Thursday, August 31, 2006

50 things
Actually, it's just 49 things. There is no 17.

I swiped this from Well Mannered Frivolity




1. My roommate and I once: Had a falling out. I left the room and never saw her again. Harsh.

2. Never in my life have I: wanted to be an actress on the stage.

3. The one person who can drive me nuts, but then can always manage to make me smile is: Katie Gracie Booshay. She is so silly.

4. High school was: Mostly a blast.

5. When I'm nervous: Get a tummy ache.

6. The last time I cried was: Yesterday. Watching the video of the firemen and Josh.

7. If I were to get married right now, my bridesmaids would be: Well. This is weird. Say...re-married and the answer would be Emma and flowergirl Katie.

8. Would you rather run naked through a crowded place or have someone e-mail your deepest secret to all your friends? I choose neither.

9. My hair: Is blonder than ever and yes, blondes do have more fun.

10. When I was 5: I was a part of a big happy family.

11. Last Christmas: Seems like ages ago...

12. When I turn my head left: I see a blank wall.

13. I should be: Putting my shoes on to go for a walk.

14. When I look down I see: Tan Berberish carpet.

15. The craziest recent event was: Walking around Chicago.

16. If I were a character on "Friends": I'd be Rachel. I cause I look just like her. Ha ha ha ha ha

18. My favorite aunt is: Can't choose favorites...my mother would never allow it.

19. I have a hard time understanding: Aids in Africa

20. One time at a family gathering: There was a whole lamb on the table with an apple in it's mouth. It was Greek Easter.

21. You know I like you if: I wear my heart on my sleeve...it's not hard to tell.

22. If I won an award, the first person I'd thank: The person who handed me the award.

23. Take my advice: Forgiven quickly and often.


24. My ideal breakfast is: Before the Fat Flush. A salt bagel with butter, cream cheese, and olives.

25. If you visit my home town: You will have some frozen custard.

26. Sometime soon I plan to visit: the bathroom

27. If you spend the night at my house: you will have nice clean sheets and be very welcome.

28. I'd stop my wedding if: Oh. So many reasons to stop a wedding. It's forever.

29. The world could do without: Natural disasters.

30. I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: re-live 1998.

31. The most recent thing I've bought myself is: In-Style Magazine

32. The most recent thing someone else bought for me is: Emma brought me a shawl from England. It is bright pink.

33. My favorite red head is: Well....remember what I said about favorites...I have too many red heads to love around here!

34. My favorite brunette is: Sis' Sue and Janice, a sis

35. My car must have a sign on it that reads: Drive slowly in front of this vehicle.

36. The last time I was drunk: never. I have always been a straight arrow.

37. The animals I would like to see flying besides birds: I think I will keep it small...if you know what I mean....a mouse.

38. I shouldn't have been: talking about that girl behind her back...
I was caught and it was horrible. I learned a lesson....the hard way.

39. I should have: had lots more children...

40. Last night I: started reading The Girl of Limberlost.

41. There's this girl I know who: was in the original cast of Les Miserable.

42: I don't know: what the future holds....but I know Who holds the future....

43. A better name for me would be: Princess Buttercup

44. If I ever go back to school I'll: be the oldest person in class.

45. How many days until my birthday? Twenty-seven

46. One dead celebrity I wish I'd met is: Princess Diana

47. I've lived at my current address since: April 2002

48. I've been told I look like: My sister Nancy.

49. If I could have any car, it would be: Oh goodness...some sort of foreign-made convertible.

50. If I got a new cat tomorrow, I would name it: Lucy...
it would be a big cat...like a Ragdoll or a Maine Coon






There.

I'm ready for breakfast.

In the middle of this meme...I went for a quick 25 minute walk with a friend, who lives down the street.

I can't tell you how much I love walking first thing in the morning.

It's over before I know it...and my exercise is taken care of for the day!

So good.


