Simmering…festering…stewing…oh…what’s that word??

Whatever it is, is exactly what I want to do.

Oh. I know the word I’m looking for.

Pout.

I want to pout.

Want to?

Oh please!!!

I am in serious denial.

I AM pouting.

*Sigh.*

It doesn’t really make life better.

It doesn’t really make the problems disappear.

It doesn’t really make ME feel better.

Actually it probably makes everything worse.

But I don’t know how to pull myself out of this funk.

I ran today. I ate junk food today. I went shopping today. I vented on the phone today. I cried today. I watched stupid TV today (ok well that was while I was running but still).

But all I could really do was pout and feel sorry for myself regarding the sum of my life as it is TODAY as seen through this particular set of sunglasses.

Perhaps I need to take the sunglasses off and just look for the Son?

Yes, that will help.

Tomorrow the “sum of my life as it will be tomorrow” might look better than it does at this moment.

But isn’t that the beauty of a pout??

Tonight though, as much as I want to sit and pout - I’m being dragged down town to the CLOGGING FESTIVAL. Wouldn’t you know it?  What else can make a depressed person feel better than to go downtown San Antonio and watch people clog away the night. WHOO HOO!!

(Thanks Mom. You know I love you.)

I really don’t know why I wrote that all in 1 liners mostly.

 

The Gratitude Campaign

I’ve been so full of original posts this week, I thought I’d continue the trend. My Aunt Bev sent this to me and I was so touched. My Cousin Daniel fought in Afghanistan - so, you know, they are real big on being all patriotic and stuff. (I kid, I kid!!)

Seriously though, I will say that I have, in the past, actually stopped members of our military and said, “Thank you, for all that you’ve done.” One time there was a customer at work who came in to eat. His face was badly scarred from burns and he had almost no ears. He had no hair. He was severely disfigured. He was missing an arm and his hand that he did have was also scarred from burns. I looked him square in the eyes and asked himflat out if he was in the military. He said yes and I said, “I have to, right now, say thank you. If I don’t - I won’t. I want to thank you. For everything. For your sacrifice. I’m sorry for what you’ve had to endure on my behalf. I can’t imagine me being able to do that for someone else. Thank you.” And he teared up, I tried not to tear up - he said, “Oh. Thank you. Thank you for that.”

I was waiting tables - he wasn’t in my section - and so I moved on and didn’t make eye contact with him again b/c it was a little awkward. But I was glad I did it.

Anyway - Bev sent this to me and I wanted to pass it along…. it is really great and I think a wonderful way to show our thanks. I’m going to teach it to my children.

On a different note but somewhat related, I will admit that it was hard to maintain eye contact with the disfigured man - but I’ve found (over the years) that when someone is “different looking” the best thing to do for yourself AND for them - is to look them squarely in the eye. You see them - and you start to forget about their physical ailments. It’s been a personal policy for as long as I can remember. If you can do that - look a disfigured/disabled/different looking person in the eyes and maintain eye contact - you will feel yourself empowered and you will return to that person a little piece of their dignity and respect. It can be very overwhelming, emotionally, so you have to really be careful if you tend to be an overdramatic type person! You do NOT want to start crying!!

 

Ballet of the Elephants!

The Youth Orchestra of San Antonio, along with the San Antonio Symphony present:

The Ballet of the Elephants
May 11, 2008
2:30 p.m.
Interactive Activities begin at 1:30 p.m.

Join the Youth Orchestras of San Antonio and the San Antonio Symphony for a side-by-side extravaganza. Both orchestras will perform together to bring to life the Texas Library Association Bluebonnet-award nominated book, Ballet of the Elephants by Leda Schubert.

AND….I have to give this book a plug….this is one of the best Children’s Non-Fiction Picture Books I’ve ever read! I highly recommend it. It gets an A++ and 5 Stars in my book! I have read a LOT of children’s books over the last 11 years of parenting and 8 years of educating the children and this book is along the same quality as the beloved D’Aulaire books and the non-fiction books by Jean Fritz.

