school for the day. By now Little Guy is done eating and wants to get down and play while we sweep up the Cheerios that he’s tossed on the floor. My e-mail needs to be checked so that I know if I have anything pressing that I have to take care of today. While the older kids are working on math worksheets or penmanship, I try to bathe and get dressed. I’d like to get a load of laundry and/or dishes started at some point too. Here is where it occurs to me that I should probably eat something… This is a typical morning at our house, and I’m sure that some of you have even crazier schedules to deal with than we do!

The only reason I have a minute to sit down to blog while I eat breakfast is because the Little Guy is down for his morning nap, Mr. Q and Camo are happily occupied with their LEGOs, and Munchkin is working on her math review. (It doesn’t normally take this long for her to do math, but a review is a different story…) It’s 11:25 now and I just put lunch in the oven to bake. If I’m blogging during the day it tends to be a few sentences typed out in between all of the “Mom stuff”!

I know I can’t be the only Mom out there who struggles to fit in eating breakfast. So, how do the rest of you fit in breakfast? What tips and tricks work for you? Or, have you just given up and made peace with the fact that breakfast is just not on your menu? I can’t wait to read what you have to say!

Daybook for April 16th

Outside my window… it’s sunny with a cool breeze this morning. By mid-afternoon it should be a gorgeous day.

I am thinking… agonizing over writing actually! I used to write to relieve stress, but as of late it’s been causing a fair amount. Does this happen to other writers? Do you just sometimes get to a point where you question whether or not you want to keep pursuing writing? Does taking it to the “next level” also mean taking the fun out of it? I read once that the “American dream” meant taking something that you enjoyed and trying so hard to make a career out of it that you lose every ounce of enjoyment you once got out of it. Anyone have any thoughts on that? Ever turn a hobby into a “job”? Do you still enjoy it?

I am thankful for… music. So much simpler than words in some ways, but ever more complex in others! Music conveys nuances that cannot be fully expressed in words.

From the learning rooms… our pond is coming to life. Seven turtles were spotted yesterday. I think our next trip to the library will include finding a book or two about turtles.

From the kitchen… iced tea season is here, make it a double!

I am wearing… jeans, my “got yarn” t-shirt, purple silk and wool shawl, and my favorite bright coral tennies that have a lovely vintage look to them.

I am creating… a Milk Run Shawl. Creepy owl is currently on hiatus. I came across this pretty shawl pattern and fell in love with the simple design and the cute ruffle.

I am going… to enjoy the next few days of lovely weather.

I am reading… or, more accurately, I will be reading The Homeschool Experiment. It came in the mail today! Seriously, is there anything better than a book in your mailbox?

I am hoping… that I’ll be able to keep up with my almost-walking Little Guy!

I am hearing… the usual background noise associated with four kids playing in the next room and my IT staff working from home at the desk next to me.

Pondering these words… “A life spent making mistakes is not only more honorable but more useful than a life spent doing nothing.” – George Bernard Shaw

Around the house… it’s open window season! Let in the fresh air!

One of my favorite things… watching the older three kids interact with their baby brother.

A few plans for the rest of the week: Definitely taking some time to enjoy the weather, and the typical “mom” stuff.

For more daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.

A Woman’s Choice

You’d probably have to be a hermit to miss the huge debate over women’s rights in healthcare that’s been raging in the media as of late. The debate has mainly centered around birth control and abortions. A lot has been said about the importance of choices for women. It will come as no surprise to long-time readers that I do not support abortion. Killing a child is not an acceptable choice!

However, considering all this talk of “choice” I’m at a loss as to why a very important choice is being all but ignored by the mainstream media: The choice women have in regard to where they will give birth and who will be there. Natural News featured an article about two Indiana midwives who were arrested. Why? Simply because they did not meet the state’s stringent licensing guidelines. That is not to say that they had no training or experience.

