Oscar the Grouch

When I was growing up,  my parents made the decision NOT to have a t.v. in the house.   I don't ever remember thinking it was strange or feeling left out.  I am sure at times I did,  but it obviously didn't leave scars...at least I haven't discussed it with my therapist...yet!!

 One show we did see occasionally was Sesame Street...and I LOVED Oscar the Grouch.  My granddaddy's name was Oscar...but I don't think he was a grouch...I just liked the name connection and the character of Oscar.  I was fascinated with his trash can house...so little on the outside, but full of treasure on the inside.  And he was NEVER happy...



That's me.  I have felt very GROUCHY the last few months.   I have struggled to find the joy in life...the little things that I should smile about...the laugh of my 7 yr old,  the hug of my 13 yr old son (I should rejoice...I KNOW!!),   my 16 yr old fixing my fake coffee,  my 10 year old playing her psaltry.   But I have been so weighted down with life that the little things that SHOULD  matter I overlook, and the little things that SHOULDN'T matter, (like messy counters or rooms not picked up) do.  I guess all the months of stress  have made me want calm and order and things done the way they should be (or at least the way I THINK they should)....and I live in house with those four plus a husband who is having to work 2 jobs.   ( You may begin playing the violin music...but I need wine and cheese first, please!!)




I don't want to live like this...I don't want my kids clamoring to find adventure somewhere...fun out there...another woman or man who smiles and says nice things to them...I want that to be ME!  I want to wake up with a quirky song in my heart and on my lips...not reminders of chores not done.   I want to take adventures to parks,  glamping (he he) or fishing...not mowing lawns,  feeding chickens, and disciplining yet another child.  (These are all important but should not be ALL IMPORTANT!)  I want to notice these little things and thank my kids. 

I want my 16 to want to shop with me...so I guess I should take her shopping
I want my 13 to still want to talk to me about EVERYTHING!...so I should go fishing and listen.
I want my 10 year old to share her thoughts on her favorite book..so I should read the book and take her to Starbucks for coffee and laugh or cry with her.
I want to my littlest one too remember a fun, happy momma who wasn't so worried about the floor of her room, but who loved her spontaneity or joy of life...and to share those moments with her.

Sooooo......I am looking for ways to bring these things in.   That means not having as clean a floor as I would like,  not picking up ALL  the stuff I want picked up.  Maybe having an extra load or two of clothes to do because we were having so much fun somewhere else on laundry day.  Maybe making more crock pot meals and worrying less about ACT scores and college.   I am not sure what it will look like...but I want to strive for something.  YOU know the old saying,  if you don't aim for something,  you won't hit anything.  (I think that's it...let me know if it's not...I tend to mix sayings around to suit my thoughts!!) 

This has been a little heavy,  but I needed to write it out...accountability for myself I guess.  Wait until you see what has been going on at our house.  Here is a sneak peek at tomorrow's post. 



  
thanks for reading,

Reb

The Battle of Gettysburg

The Battle of Gettysburg was a huge blow to the Confederates but a victory to the Federals. It was Genaral Lee's idea to attack. So he found about 150 guns in the camp, gave them to his men, but in the end he lost.



The Battle




The Results

RACHAEL STEELE

A God of Order

Numbers....who would have thought that this book would teach me about who God is and what He likes?  I like order...it helps me stay sane...and God likes order also.   The first 3 chapters ...so far...are about order..a census is taken..the Israelites are told how to arrange themselves in the camp and in what order to leave and exit camp.  There are specific people to do specific jobs....this tells me that not all are called to do the same thing.   Thank goodness... you would not like my color choices and lay out of rooms if I were asked to decorate.  But give me some books and a shelf...boy howdy,  I could make you (and me) very happy and orderly. 

Which brings me to the book sale.   We had the first of the three for the year at the main library this past Fri.  It goes through Sun.  but I try to only go one day..I spend less that way.  Yes,    I spend 4-5 hrs in a basement looking at books..and I am NOT ashamed or give ANY excuses.  It is pure fun. 

I have an ORDER to my search.  This time I took all my children because I couldn't be at all the places at once.  What I mean by this is....there are different sections of the sale, and I look for specific books from each section,  history,  children's,  religious,  the old books..so this time I needed more than one person so we could run walk calmly over to the sections at one time and look before anyone else got there.  Oh,  I didn't just say that did I?  Forget that.  I really was not as jittery as I am normally am.  Sometimes I don't sleep very well the night before I am so nervous and excited.  Terrible,  I know.  REALLY..I took the kids because they each had books they wanted me to look for and I knew I wouldn't be able to look like they could..so they went to find their books..and a couple of mine on my list.   I didn't find them, but I did find some for others...that's just as much fun to me.  Here is a pic of some of our finds. 

