Saturday, September 30, 2006





To an Athlete Dying Young
Housman, A. E. (1859-1936)


The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.

To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.

Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.

Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears;

Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honours out,
Runners whom renown outran
And the name died before the man.

So set, before its echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.

And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl's.


******

Doesn't mom look especially young and pretty in that picture.
And dad, so happy to be in one of his favorite places(Acapulco) with his vibrant, adorable wife.


They most certainly did not wear their honours out.

Our beloved parents.

We miss them so.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday, September 29, 2006

Appetizer
What is your favorite herb or spice?

Salt is a spice right ;o)


Soup
Name a song you like but haven't heard in a long time.

I hadn't heard this song in a long time, until I watch Harold and Maude a few weeks ago. And I thought it was the most cheerful tune.

If you don't want to follow the link, the song is "If you want to sing out, sing out"
by Cat Stevens



Salad
What is the largest city you've ever lived in? What is the smallest city you've ever lived in?
I think Madison is the largest city I have ever lived in and Minocqua is the smallest...at least in the winter :o) Is it still unincorporated?


Main Course
Tell something interesting about one of your family members (nothing scandalous, please, just something unique).

Cindy has eleven toes.


No she doesn't. he he


She has twelve.


Dessert
What's the latest you've ever stayed awake?

I have stayed awake all night at least ten times.


Fine Art Friday- The September Edition




The Old House by L.S. Lowry

Lowry is from Manchester, England where Emma went to stay with the Waldeckers.
He is famous for painting factories and streets in Manchester.

His people became known as matchstick figures.

(That's for you, Melissa.)


Encourage one another,
Donna

Thursday, September 28, 2006

The List

  
Here are your names, birthday wishers.


The Pick




Sleepy picker with closed eyes.



The Socks

  


The Winner

Carol in Ore.


Yay for Carol!

(Now Carol, you must email me your address so I can send your socks to you!)



Thank you all for giving me the best birthday in a year :o)

There were seventy unique comments! I read every comment three times, at least!

Some of them made me laugh, some made me curious (you brave little lurkers, you), and
some made me blush, but truly, all made me feel wonderful on my birthday!

I really don't know why I am so blessed.

Thank you, All!



Encourage one another,
Donna




(Excuse the wonky picture sizes. Photobucket is not allowing me to size my pictures anymore. It is willy-nilly, I tell you.)

Wednesday, September 27, 2006





Happy Birthday to ME!!!


Birthdays are good for you. The more you have,
the longer you live
- Unknown


Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened. ~Jennifer Yane

Wisdom doesn't necessarily come with age. Sometimes age just shows up all by itself. ~Tom Wilson

Write it on your heart that every day is the best day in the year. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson


Life moves pretty fast. If you don't stop to look around once in a while you could miss it. ~From the movie Ferris Bueller's Day Off


The secret of staying young is to live honestly, eat slowly, and lie about your age. ~Lucille Ball


I am the happy recipient of another birthday! It is a gift I will never regret nor turn down!

So, happy am I, to welcome another year!!!

Donna Elsie
6 lbs. 13 oz.
19 inches

Reddish-brown hair
Blue Eyes



I think our mother was wishing for a red-head. (My hair wasn't really reddish-brown)

She would be so delighted with all of her red-headed grandchildren!

And she would be delighted to give herself a birthday party!

Tap shoes and all....


So I continue the tradition...

The celebration of life!

Let's see how many birthday wishes I get today....????

I will write the name from each comment on a piece of paper and choose a winner by the end of the day!

The winner will receive a pair of hand knit socks!


Party time.
Donna's house.

Let the wild rumpus start!



Encourage one another,
Donna

Tuesday, September 26, 2006

Book lovers question


If you could visit any book, and live inside of it, meet the characters, etc.... what book would you want to visit?






I would choose Pride and Prejudice but I don't think I want to live with That Mother!

So I will choose Sense and Sensibility. It's full of the sisterly drama that I love, the setting is lovely, the clothes are appealing to me and a trip to London would be a great adventure.

I would like being around kind Brandon and I think I would get along very well with Elinor.

(Of course, I am assuming all in the book would be just like the movie...since, true to form, I have seen the movie (many, many times) and read just bits of the book.)



Fellow blogger Mere sewed a Regency gown and models it on her blog.

I sure admire clothing made by hand. It takes great skill to do it well.


Un-birthday build-up

Don't forget to come by tomorrow, September 27th, to wish me a Happy Un-birthday! (shameless, just shameless)

A drawing to win a pair of socks is in order, don't you think?