It’s not uncommon for a midwife to obtain her training through a school of midwifery and an apprenticeship under an experienced midwife. They are usually referred to as a “direct entry midwife”. Unfortunately, state licensing boards tend to listen to the large medical associations who are funded by the traditional medical colleges and usually strongly oppose homebirth under any circumstances. They want midwives to go to their medical schools, and practice midwifery in the hospital under the supervision of O.B. doctors. They don’t receive money from a direct entry midwife, and homebirths cut into the profits of their member doctors. It really does come down to money.

It’s supremely ironic isn’t it? Women can choose to kill their baby at any point during their pregnancy and neither they nor the practitioner run any risk of legal reprisal. Yet choose to have your baby in your own home with a qualified midwife and both you and your midwife might wind up being arrested regardless of the outcome. You can choose when and where to end the life, but you may not choose where that life will be born.

You can choose the kind of birth you want as long as it’s in the hospital, with a doctor, and you are flat on your back hooked up to an IV full of drugs. We’ve been given the illusion of choice. Oh, they might tell you that it’s not technically illegal to have your baby at home, but they’ll keep changing the licensing requirements until you can’t find a homebirth midwife who can practice legally. The choice is being made for you, make no mistake.

And the worst part, the worst part, is the accusations that parents who chose homebirth face. They are told that they are irresponsible. They are told that they don’t care about their baby. They are told that they are bad, unfit parents. Yet, if they had aborted the baby one day earlier, no one would have said a thing. They would have been making the responsible decision. No one would have questioned that “choice”.

White as Snow

I woke up this morning to snow falling outside of my kitchen window. Snow!? My first thought was that it wasn’t very appropriate today. But then a verse that Mom used to quote when it snowed came to mind.

“Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins were as crimson, they shall be made white as snow: though they were red like scarlet, they shall be as wool,” – Isaiah 1:18 (Geneva Bible)

Perhaps snow is appropriate for Resurrection Sunday after all.

Daybook for April 2nd

Outside my window… it’s a sunny, mild day and there are just a few piles of snow hanging on here and there where it’s usually shady. My great-uncles used to get out their shovels and break it up so that it would melt faster!

I am thinking… about what sort of cake I should make for Little Guy’s birthday next week. I’m not sure whether I want to make cupcakes or a regular cake… In some ways it’s easier when they are old enough to tell you what they want.

I am thankful for… sunny mornings.

From the learning rooms… I used a creative writing prompt book with Munchkin a while back. You can find my review here, and enter to win your own copy! We enjoyed using it, and older kids would get even more out of it than Munchkin did.

From the kitchen… I made cupcakes this weekend that were a total flop. It was a recipe I’d never tried before and the photos looked great… I don’t know if it was me or the recipe, but Camo didn’t even finish his!

I am wearing… jeans and a white button-down shirt.

I am creating… a knitted toy that my IT staff has dubbed “Creepy Owl”. I think he’s rather cute, myself.

I am going… to take Camo to the eye doctor today. I’d like to think that our kids won’t need glasses eventually, but with parents who have worn them for years I guess the chances of that are a bit slim.

I am reading… I actually just finished reading a novel that I’ll be reviewing for Christian Fiction Book Reviews. I’ll let you know when it’s up!

I am hoping… that the predicted rain and snow holds off until later this afternoon.

I am hearing… Munchkin pretending to sell flowers made out of newspaper. The kids’ imaginations never cease to make me smile!

Pondering these words… that Jessica posted over on her blog, “No subject is terrible if the story is true, if the prose is clean and honest, and if it affirms courage and grace under pressure.” –Earnest Hemingway, as played in Midnight In Paris

Around the house… we have a baby crawling EVERYWHERE these days. I forgot how fast they can get around on their hands and knees once they really get the hang of it.

One of my favorite things… an afternoon spent with my husband, even if the movie we watched was terrible.

A few plans for the rest of the week: plans for a certain Little Guy’s first birthday… Can it really be true? Is my baby nearly a toddler?

For more daybooks, please visit The Simple Woman’s Daybook.