I am SO excited about this and can’t wait to go. I know it’s Mother’s Day - but this is one I really can’t miss. Royce wants to go and take the kids - and so I hope Mary and Adrian and George and Mom will want to go and enjoy it. If all else fails - there IS a golf driving ranging just down the street from Laurie Auditorium, and a park, and the Zoo, and the Japanese Tea Gardens…if anyone doesn’t WANT to go see and hear what will probably be something totally magnificent!!

 

I’ve been feelin’ a little…

the past few days!!!

Which is why I haven’t been blogging. I’ve been sleeping. A lot. And I should already be in bed by now. (And no, I’m not pregnant. I know that for a FACT.)

 

New Photo Blog

I started a new PhotoBlog to archive some of Royce’s nicer photographs. I’ve only blogged one photo so far, but I hope - over time - to fill it up with some of my favorite photos that he’s taken over the years of the children, places, things, weddings, other events, etc.

And….WordPress released a nice new photogblogging template and I thought what a wonderful reason to start yet another project!!!

Here’s the link:

LensAngle Photography

Enjoy!

 

Homeschoolers! Come Forth!

Warning: Not so polite post coming up….

I heard through the grapevine (source: a cps worker that has been out in San Angelo helping with the FLDS issue) that the State of Texas is at a loss as to what to do with the FLDS children as they (speaking collectively) do not want the FLDS children placed in the public school system since it would be too traumatic for them considering the situation (these children have never been out of their compound before) however…they simply aren’t sure what exactly to do with all these children.

So I thought - how about if all the home schoolers offered to take in one or more of these children, provide temporary foster care AND education in a sheltered Christian home. I bet we could even find some Mormons who would welcome the children to their homes. Why not?  The home schoolers are always talking about how they want to be a light to the world - here’s your chance!

I challenge you!

(Of course, that’s easy for me to say - all my kids are ‘government school children’! HAHAHAHA!!)

But seriously. Think about it! What would the secular world say if the Christians would stop arguing amongst themselves about Constitutional Rights and Freedom of Religion and just open their arms and homes to these children who need US so….

Just a thought…

 

But…but…but…

…it still had $40 worth of GAS IN IT!! And $400 worth of brand new tires!!

*sigh*

At least Royce wasn’t injured - a little shaken up - but not injured. Thankfully, I took his car to Austin today and he drove my van. If he had been in his little Saturn, I’m not sure we’d be so blessed.

Not sure what will happen next. Royce was not at fault. Hopefully the “at fault” insurance co. will call soon…

At least he didn’t end up here…

Or here… where the “at fault” driver landed after all was said and done!

 

Ean’s Self Portrait

Ean drew this tonight on a Post-It Note. I confiscated it so I could scan it in and put it on the blog. I think it’s ADORABLE! It’s his self-portrait! Isn’t it so cute!?! I love it. He’s listening to his mp3 player!!

Ean: Age 8

 

Retiring: 12:24am

Ok I finally got through all the photos from the 2008_0421 file on my computer.

Now I just have to get caught up on the other 5 files that contain 587 photos for me to sort through, crop down, upload and blog about!! TOMORROW IS GOING TO BE FUN!!

I didn’t spend all day today blogging. I actually also cleaned the kitchen, cooked dinner, went out and bought Ean new shoes, went to the grocery store, went to the mall, cleaned the boys room (that was a huge project), dropped off 7 bags of clutter at Goodwill this morning … the product of yesterday’s dual closet decluttering process in my bedroom… so, I did a lot more than just blog today! But it’s time for bed.

I wouldn’t have stayed up this late except that I know I am not going to be able to go to church tomorrow because Hannah is still recovering from pneumonia and I don’t want her exposed to a bunch of children/people - and since I’m a single parent on Sunday mornings, that means I have to stay home too. Yes, sure, they have church online - but it’s not the same. I know. It’s only for a season - one day my children will be grown and gone and I will have all the uninterrupted Sundays I can imagine for church going…but that’s not the season I’m in so I don’t really care about THAT one RIGHT NOW.

So. I stayed up late, blogging, and now I’m going to bed. I sure wish there was something on TV to watch though. Because, honestly, after all this mind-jogging - writing about past events (yes, even though they were only a week ago!!) - I’m really kind of wired!!!!

Where’d I put that Xanax …. LOL!!

 

Field Trip: Mill Springs Cabin!