And since I am not announcing my age anymore....
I will wish for enough comments to last a lifetime :o)


So answer the bloggy question today
and come back tomorrow!

My birthday is always a blast around here!!!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Monday, September 25, 2006

Lynn sent this to me yesterday.


Here's the quote from a 1914 issue of Women's World. I love how it starts:

Suppose you are a housewife. Your home is small. Your means are limited. Your "things to do with" are meager. Your children are trying. Your work is hard and monotonous....There you have a stream of events bearing you down. If you yield you become nervous, irritable, discontented, perhaps eventually careless and slovenly, a physical wreck and spiritual misery. And now, suppose you make up your mind not to yield. Suppose you say to yourself, "I will think beautiful thoughts. I will make my surroundings cheerful. I will be happy and strong and brave and make my husband and children even as I am." That you reply, is easier said than done. It is very hard. Wait!...it is not so hard as you imagine. Cease pitying yourself. Say, when you awake in the morning, "The world is beautiful. There are many great, noble, unconquerable souls. I am one of them....I shall make this house glow with peace and good will."



This is how women were encouraged.

I can read it and it sounds patronizing....or I can read it an it sounds uplifting.

I can read it earnestly and take encouragement from it.

But it also rings of Cher slapping Nicolas Cage in Moonstruck and shouting 'Snap out of it'.

It's the timeframe and mindframe, I am sure.

I have a few 'snap out of it' people in my life...and I like them...and respect them.

A few 'snap out of its' can bring you back from that black hole of self-pity.


As the Woman's World article exhorts....

Start your day with a positive and thankful attitude and you will be better able to handle the trials of the day.

It's just a little kinder than a slap.


"A cheerful heart is a good medicine…" (Proverbs 17:22).


Encourage one another,
Donna

Saturday, September 23, 2006

Sun Prairie Tournament today...


  





  




  

Click on photos to make them larger...and get a good look at our mid-fielder.

We dodged the rain yesterday...
hope our luck holds out!

Thank you so very much for the photos, Anita!

You are a wonderful friend and photographer :o)

Go Tigers!


Thanks for all the fun comments yesterday!
You know how to make a girls day!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday, September 22, 2006

"All I want for my birthday is a Tivo"
Donna




Click Photo Please.



  


*tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, tap, spin, twirl, wiggle, wiggle, giggle*

That's me doing a happy dance!

The official countdown to the unbirthday has begun...
five days to go....



I almost forgot (I was so excited to post the photo of the Tivo box I am writing this on Thursday...but hey....

it's Friday now so...





Friday Feast

Appetizer
Measured in minutes or hours, how much exercise have you had in the last week?
60 minutes (my walking partner has quit)


Soup
If you had to change your blog title to something else, what would it be?

Not sure...but if I had an entertainment blog I would call it,
Chance Writes...or something to that effect.


Salad
Name one television show you watched when you were 9-12 years old.

The Brady Bunch, The Flintstones, Marcus Welby MD. (my love of medical shows started young :o)...I could go on...


Main Course
If someone gave you $50 to spend with the one condition that it had to be educational, what would you purchase?

New Prism Colors-the best colored pencils


Dessert
Do you tend to prefer dark colors, neutral shades, or lighter/pastel hues?

Dark on the bottom, light on the top.



***********

For those that watched, tell me what you thought about Grey's Anatomy?

Patrick Demsey is an exceptional actor. I can't get over it.
And when Christina came to see Burke and told him not to die...unbelievable...perfection...

I know. I watched it twice.

Cause. I got a Tivo :o)



Encourage one another,
Donna

P.S. Three Cheers for my dear hubby! He skipped his dinner to get the Tivo working for me. Love you.

Thursday, September 21, 2006

Katie's little friends, sister's Leonie and Sophia, came over to play yesterday afternoon.
After flitting about the house, a bomb pop each, and playing Mario tennis they asked for a scavenger hunt. I only came up with a few things...
rock
Pinecone
bug
stick
leaf
candy



I could NOT think of anything else.
Even tho they asked and would have loved to find more.

(read: send scavenger ideas to the comment box, please :o)

A big green grasshopper was found and gawked at. I tried to pick it up for the girls...but it's feet were pokey and it made me jump and scream a little. So I gave up on that!


The hidden candy, however, was brilliant move on my part. he

After the briefest hunt ever, they came back in.

And I suggested they color with the Oil Pastels.



Well, this was a huge hit.
I think they colored for over an hour.



So there it is, my exciting news for Thursday.




and this.

"Mom, come and take my picture. The cat is letting me pet her."


friends
candy
coloring
and a cuddle with the sassy cat


That makes for a pretty great day :o)

Encourage one another,
Donna

Wednesday, September 20, 2006

Here's the deal....