Also,  this time,  I took only cash,  had a limit,  and MET IT.    You can't possibly know how revolutionary this was for me, unless you compare it to shopping.  THEN you understand.  Or dieting.  Let's not go there in this post.    I usually SAY a  limit of 3 boxes and come out with 5,  wheezing at how much I just spent and wondering how to tell my husband and where we will find room on the shelf.  I actually only had about 15-20 (books)  of my own personal (not going on the kids shelf) books.  I did accidentally leave behind about 8 books on the floor.  But I look at it as God's protections against greed.  

And what do books have to do with the book of Numbers...besides that they are books...?   Well,  I ordered my spending,  and preordered my shelves to accommodate new books, and have all my new books on my shelves,  and nothing lying around.  My books are in order.    I see the connection.  And I feel very sane...at the moment. 

Here is a random picture of lentils in a pot.  Very ordered, and pretty. 

thanks for reading,

Reb

Vows, Allergies, School, and HGTV

No excuses.   Just ....well, no excuses. 

So what AM I doing right now?

This......

This has been the WORST season for me.  I guess it's that over 40 thing.  But I am not even going to church today because my whole face is swollen and my eyes are so itchy I just "gently" rub all day. 


What ELSE is going on? 


This....

I am using this web site and LOVE it.  It is the same one I used last year to read the Bible through,  but just chronologically.   Just finished Leviticus and learned SOOO much.  Here are just a few thoughts.

1. Reading through the old testament has opened my eyes to the teachings of the new testament.  They ae not different,  only explained.  Here are a few instances.

   In Leviticus we see where God desires His people to look, act, worship and be different from those around them.  In the new testament, here is what  God says.

Phil 2:15  that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world,

Col 2:8  See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.

Rom 12:2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

1 John 2:15   Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him.

There are others that as you read the new testament will jump out at you.    I am so thankful I have stuck with the day to day reading.  Sounds crazy but this is only the second year EVER that I have stuck with it.  I think the habit forming of getting up and reading first thing (well,  after getting coffee and cleaning up while the pot is heating up) has made an impression on my mind and now I feel things are not right if I haven't read God's word and listened for instruction. 

And then I am doing this....

http://www.hgtv.com/

We have found a web site that lets us watch HGTV free!!!  And since we have NOTHING on our tv right now,  this is nice.  We are in the process of transforming our living room.  I will get pics up soon.  They are NOT pretty.  I am praying the end result will be.  NO...I am confidant, because I have a great DESIGNER...a friend who really IS a designer...along with my sister...who really IS a desinger.

The last thing going on here...well, not the last but the last for this post.. is homeschooling.  Going great,  loving the books and results,  and planning our LAST 12 WEEKS!  Can you believe it?  In 12 weeks we will be finished with this years books.   I will post some books we have been reading,  some new writing material we are using, and ..oh yes...we just went to a book sale.  I will post about that. 

thanks for reading,  (if you are still around!!)

Reb 

Winter or Spring?

Here in Arkansas, you never can tell what the weather will be.  Cold, hot,  snowy, windy.    Today is beautiful,  sunny with a light wind.  So I naturally thought of getting everyone out doors.

 We have been working on containing the chickens in one area, giving them enough room to roam but keeping all the POOP out of the yard we play in.  I am really tired of telling the kids to check their feet, shoes, blankets, pants, etc.  Here is a pic of our redneck chicken coop.

We had some temporary fencing to keep them out of the garden, but now I want them out of the yard, so we put it around another part of the yard with a tree for shade and protection and all is better.  But it is SOOO tacky.  There are even bricks on the edge to to keep the chickens from crawling under the fencing.  Hopefully soon, we will put up some pig wire permanently with a door. 

 The kids are building their own beds for growing things this spring.  I am slowing but surely releasing my hold on projects that I thought were mine.  So I have two raised beds and they each get one.  Here is a pic of the three younger kids working on their beds.  (The wood we scrounged around for in  the burn pile and a neighbors burn pile. .frugal huh??)

Lastly,  a pic of our newly acquired rooster, 12 weeks old.  Right now the chickens are bigger than he is and peck him.  Thankfully, he can get out and away from them during the day.  At night,  well,  let's just say I haven't found any blood yet.  I hope he man's up soon and puts those hens in their place.  I want some chicks this spring.  Pretty isn't he?

No name yet.  In the running is Mr. Scott and Hugo. Do you like one or the other?  Let me know and I will tell the girls. 

Sorry for not posting in so long.  I vacillate between writing what's on my heart, which sometimes shouldn't be spoken of, and writing day to day happenings.  Hopefully I can combine these and just have fun here. 

thanks for reading,

Rebekah