Feel free to borrow this meme, and use it on a day you are at a loss for words :o)

If one of the questions sparks a funny or interesting story, why don't you share it with us in the comment box!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

Elisabeth Elliot on The Gift of Work


Wouldn't it make an astounding difference, not only in the quality of the work we do(in office, schoolroom, factory, kitchen, or backyard) but also in our satisfaction, even our joy, if we recognized God's gracious gift in every single task, from making a bed or bathing a baby to drawing a blueprint or selling a computer? If our children saw us doing "heartily as unto the Lord" all the work we do, they would learn true happiness. Instead of feeling that they must be allowed to do what they like, they would learn to like what they do.

St. Ignatius Loyola prayed, "Teach us, Good Lord, to labor and to ask for no reward save that of knowing that we do Thy will." As I learn to pray that prayer, I find that there are many more rewards that come along as fringe benefits. As we make an offering of our work, we find the truth of a principle Jesus taught: Fulfillment is not a goal to achieve, but always the by-product of sacrifice.
~ Elisabeth Elliot


"Instead of feeling that they must be allowed to do what they like, they would learn to like what they do."

I love that!







One of my favorites


A Song from the Suds

Queen of my tub, I merrily sing,
While the white foam raises high,
And sturdily wash, and rinse, and wring,
And fasten the clothes to dry;
Then out in the free fresh air they swing,
Under the sunny sky.

I wish we could wash from our hearts and our souls
The stains of the week away,
And let water and air by their magic make
Ourselves as pure as they;
Then on the earth there would be indeed
A glorious washing day!

Along the path of a useful life
Will heart's-ease ever bloom;
The busy mind has no time to think
Of sorrow, or care, or gloom;
And anxious thoughts may be swept away
As we busily wield a broom.

I am glad a task to me is given
To labor at day by day;
For it brings me health, and strength, and hope,
And I cheerfully learn to say-
"Head, you may think; heart, you may feel;
But hand, you shall work always!"

Louisa May Alcott




Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s. Make sure you visit Janet's blog today. She has a heartwarming story to share.

Tuesday, August 29, 2006

The Incredible Shrinking Mom shared this link yesterday.

I love the name of her diet;

The Elf Diet


Eat Less, Fatty.

:o)


That frankness reminds me of Camy's answer when I asked her what she thought of different diet plans...

Is it too many carbs? Too much sugar? Too much fat?

She said,





Brilliant.



And for those of you have been around here a long time, bear with me, cause I'm going to share, once again, my favorite dieting tip of all....




Never eat more than you can lift.
~Miss Piggy



Since returning from the land of Garrets and The Cheesecake Factory, I have buckled down with my FF list and started listening to my hunger again.

Two of the holiday pounds have already been banished :o)

Two more to go and then I will sincerely work toward my new goal of -35 by my birthday on Sept. 27th!
That's five pounds in the next month. Not so bad.

Short term goals are good, I've been told.

I'm going to give it a try :o)

Get Excited, Get, Get, Excited!

Ugh...we actually cheered that cheer in high school.

What can I say?


Happy Tuesday!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Monday, August 28, 2006

My favorite fashions from the 2006 Emmy Awards.


I think I have noticed a trend.

















I love that all of these women are older than 30...

perhaps even older than 40!

Nope. I just checked, Debra Messing is 38.
Julie-Louis Dreyfus is 45 :o)
And Helen Mirren's age is immaterial, as our father would say.

She looked elegant, from head to toe.


I think variety and purple were the key fashion elements last night...

But around here, I only had one thing on my mind, I guess...

white.


The fashions were fun, the show was, as always, a disappointment (because my shows don't win) and the red-carpet hosts were goof-balls. They all tried so hard to be hip and clever and they all were just morons, basically.

Hey, but that's just my humble opinion.

I was wearing black pants, a boxy t-shirt, bare feet, a smattering of mascara and clean hair pulled back in a pony tail.

he he


*************


Our school visit was fun and interesting and tiring.

And, well, fattening.