At my blog, if I say, I'm really busy...that is the code phrase for...
I'll be out of town and the girls will be home alone.

Lynn, always suspects and she writes me funny emails wondering what I am really up to :o)

I just hate to announce to the world that our girls will be home alone.

But yesterday I went to a funeral in Chicagoland.

Our cousin Jim died of cancer. Last I saw him was Aunt Lola's funeral. He was not/did not know he was sick yet.

He was friendly and talkative and warm. He wore a Jewish Prayer shawl around his hips. He had become a Jew since the last time I had seen him.

This was a puzzlement to most of us. Jim had been raised Catholic.

So yesterday I listened with great interest as the Psalms were read in Hebrew.
(Such an interesting language. I could not decipher any words....except Amen)

We all went to the gravesite and watched as they lowered the casket into the ground. After a short prayer we were instructed to throw dirt on the casket as a gift to our loved one. This is considered a loving gesture because one is not able to bury themselves. So we do it for them.
Without this explanation I might have found this creepy.
But it was touching.


My brother Jim and sister Sue both flew in for the funeral. They are well and I love looking at their faces and just being with them.

Cousin Jim's parents are still living and they were both at the funeral, of course. Along with many close and dear cousins. (You must remember, we are Greek)

And speaking of Greek...we had a dinner afterward at Yanni's;
A Greek Restaurant.



Honestly, someone needs to have a wedding or plan a reunion so we can all have a good ole' time, instead of always and only seeing one another at funerals.



Encourage one another,
Donna

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

Alphabet Meme

A - Accent: Ask my sisters ;o)
B - Breakfast Item: Toasted something or other...soft boiled eggs.
C - Chore you hate: Washing floors
D - Dad's Name: Jim, Jimmy
E - Essential everyday item: Tooth Paste-Colgate
F - Flavor ice cream: Almond Joy
G - Gold or Silver?: Gold
H - Happy Place: Someplace with a wide open view of the sky.
I - Insomnia: When I was 8+ months pregnant...I could not sleep!
J - Job - I love my job as a wife, mom and teacher.
K - Kids: Make the world go round
L - Living arrangements: Currently. One husband, two daughters, one cat.
M - Mom's birthplace: Loretto Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
N - Name your pets: Rufus, Frango, Zorba, Cooper, Emma, Sterling, Maggie. (That's in my whole life, not presently living with us :o)
O - Overnight hospital stays: Five births including my own. One bowel obstruction and one ruptured appendix.
P - Phobia: Poverty.
Q - Question: Is this a boring meme?
R - Religious Affiliation: Christian.
S - Siblings: Jim, Nancy, Sue, Cindy, Janice and Janet
T - Time you wake up: 6:30am
U - Unnatural hair colors you've had: Blonde highlights.
V - Vegetable you refuse to eat: Lima beans *gag* *shudder*
W - Worst habit: Laziness
X - X-rays you've had: Tummy. Back and neck. Teeth.
Y - Yummy: Cheesecake Factory's BANG-BANG CHICKEN AND SHRIMP
A Spicy Thai Dish with the Flavors of Curry, Peanut, Chile and Coconut. Sauteed with Vegetables and Served over Rice
Z - Zoo animal: Polar Bear






A simple meme for a busy day.

Why not post a picture of your Happy Place on you blog today?

I'll be back tonight to see.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Monday, September 18, 2006

The Girl of the Limberlost

Too lovely not to share.




"The swamp is almost ruined now," she said. "The maples, walnuts, and cherries are all gone. The talking trees are the only things left worth while."

"The 'talking trees'! I don't understand," commneted Ammon.

"No wonder!" laughed Elnora. "They are my discovery. You know all trees whisper and talk during the summer, but there are two that have so much to say they keep on the whole winter, when the others are silent. The beeches and oaks so love to talk, they cling to their dead , dry leaves. In the winter the winds are stiffest and blow most, so these trees whisper, chatter, sob, laugh, and at times roar until the sound is deafening. They never cease until new leaves come out in the spring to push off the old ones. I love to stand beneath them with my ear to the great trunks, interpreting what they say to fit my moods. The beeches branch low, and their leaves are small so they only know common earthly things; but the oaks run straight above almost all other trees before they branch, their arms are mighty, their leaves large. They meet the winds that travel around the globe, and from them learn the big things."

Ammon studied the girl face. "What do the beeches tell you, Elnora?" he asked gently.

"To be patient, to be unselfish, to do unto others as I would have them do to me."
"And the oaks?"

