Oct. 10, 2008 - Show and Tell Friday Lost Valley

We have returned from a fabulous trip to Lost Valley Park in Northwest Arkansas. 

Here are some photos of our trip there:

 It was truly a blessed time spent together as a family in God's glorious creation.  You can access my Flickr account to read the details on the captions of each photo. 

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We enjoyed a lot of hiking in the Ozark Mountains, geocaching, going to nature centers, seeing a herd of wild elk, hearing them bugle near our campsite overnight, beautiful foilage, fabulous weather, and so much more.

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***Uh-Oh!  I tried to embed a slide show up above, but Short's comment makes me think that it is not visible to others.  Please comment and let me know.  If it's not, you can see all our photos HERE.

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Thank you to CanadaGirl for hosting Show and Tell each week.  She is the greatest!  I pray you are feeling well soon, Mary.

Sep. 25, 2008 - Show and Tell Friday...Backyard Wall

Remember that backyard project we started last spring?  

Well we've been hard at work on it.  

"Rick" finished building the blocks up for  the wall on Thursday. 

These aren't baby blocks, either.  Those things weigh around 60 lbs. each.  I was not able to lift one, thus I was unable to help.  He lifted every single block by himself...all 144 of them plus the capstones.  That is 8,000 lbs. or 4 tons of stone he lifted.  His back is fine, thank you for asking. He was wise and wore a belt thing for support.

I will do a true before and after post once we get it all backfilled and leveled out.  That should be next week or if I am very optimistic this weekend.  I'm not quite that optimistic, but now we are at a point where all the kids (except the baby) can pitch in and help out, so it should go fast.  Even little Joy loves to get a shovel and dig in.  She also like to pour ice water into cups and carry it to us.

Now scoot over to CanadaGirl and check out the other Show and Tell posts this week.

Sep. 25, 2008 - Government Bailout

My husband and I have been discussing the big bailout plan that is the hot topic in our nation's capitol.  Really, the whole thing makes me sick to my stomach.  I just checked my e-mail and read the following quote about the whole mess.  I really like what it says.............

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"Frankly, I’m disappointed and disgusted with my own Republican party as I watch them attempt to strong-arm a bailout of some of America’s biggest corporations by asking the taxpayers to suck up the staggering results of the hubris, greed, and arrogance of those who sought to make a quick buck by throwing the dice. They lost, but want the rest of us to cover their bets so they won’t be effected in their lavish lifestyles as they figure out how to spend their tens of millions and in some cases, hundreds of millions in bonuses and compensation which was their reward for not only sinking their companies, but basically doing the same to the entire American economy.

It’s especially disconcerting to see the very people who pilloried me during the Presidential campaign for being a “populist” and not “understanding Wall Street” to now line up like thirsty dogs at the Washington, D. C. water dish, otherwise known as Congress, and plead for help. I thought these guys were the smartest people in America! I thought that taxpayers like you and I were similar to the people at the U. N. who have no translator speaking into their headset - that we just needed to trust those that I called the power bunch in the “Wall Street to Washington axis of power.”

The idea of a government bailout in which we’d entrust $700 billion to one man without Congressional oversight or accountability is absurd. My party or not, that is insanity and I believe unconstitutional.

Will there be far-reaching consequences without some intervention? Probably, but we honestly don’t know since we’ve really never seen this level of greed and stupidity all rolled into one massive move. But may I suggest that letting “Uncle Sugar” step in and bail out the billionaires who made the mess will be far worse and will start a long line of companies and individuals who will demand the same of the government---which last time I checked means that they will be demanding it out of YOU and ME. This is not money that Congress is risking from THEIR pockets or future, but ours. Many if not most of us have already experienced lost value on our homes, retirement accounts, and pensions. Now they’d like for us to assume some further risks so they won’t have to.

What happened to the “free market” idea? Is that only our view when we WIN and when we LOSE, we ask the government to come in and take away the pain? "

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Mike Huckabee

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Yep, that pretty much sums up how I feel about it, except that the whole thing makes me stinking mad.  How will this affect us, the average citizen????  Think major high taxes later on.  Our children will be paying for the mistakes of our generation.  Those who are renters may think that it won't affect them.  Well, let me just say that if the companies go under and demand all mortgages be paid up immediately and your landlord still owes on his mortgage and can't pay up, then you lose, too.  We are all going to be paying the Piper.

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If we could sell our house right now and buy a place free and clear, I think we would do it.  Even if it is a tiny little place, it would be better than what appears to be on the horizon.  Right now we are six years out on having this house completely paid off.  Six years sounds like a very long time given the current economical crisis.  We have lots of praying to do.

Sep. 24, 2008 - Rice and Beans

Growing up we never really ate beans and rice.  I wouldn't touch beans with the exception of pork'n'beans and that was pushing it.  I was such a picky eater.  We rarely even had rice and when I had to eat that, I smothered it with butter and sugar.  I think my mom would occasionally put beans on the table as a side dish, but i refused to eat them. (Have I ever mentioned what a spoiled brat I was?)  I really gagged if a lima bean snuck onto my spoon in the mixed veggies.