But, it was a good experience. A lot more thought and prayer are in order, I think.

I love it and hate it at the same time.

Do you know what I mean?


Exciting and scary, all at the same time.

So many balls up in the air...

It takes a quiet spirit to deal.

And for me, that's hard to maintain. I will remind myself, over and over, during the next few months, that God is ultimately in control...

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; and lean not on your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct your way. [Proverbs 3:5, 6]



That will quiet my soul.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Thursday, August 24, 2006

The thing I don't like about thunderstorms in the night is that I can't watch them.

As if my keeping an eye on them,
keeps us safe.

Four different thunderstorms galloped through our area last night.

I quaked and counted thru them all.

(One-thousand one, One-thousand two...)

I can't help it.

I count the lightening flashes to know how far away they are.

My friend, Cindy, told me I don't have to worry about sleeping through a lightning strike.

It would wake me.

(Wouldn't it, Janet?)

But when you go to bed with thunderstorm and tornado warnings...

it's unsettling.

12:30 welcomed the first round.

I tip-toed through Katie's room, stepped on her playmobile people, and peered out her window. Not much to see besides one wildly swaying tree.

Back to bed to listen for the dreaded freight train sound.




Dawn arrived to the sound of fireworks and canon blasts.



What a night!

And in case you're wondering...










this is what I'm afraid of.


Encourage one another,

Donna aka The Cowardly Lion


p.s. We will be gone for a few days.
I'll post again late Saturday :o)

Wednesday, August 23, 2006

A Homeschool Meme







1) One homeschooling book you have enjoyed

For the Children's Sake.

I love the gentle, sweet, informative tone of this book.


2) One resource you wouldn't be without

The library



3) One resource you wish you had never bought

The Annals of America.

They take up a whole shelf and they are rarely opened.



4) One resource you enjoyed last year

Sister Wendy's DVD art series.

These DVD's piqued Emma's interest in Art.

We all enjoyed them...and wish we could find another series like them.

Do you know of one?




5) One resource you'll be using next year


For Katie

The Ordinary Parents Guide to Teaching Reading
Calvert Math
Getty-Dunbar Italics
First Language Lessons
Any Child Can Write
This Country of Ours
Pathway Readers




6) One resource you would like to buy

Rosetta Stone

French




7) One resource you wish existed

Art History Series like Sister Wendy...
but another person...with a different perspective



8) One homeschooling catalog you enjoy reading

The classic Timberdoodle.


9) One homeschooling website you visit often

Well, I used to visit The Well Trained Mind ever day (for five years)

But lately...Ebay has been my most often visited site.

I purchased three of Emma's expensive texts on Ebay. Three books for the price of one!

Woop!


Please feel free to take this meme.

I was tagged by LB



My goal for Katie this year.

To learn to read......

and like it.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Tuesday, August 22, 2006

Frankenlace





"It's Alive!"


I was asked in the comments a few days ago, "Is it hard to knit lace socks?"

I can answer that now.

It depends on your definition of the word hard.

:o)


I think climbing a mountain or doing Algebra are harder than knitting lace socks.

It's more like....walking around Chicago with blisters on your heels.

Fun. Pretty. Painful.



The hardest part is keeping your place.

Every row is different from the row before...so you must sit with the pattern on your lap (or within eyeshot (is that a word?))

If anyone speaks to you...or the phone rings...or you look away...
you could be in trouble.

How could this be made simpler, I mused to Lynn,

Me: I wish I had a little piece of paper that I could stick below the line of instructions I am knitting....that I could move, after each row.

Lynn: Like, a Post it?



Did I tell you....I'm not the sharpest tool in the shed?


But, I did buy some Post-its.

And I am getting the hang of it...

Yet, I have been warned...


"Wait until you turn the HEEL!"


Seriously!



Just imagine a cross between Winnie the Pooh and The Little Engine that Could...


'I think, think, think, I can.'