Redate: 4/18/08

Adri’s wonderful teacher made arrangements for the children to get to go to Mill Springs Cabin! And since it is right here in San Antonio - literally right down the street from our house - Claire and I were able to join them on the field trip. We weren’t able to stay all day because of Claire’s attention span - but I was super impressed with this field trip. First, the authenticity of this place is REMARKABLE. It is amazing!! I was so impressed. What a wonderful resource for San Antonio to have. I told the man in charge that I wished we had been able to tour Mill Springs Cabin when the children and I were reading through the Little House on the Prairie books!

AND - this was even more impressive!! Do you want to know who actually taught the 4th graders about pioneer living? Not teachers. But 7th grade students! And they were WONDERFUL!! For a few hours my fears about junior high were assuaged! The 7th graders were so mature and they were absolutely wonderful with the 4th graders. They handled the classes very well. I was impressed! And … the 4th graders were FANTASTIC! Delightful! So well behaved and respectful towards the 7th graders, the other chaperones, the teachers - the property - and even so sweet with Claire! Not a single one of Adri’s classmates made fun of him for having his baby sister tag along. I could tell Adri was kind of uncomfortable with the idea - like it wasn’t cool - until one little girl said, “Oh Adri - she’s so cute!!” And then he relaxed. And we had a great time.

Honestly now…I can’t remember when I went on a field trip that was this enjoyable! You, dear reader who knows how active I was as a home schooler and how many home school group field trips I participated in, can read into that sentence as much as you want. But this field trip - it really was absolutely, in all ways, the best field trip I’ve ever been on!

Moving on now. Time for photos!!

Adri’s group trying on the clothes that a cowboy would wear - after going through an actual chuck wagon and seeing all the provisions that a cowboy would likely cart along on the range with his posse!

After each lesson, there was a game for the children to play that the cowboys or Indians or settlers might have played to pass the time away. I had to laugh at this one. I remember when my sister-in-law graduated from college…we went to Denton to celebrate with her - and Royce’s brother Shelby spent a good hour at the bar playing this same game. There’s a ring on the end of a chain and you have to toss the ring towards a hook that is sticking out of the side of the wall and try to “catch” the ring. I was giggling at the thought of all these 4th graders playing a drinking game…or all the drunks playing a kids’ game… LOL!!

The kids had to make their own adobe bricks! So, naturally, here is Adri - making everyone laugh, by pretending to eat the adobe. They actually did make a brick using an authentic brick form and laid it out to dry in the sun.

Claire and Adri sitting on the benches waiting to learn about Indian life! I am so sorry, Claire, that I forgot to pull your hair back for you! BAD MOMMY!!

An actual LIFE SIZED Indian Tee-Pee. It was really cool to walk inside of it and see what one looks like FOR REAL. This really is such a neat place!! The students taught us so much about Indian life in just the 15 minutes we spent with them.

Claire got to play the drums and the rain stick! She had a blast! The 7th graders were thrilled to have Claire be a part of the field trip!

TRICK ROPING!! Yes, Adri actually “caught it” with out any help!! He thought this was the coolest!

We gave Claire a little help though - but she didn’t mind. She thought she did a great job anyway - and she’s been going around the house “catching things with her cowboy rope” now for the past week!! So funny! (Her cowboy rope is a string of any kind.)

After this point, Claire and I left. Her interest had waned and we needed to get home for naps. Adri stayed and got to see a log cabin - much like what Laura Ingalls Wilder would have grown up in. I want to say that the cabin came from Kentucky, but I’m not sure… And his group visited another site and did rock paintings which he really thought was great. It was really a fantastic field trip all around.

Now there’s one more part! The school is in the process of completing The General Store. In the General Store you will not find ONE THING that was not available in 1902! It is 100% historically accurate. It is AMAZING. It is impeccable. The attention to detail is overwhelming! You could stay in there for hours looking at things!! Here are a few photos of the store - the children were not allowed in the store because it was not open “for business” yet. But the chaperones and teachers were allowed a preview!!

I took more photos but these were the most interesting! There’s also a little museum attached to the general store that is so wonderful. Bradley Middle School has made such a contribution to San Antonio and to the State of Texas.