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Fast forward and now I am an adult.  Over the past 15 years of marriage I have branched out just a bit on eating beans.  I have learned to appreciate a good pot of baked beans and have gotten to where I like black beans or kidney beans in some soup recipes. 

My horizons have been slowly expanding in the realm of beans.

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With the economy the way it is these days, my husband suggested that we try eating rice and beans for supper sometime.  So about two months ago I tried out a rice and beans recipe.  I was expecting a  revolt or something.  Images of all of us starving for a night entered my head.  (See, I am terribly spoiled.)  I drummed it up as a good experience for us to eat what much of the world eats for a meal etc, etc.  

You know what?  No one died.  In fact, we all ate it.  Since then I have tried a few different recipes based on beans and rice (no meat).  Today I made pinto beans, brown rice, ro-tel tomaotoes,garlic, fresh onion, lime juice, and oregano (I think).  We added some shredded cheddar to our bowls and it was good.  Little Joy ate hers up really fast.  This is the child who picks at her food.  She loves beans and rice.  Joe was asking to eat it again a few hours after lunch.  I assured him we would eat the left-overs tomorrow. 

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I even ordered a 50 lb. bag of organic brown rice and a 50 lb. bag of organic pinto beans from our health food store.  That's a lot of beans and rice, but this family will be eating it at least once a week here on out. 

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I should make it the next time my folks come to visit. 

I bet my mom would flip out to see me eating beans and rice.

Sep. 19, 2008 - Little Kid Books

I will be adding to this list periodically.  There  are so many wonderful books out there to explore.

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Adam, Adam, What Do You See?

By:  Bill Martin Jr. and Michael Sampson (E Martin)

This is one of my favorite preschool books.  Goes through the major Bible characters from Adam to Paul.

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Mommy, Why Don't We Celebrate Halloween?

By:  Linda H. Winwood

This book does an excellent job explaining the origins of different Halloween customs.  She also uses Scripture to emphasize why we believe it is unwise for Christians to celebrate this holiday in such a way that my kids totally agree with it and don't feel like they are missing out on anything.

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Mommy, Why Can't I Watch That TV Show?

By: Dian Layton

I love how the author explains the importance of being careful about what we put into our minds and backs it up with scripture. 

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The Puppy Who Wanted a Boy

By: Jane Thayer

We all love this book.  It's good to read around Christmas time.

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Babushka's Doll

By:  Patricia Polacco (E Polacco)

This is a very good book to read if you have a child who is acting selfish and demanding.

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Mrs. Katz and Tush

By:  Patricia Polacco  (E Polacco)

A young African-American boy befriends an elderly Jewish woman.

They share Passover together.  I will be reading this each Spring before it's time for our Passover.

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The True Tale of Johnny Appleseed

by: Margaret Hodges (Juv B Appleseed)

This is my favorite book about John Chapman.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~above additions added 9/19

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A Camping Spree With Mr. Magee

by:

This is a fun rhyming book that we have enjoyed for years now.  Not much education, but very enjoyable to share.

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Goodnight Moon

by:  Margaret Wise Brown  (E Brown)

Classic.  This has been a favorite with all of my children.  We love to look for the mouse on each colored page spread.

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When Lightning Comes in a Jar

By:  Patricia Polacco  (E Polacco)

Polacco is one of my most favorite children's authors!  She is a wonderful story-teller and illustrator, too.  This is a good summer-time read or any time you can catch lightning bugs!

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Just Plain Fancy

By:  Patricia Polacco  (E Polacco)

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Aunt Chip and the Great Triple Creek Dam Affair

By: Patricia Polacco  (E Polacco)

I love this story!  It is a wonderful tale about TV vs. books. 

The big kids enjoy it, too.

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Betty Doll

By;  Polacco  (E Polacco)

A tear-jerker. 

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The Bee Tree

By: Polacco  (E Polacco)

A fun story to read together.

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Chicken Sunday

By: Polacco  (E Polacco)

One of our faves.  Good old traditions and friendships.  It's multi-cultural, too.

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A Christmas Tapestry

By: Patricia Polacco (E Polacco)

This is one of my all-time favorite stories ever!  I read it to the kids every year.  Have a box of tissues nearby for  this heart-warming tale that is said to be true.

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In Enzo's Splendid Gardens

By: Polacco

This is a fun one to read aloud and left us laughing.

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John Phillip Duck

By: Polacco

We like to read this one before we go to visit the Peabody Hotel to see the ducks come down to the fountain.  It's a good story.

Both Memphis and Little Rock now have the ducks coming to the fountain each morning. 

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Thunder Cake

By: Polacco

A good one for those who have little ones afraid of storms.  Be ready to bake a cake for a good tie-in activity.

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The Trees of the Dancing Goats

By: Polacco

This is maybe for the older ones, but we all enjoyed it.  Tells of loving your neighbor and understanding/appreciating our differences.  Good Jewish traditions.

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The Ox Cart Man

By:  Donald Hall

Good for teaching diligence and the pioneer way-of-life.