Encourage one another,
Donna

Monday, August 21, 2006

A First Faint Gleam of Heaven



To trust Him means, of course, trying to do all that He says. There would be no sense in saying you trusted a person if you would not take his advice.
Thus, if you have really handed yourself over to Him, it must follow that you are trying to obey Him.
But trying in a new way, a less worried way.
Not doing these things in order to be saved, but because He has begun to save you already.
Not hoping to get to Heaven as a reward for your actions, but inevitably wanting to act in a certain way because a first faint gleam of Heaven
is already inside you.

C.S. Lewis



I just wanted to share this quote with you this morning
because it is so filled with truth and hope.

There is also an easiness and confidence about it....

I find that comforting.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Saturday, August 19, 2006

A new blog...homeschool plans


For a long time, a gal named Mere has commented here at Quiet Life....
about a month ago, I noticed that she started her own blog, so I hopped over to visit her....

Besides being a friendly homeschooler...she is super crafty, posts Fine Art Friday and has the cutest little baby girl you ever saw!

Check out the outfit she made for her little one....

using men's boxers!!!

Mere@The Ugly Trunk



Emma will be a Senior this year.
Here are her courses.

Physics - Apologia Physics (Won it last night on Ebay)
Art 101 - Art in Focus
English - Warriner's English Grammar and Comp. Complete Course
Great Books - 1850-Present (Well Trained Mind reading list)
History/Civics - Magruder's American Government
Soccer Team
Choir
Latin (finishing up from last year)


How do ya like that?

It looks like a good year....the last year...of her homeschooling journey.

She has been the most wonderful student.

I could gush...

But I will wait until next May to do that :o)

Sixteen day til school starts!!!


When do your children go back to school? (home or otherwise?)


Encourage one another,
Donna

Wednesday, August 16, 2006

Friday.....Five Things Meme

I was tagged.

And a five things meme...seems right for Friday :o)



Five things in my freezer:
ore-ida shoestring potatoes
bread
bagels
strawberries
pina colada mix (for my smoothies, really)


Five things in my closet:
Woolen shoes
jammies
New jean jacket
boxes of fabric
wedding dress


Five things in my car:
gas cards
change
garbage
SAT book
Newsboys CD


Five things in my purse:
barrettes
mascara
wallet
library card
receipts


Five things on my mind:
prayers for others
Matthew going back to Omaha
where will Emma go to college?
it's almost time to walk
what happens next to Zippy?
(I am reading a book called "She got up off the couch")

***************

You may answer here...or at your own blog...
You may answer all....or just one or two categories.

No pressure :o)


Fine Art Friday




Kim Parker



I was searching for a traditional portrait of a flower. The kind framed in gold.
But I spotted this contemporary piece on the way and couldn't pass it by.

Isn't it lovely. The colors are wonderful. It reminds me of the ceiling made of glass flowers.


It's humid and chilly here this morning. Isn't that an odd, summertime, combo?


See you in the comments!

Encourage one another,
Donna
A mighty fine sight!




No shopping today.



Random quote meme


Go here, to the random quotes generator, and look through random quotes until you find five that you think:

a) reflect who you are

OR

b) what you believe.


To lose one parent, Mr Worthing, may be regarded as a misfortune; to lose both looks like carelessness.
Oscar Wilde, The Importance of Being Earnest, 1895, Act I


A friend is a gift you give yourself.
Robert Louis Stevenson


Have courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake.
Victor Hugo


Be not angry that you cannot make others as you wish them to be, since you cannot make yourself as you wish to be.
Thomas a Kempis, Imitation of Christ


That's the way things come clear. All of a sudden. And then you realize how obvious they've been all along.
Madeleine L'Engle, The Arm of the Starfish, 1965



Man, that Thomas a Kempis quote should have been part of our wedding vows.


The meme took me a while...and I cheated a little. When I couldn't find a quote I liked....I clicked on a writer and looked at their other quotes....so these are not quite as random as they should be....