"They say 'be true,' 'live a clean life,' 'send your soul up here and let the winds of the world teach it what honour achieves."

...."All the other trees are harps in the winter. Their trunks are the frames, their branches the strings, the winds the musicians. When the air is cold and clear, the world very white, and the harp music swelling, then the talking trees tell the strengthening, uplifting things.






It is a gift when words can change the way you see something; adding beauty and wonder to the everyday.

Wishing you a wonder-filled week.

Encourage one another,
Donna

Saturday, September 16, 2006





It's all about the yarn with these chunky mittens.

You might remember (if you have a mind like a steel trap) that this yarn was made into a cute little hat for Katie. It was, however, a bit small.

And this yarn is too precious to be buried on a shelf...so I unwound two little hats and made this pair of mittens.

These will be worn. For years to come.

(I have never knit mittens with a rolled up cuff, this was an experiment that went well. One more thing, they were fast. Just a few hours and they were done. )


I watched Mona Lisa Smile while I knit these mittens.

Have you seen that movie?

I like it very much. Especially because someone shared my 'voice'.

Joan Brandwyn: It was my choice... not to go. He would have supported it.
Katherine Watson: But you don't have to choose.
Joan Brandwyn: No, I have to. I want a home; I want a family, that's not something I'll sacrifice.
Katherine Watson: No-one's asking you to sacrifice that, Joan, I just want you to understand you can do both.
Joan Brandwyn: Do you think I'll wake up one morning and regret not being a lawyer?
Katherine Watson: Yes, I'm afraid that you will.
Joan Brandwyn: Not as much as I regret not having a family, not being there to raise them. I know exactly what I'm doing and it doesn't make me any less smart.
[Katherine looks down]
Joan Brandwyn: This must seem terrible to you.
Katherine Watson: I didn't say that.
Joan Brandwyn: Sure you did. You always do. You stand in class and tell us to look beyond the image, but you don't. To you a housewife is someone who sold her soul for a center hall colonial. She has no depth, no intellect, no interests. You're the one who said I could do anything I wanted. This is what I want.


Great speech, earnestly given.

Mona Lisa Smile was also beautiful and nostalgic to look at and brought to light a few more interesting issues. (I borrowed the movie two days later from the library and watched it with Emma.)

I looked beyond the image and my own preconceived notions....
and enjoyed the movie.


It is breathtakingly beautiful outside today, I must think of some way to make the most of it.

Perhaps the zoo?


Have a lovely weekend!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday, September 15, 2006

Friday Feast


Appetizer
What was the very last song you listened to?


I think the last song I listened to was something from Grey's Anatomy last night on television. But the song that I woke up with in my head is Nick Lachey's Incomplete. So if listening in my head counts. It's that song. Which I don't especially like...but it's there.

Soup
What is one company/store/corporation you would recommend that people stay away from?


Philip Morris.

Salad
On a scale of 1 to 10 with 10 being highest, how much do you enjoy having your picture made?


One. I feel all fake and weird smiling in front of the camera. I would like to learn to hold my face with a pleasant expression. But I haven't learned how to do that yet.

Main Course
Besides a bookmark, what is something you've used to keep your place in a book?


I really like to use the flap of the book's cover as a bookmark. If the book doesn't have a cover, I use any old piece of paper.

But I have the most wonderful bookmarks...



That is a yarn label, laminated and decorated with the actual yarn.
Handmade by the clever and talented, Lynn in Wi.

Dessert
Name a food that you like that most people don't.


This question is harder than I expected.

Blue Cheese or onions, I guess.

I like onions a lot :o)


**********

Survivor started last night...anyone watching?

I know from Janet's blog, that the Glyman girls are watching Dancing with the Stars.
(Read her comments from Sunday and Thursday)

We can't help it. The love of dancing is in our genes :o)


***********


Emma has her first soccer game tonight.

She has been playing soccer for fourteen years. That's amazing!

Many thanks to Anita from organizing the homeschool high school soccer team.
It has kept Emma healthy and happy.
It is one of her best things in life :o)

Now....

Go Tigers!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Don't forget the Friday Feast.

Thursday, September 14, 2006

Does technology improve your quality of life?

This morning, I have to say, technology does not improve my life. It gives me a royal pain the neck.

I tried for one hour and fifteen minutes to get on line. I unplugged routers and modems, numerous times. I waded through the most inane voice menu only to be told to unplug everything...again...

Okay. I know you have had this happen. And you don't want to hear me rail against the man.

I just need to take a deep breath and calm my troubled spirit.

Ya See.

No internet. No worries.


But it also means. No you.