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Little Quack Books

By:  Lauren Thompson  (E Thompson)

This is a fun book for preschoolers and toddlers. 

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Horton Hears a Who

By:  Dr. Seuss

Good for the bigger kids, too.

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Horton Hatches the Egg

By:  Dr. Seuss

I thought this was a great book about personal responsibility and being rewarded for perseverance in the face of persecution.  It would also be a good book for foster parents!  Oh, and the kids thought is was a good story.

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Sam, Bangs, and Moonshine

By:  Evaline Ness

A good one if you have a tale-bearer in your home.

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Sep. 16, 2008 - Ike took a Hike!

We came out of Ike none the worse for the wear, really.  He blew through much faster than Gustav did leaving behind just a few inches of rain.  Sadly, it was enough to cause a small creek to rise in the backyard again, but it has now turned to just mud.  We have plenty of extra dirt, so we'll be out there filling it in some more. 

Our neigbors lost part of a tree and some friends of ours across town are still without power due to Ike.  There were a couple of small tornadoes around here, too, but the damage was minimal, especially compared to what we get with our Spring tornadoes. 

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We had a ball on Saturday before Ike arrived.  We figured we were going to be cooped up for DAYS again like we were with Gustav so we went to a park downtown on the riverfront.

The kids had a blast running through tunnels, climbing up rocks, rolling down hills, climbing ropes, and whooshing down the big slide.  Oh, yeah, they also enjoyed getting wet.........

They were all happy camper when we left here. 

After we were done playing, we changed into dry clothes and hit a yummy pizza place downtown.  We went home with full hearts and full bellies.  You can see more pics here if you'd like.

Ike hit later that afternoon/evening and blew through overnight. 

Sunday we woke up to an absolutely gorgeous day.  It was windy, but clear.  We went to church and the kids did really well during the service this week.  Joy has had a little trouble with being still and quiet during church, but she did pretty good this week.  I put a blanket down next to our pew and that was her space. 

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That afternoon was free day at the children's museum so we went down there for a couple of hours.  They have finally opened a new section for young kids under the age of 7 and me and the littles enjoyed exploring in there while the big boys and Daddy did a search for a Mayan Medallion or an archaeological area.  It was a good weekend.

Sep. 12, 2008 - Show and Tell Friday

So last week I mentioned that Gustav had made his way up to our area leaving us with a lot of water.

You can read about it here.

But last week, my camera and computer weren't cooperating so well so i couldn't get my pics up with that post.  So, today i am sharing with you all the pictures of Gustav Creek, which just so happened to appear in our backyard during the storm.  It was too irresistable for my kids, they just HAD to go play in the big muddy mess.  So, without further delay..........

Amazing the difference 7 years makes.  My oldest would have been sitting in that water when he was 4, but apparently he has outgrown that and would much rather explore the depths with a long stick.

These two had a grand time out there playing in the water.  They were quite a team.  Pouring and scooping can fascinate them for hours.  Splashing and wallowing in the mud makes it even better.

Doesn't she look positively content to have that mud splattered and dripping across her head and face?

i have to admit she got that from me.  I was such a tomboy and loved mud and water, too, especially if it held the promise of crawdads in there.  Not my husband.  He was a neat freak even as a kid.

Someone didn't want to be left out of the mess making, but Mama wouldn't let her go out in the mud puddles.  So, she took it upon herself to find an open and unattended marker on the floor.  I think she had an accomplice, like maybe her sister.  Yes, she was at my feet when she did this, but i was busy teaching Kade about triangles.  Imagine my surprise when i looked down.

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I hope you've enjoyed the photos today and it wasn't overwhelming or too boring. 

There was a lot of excitement when the photos were taken at any rate.  And now Ike is on his way and promises to leave us with at least another 10 inches of rain.  Good thing we filled in those low spots in the yard this week.  The kids may be disappointed if another creek doesn't rise out there, but we adults will be pleased.  We have the wall about halfway done now.  I'll have to get a pic of that soon.

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Now, scoot over to Mary's blog and check out Mr. Linky for other Show and Tell posts today.

Sep. 5, 2008 - Show and Tell Friday

We have been studying Ancient Rome for about forever now it seems.  We just began our Mystery of History Volume 2 book this week, but i wanted to share a couple of things we did in Vol. 1 a few weeks ago.  Yeah, i'm slow to get around, i know. Anyhow,  we had a lot of fun making a mosaic like the Romans did. Here is what we made:

It is proudly displayed (and used) in our front yard.  There is a small patch of earth next to the walkway where grass simply refuses to grow so it was the perfect place to put our stepping stone. 

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We also discovered  a website where the kids were able to build their own Aqueducts.  You can do that HERE.   Have fun!

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Now get over to CanadaGirl's blog to see some great S&T posts this weekend. 

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I plan to do another post today on another topic, too.  Oh, and if you scroll down a bit or click the links in the sidebar, you will see that i have finally begun putting up our lists of favorite books.  I will be adding to them slowly over time and as we discover more gems.