But I looked for a long time and couldn't find any quotes that said anything I wanted to "stand behind".

Plus, not one Bible verse popped up.

The Bible is full of verses that reflect what I believe....

I know, I'll choose five Bible verses tomorrow.



Wishing you;

"courage for the great sorrows of life and patience for the small ones; and when you have laboriously accomplished your daily task, go to sleep in peace. God is awake."


Encourage one another,
Donna

I think it is time to read a book by Victor Hugo.
Ready, Set, Wait.

or

A Lace Sock Yarn.







I finally found some solid colored yarn to make the lacey socks with.
And then I misplaced the bag of yarn.

It was in the car....still, from the trip. It didn't make it into the house.

And then Emma kept driving away with the car.

So yesterday morning, I remembered the yarn, retrieved it from the car, chose the green from the bag, opened the pattern and read the needle requirements.

Size ones.

I've got those.

But where are they....



Ah. Here they are, otherwise occupied.

I must finish these pretty socks first.
This is how I learn patience and delayed gratification.

One doesn't go out and buy new 'Ones'...
Does one?


Have you ever bought new underwear because all your other unders were dirty?

I have not.

But I have purchased new wash cloths because all the other wash cloths were dirty.

For shame.


Encourage one another,
Donna


BTW, this accounts for drama....in my knitting world.

he he

Tuesday, August 15, 2006

Hey, Dad, you wanna have a catch?








Just another night in the old backyard.

Our personal field of dreams....

Just seeing Patrick and Matthew and Katie playing in the backyard brings me more joy than you can imagine.

Well, until Matthew beans Katie on the arm (to get her out)....

But, other than that...
our family...
just that alone...
it's my dream come true.



And, those cat ears,

they are to die for!!!

Doesn't Matthew look extra cute in that pic?


Encourage one another,
Donna

Field of Dreams

P.S. Today, I celebrate three months on the Fat Flush.
I have lost twenty-nine pounds. If you are interested in what I am doing....feel free to ask...I just don't want to bore everyone with the gorey details :o)

Monday, August 14, 2006

Summer Lovin'
Had me a blast....



As summer starts to wind down I was wondering,
what have been the highlights of your summer.

What have you done, or read, or learned, or seen...
that will stick with you and warm your thoughts
on a cold winter night?



I will remember:

my amazingly huge tomato plants and my pink rose...

walks around the neighborhood

Katie swimming like a big puppy...
and the comment "That one's bossy"

Emma venturing to England

the Fat Flush

our, always leaving, Matthew...

and most fondly
I will remember visits with my sisters and their families.



Summer's lease
hath all too short a date.
William Shakespeare (1564-1616)



Encourage one another,
Donna

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Hi!

Let's see if I remember how to do this :o)

We arrived home late yesterday afternoon.
Good safe drive.

Visiting with my sisters (and their families) is just so good for my heart.
I just love em so much!

Emma and her cousins really got along well. Cindy, Sue and I love to see this as we were very close to most of our cousins when we were growing up.

They went to the movies, and played soccer, went swimming and bummed around town.
Really sweet...and fun!

Sue and I worked on setting up for Kurt and Wes' graduation party on Wednesday. The food was being catered so we just need to organize and decorate.
We had a fun time working together!
(And ya know that saying, "Many hands make light work." It's true :o)

Grambo's funeral plans keep Cindy busy...but we were able to spend a lot of time with her too! Emma was very excited to see Cindy's bulldog...but poor Samson proved to be a big chicken :o) He is a real cutie tho!

Cindy and Sue both have good senses of humor and I had fun watching Emma watch them :o) They sure are fun to be around!





Jeff, Katie and Sue waiting for their Zip Burgers.





Emma and Cindy looking fab in their shades.





Mugs Up. We love this place.




Jeff, Emma and Wes are ready to tear up the soccer field!

Good times :o)

We missed Jim, Nancy, Janice and Janet....of course. But that didn't stop us from enjoying ourselves :o)

The graduates, Kurt and Wes, are very fine young men!
I'm proud to be their Auntie!

And I will say this for their parents...

Be Always Coming Home.


Have a wonderful August weekend! It's gorgeous here in Wisconsin.


Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s. I found the perfect solid colored sock yarn for the lace socks!!!
We dragged all of the kids to the yarn store. he he he

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

Katie, Emma and I are going to Missouri today.
We will be gone until Friday night.

We are delighted to spend time with sisters Sue and Cindy and their families.
Wednesday night Sue is giving her boys their High School graduation party.
That should be fun! It's outdoors...at their community pool...and there will be a full moon Wednesday night.
Katie will be in heaven...she loves a crowd :o) (Even if she doesn't know a soul)

So we're off.

Can't wait to see my wonderful sisters!


A few questions...while I'm away...


1. Congratulations! You've taken the first prize at the State Fair .... for what???

2. What is your favorite midnight snack?

3. What is your favorite black and white movie?

4. You have the chance to sing a duet with anyone, who will you choose? What song will you sing?

5. What three things are you thankful for today?



Those look like fun.

I'll peek in, when I can...


Encourage one another,
Donna

Monday, August 07, 2006

One of my (our) bloggy friends is in China, right now, working as a medical missionary. (But I bet they aren't allowed to call it that. She is working with a medical team.)

You know Amy as Amy @ Good Soil...or perhaps you know her as Amy Loves Bud...
I know her as Dr. Hottie Bikini.
Well, this week she has put the Dr. hat back on and she is

Amy in China

You can follow her adventures on her blog.


"Like Jesus we belong to the world living not for ourselves but for others. The joy of the Lord is our strength."


"I see God in every human being. When I wash the leper's wounds, I feel I am nursing the Lord himself. Is it not a beautiful experience?"


"Kind words can be short and easy to speak, but their echoes are truly endless."

~Mother Teresa




Emma and I went to see The Devil Wears Prada last night....this is a movie about people who are the complete oppposites of Mother Teresa. Completely.

Family, love, relationship...none of that is important.

Fashion...The Editor is god.

I am reminded of The Veggie Tales where everyone is forced to bow down to The Bunny.

If you don't worship The Bunny....it's all over for you.

The bunny, the bunny, oh, I love the bunny
I don't love my mom or my dad, just the bunny
The bunny, the bunny, oh, I love the bunny
I gave everything that I had for the bunny!


Ah. Idol worship.

We come by it so naturally.

(What is that verse about easily ensnaring??)

It's good to do an overview and reflect on what we may be making idols of...


I don't want anything to be more important to me than God.

But it doesn't always turn out that way.


I am thankful for God's Grace.

"Grace that is greater than all my sin..."


Encourage one another,
Donna

Saturday, August 05, 2006

The reason that the Ten Commandments are short and clear is that they were handed down direct, and not through several committees.
... Dan Bennett







The Ten Commandments in Verse for a child.


Above all else love God alone;
Bow down to neither wood or stone.
God's name refuse to take in vain;
The Sabbath rest with care maintain.
Respect your parents all your days;
Hold sacred human life always.
Be loyal to your chosen mate;
Steal nothing neither small nor great.
Report, with truth, your neighbor's deed;
And rid your mind of selfish greed.

from the MuGuffey Reader


Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday, August 04, 2006

Friday Feast



Appetizer
Name an actor or actress you think is totally underappreciated.

Soup
Impress us by using a big word in a sentence.

Salad
What is something inanimate that you've given a name to (such as a pet rock)?

Main Course
What color would best represent your personality and why?

Dessert
Fill in the blanks: ____________ is so ____________.



What, I hope, Emma has been doing at camp again this summer....





Emma had a blast at camp last summer, she made great friends and grew in her faith. But, there is no way to communicate with them up there. (Which makes me crazy)
So I looked for and found this photo from last summer.

And I love seeing Emma's happy face, along with her friend Carolyn's.
(Carolyn is in front.)

We will go and get Em tomorrow in Black River Falls.
Can't wait!


********


My fill in the blanks...

Life is so precious and God is so good.


Looking forward to reading your comments....

I think the underappreciated actor could be interesting.

Update****

Sorry, I forgot all about Fine Arts Friday





Here is a nice story about the artist I stumbled upon this week.
George Erikson
~Young Scientist

Encourage one another,

Donna

Thursday, August 03, 2006

We always had a cat when we were growing up. Our father would bring them home from the bakery. They kept cats around to chase the critters. How old fashioned is that? But when there were kittens, we would have them at our house for a while.

And then there was Rufus. Our orange cat. Rufus was a part of the family for a long time. I remember that Rufus spent a lot of time in sister Sue's room.

Cat's are like that I guess. They pick a favorite person.

Our cat has a favorite person. It's Emma.
And even when Emma is gone, Maggie the Sassy Cat, doesn't befriend us.

She hisses at us.

But this morning, Maggie was feeling friendly. She came and sat near me as I was trying to photograph the avocado Spring socks. And she licked my ankle.
Weird.

It's the yarn tho. She loves my yarn.
But only in the middle of the night.
She had a rip roaring time last night with two balls of yarn.

Nocturnal yarn stealer, that's her.






Avocado Spring.

It's really a funny name for these socks. Around here, avocados are green.

But I think of our mother when I think of avocados. She always had an avocado pit, in a glass of water, on our windowsill. Trying to sprout.

I don't remember one sprouting...but I remember the pit with toothpicks stuck in the sides.


If you look closely, you will see that the socks are a jumble of color.
And, well, the one sock has a blob of grey that is the shape of an avocado.

Goofy pooling yarn.


And that reminds me of our swimming pool in Wheaton.....



I'm changing the name of that yarn.

Avocado Memories.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Wednesday, August 02, 2006




In my Secret Garden by Mary St. Clair


This week Katie is attending Fairy Ballerina Camp.

Books will be read about fairies and the children will dance fairy dances, they will have scavenger hunts, make crafts and attend tea parties. (Yesterday, strawberries, mini chocolate chip muffins and tea were served.)

Katie has been dubbed Moonlight Fairy.

She is dressed and humming and ready to go already.

I think I will curl her very straight hair this morning....

fairies should have curls, don't you think?





~Margaret Tarrant


I am not big into pretend...but fairies do make a most charming subject, don't they?

Have you a fairy ring in your yard?


Encourage one another,
Donna

Tuesday, August 01, 2006

2:00 Update*******
Sister Sue has poison ivy and needs a remedy.
Please leave her your most excellent ideas in the comment box.
She has a reunion this weekend...and it's on her face!
Yikes!




Hot time in the summer sand....


Should we talk about the heat?

Thankfully we have air conditioning.
And we're not afraid to use it :o)

Now, if we had a black out or a brown out, like the good folks in the New York area experienced a few weeks back...well...I think I would go and sit in Katie's kiddie pool.

Wisconsin hot is not too bad in comparison with Missouri or Phoenix. Two places where I have stepped out of a cool house and actually gasped at the feel of the air. Both of those places, on the hottest days, remind me of living, um,
on the sun!


So, do you want to brag about how hot it got in your town yesterday?

It was (according to madison.com) 95 degrees here yesterday and the night time low was 78 degrees.


What did you do to keep cool?

Stayed in the house.


What is your favorite warm weather food?

I love salads and smoothies.

Katie loves bomb pops!





***************


Deep summer is when laziness finds respectability. ~Sam Keen


******************


For my kind and thoughtful blog-sistahs...


I would maintain that thanks are the highest form of thought, and that gratitude is happiness doubled by wonder. ~G.K. Chesterton



How far that little candle throws his beams!
So shines a good deed in a weary world.
~William Shakespeare



Encourage one another,
Donna