Would no internet send me outside to talk to a neighbor? Would I make a phone call or send a letter? Would I feel lonely enough for companionship to seek it elsewhere?


Do I even want to try?


Ten years ago, when we first got plugged in to the internet, I told my husband...

"This thing is just a fad."

He loves to remind me that I said that!


Encourage one another,
Donna

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Senior Year English Class

Emma is using the classic, Warriner's English Grammar and Composition:Complete Course.

I chose, however, to approach it in a odd way.
We are starting at the back of the book.

We often don't make it to the last chapter of the book in English. I know Emma did not reach the end of her Rod and Staff Book last year. She could have continued with that book as it is THAT comprehensive...but I had an opportunity to use the Warriner's and I took it.

With glee.

You see, in my world, Warriner's English is the Holy Grail of high school curriculum.

Here's why.

The lessons are well written and enjoyable...but teacher's manuals are nearly extinct.

It is not difficult to find a Warriner's text(I haven the 1977 books). But it is nearly impossible to find the teacher's manuals. I looked for two years to find manuals and then gave up.

But last Spring, as I visited with a homeschool mom at the library and she told me she had copies of the manuals and she kindly offered to make me a copy of the manual that I needed.

*Imagine, Angels singing, trumpets sounding and Donna doing a happy little dance :o)


Thank you, Mojgan.

So anyway, why am I telling you this?

Oh yeah.

The end of the book is Spelling and Vocabulary. I really like vocabulary and I know many of you do, too.



So you are getting a Pop Quiz today!

Here goes. You know the drill.

Diagnostic Test

1. to augment the budget
a)increase
b)examine closely
c)reduce
d)disapprove of

2. to ascertain to facts
a)cover up
b)review)
c)find out
d)testify to

3. a king known for his avarice
a)wisdom
b)vanity
c)deceitfulness
d)greed

4. a biennial event
a)twice yearly
b)every two weeks
c)every two years
d)twice daily

5. a blithe mood
a)bitter
b)proud
c)angry
d)carefree

6. an offer to capitulate
a)confer
b)mediate
c)compromise
d)surrender

7. a suspicion of collusion
a)robbery
b)foolishness
c)mistrustfulness
d)agreement to deceive

8. to conjecture about the facts
a)talk
b)lie
c)guess
d)conceal the truth

9. to corroborate testimony
a)testify about
b)confirm
c)deny
d)question

10. to act under duress
a)compulsion
b)misunderstanding
c)difficulties
d)bribery

11. an imposing edifice
a)natural wonder
b)manner
c)speech
d)building

12. wholesome environment
a)nourishment
b)outlook
c)surroundings
d)diet

13. a leader's foible
a)weakness
b)habit
c)example
d)follower

14. an interminable show
a)worthless
b)endless
c)tedious
d)difficult to describe

15. to intimidate a witness
a)make disappear
b)make fearful
c)bribe
d)coach

16. to nurture a child
a)neglect
b)give medicine to
c)scold
d)feed and bring up

17. a sign of opulence
a)poverty
b)health
c)wealth
d)generosity

18. a prosaic sight
a)commonplace
b)solemn
d)stirring
d)peaceful

19. a prudent action
a)unexpected
b)ill-mannered
c)sensible
d)foolish

20. good-natured raillery
a)scuffling
b)boisterousness
c)competition
d)mockery

21. a well-deserved reproof
a)promotion
b)reprimand
c)apology
d)recognition

22. an act showing sagacity
a)experience
b)feebleness
c)good judgment
d)ole age

23. a sanguine outlook
a)hopeful
b)pessimistic
c)quarrelsome
d)depressing

24. the travail of the artist
a)illness
b)oppression
c)bad luck
d)toil

25. a volatile temperament
a)changeable
b)disagreeable
c)sluggish
d)easygoing


*sigh*

I will put the answers in comments.


I can't say the word 'Holy Grail' without thinking of this;




Tis but a scratch.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Tuesday, September 12, 2006




Ceramic bowl by Jennie Lanners

You might expect me to buy yarn at the Sheep and Wool festival. But, I was delighted by this small bowl, instead.

I almost forgot that we went...we spent such a short time there :o)

Hubby came along this year and I forgot to tell him the main attractions was the yarn "store". He took Katie to see the sheep, which she deemed too smelly and they took a quick walk around the joint.

All Katie really cared about at the fair was getting something to eat. Which she didn't. Long lines...and Lamb burgers, ewe.

We drove through Jefferson to find a fast food restaurant and must have turned the wrong way...because they don't have a row of fast food restaurants in Jefferson Wisconsin, from what we could see.

But they do have a great burger dive- You know, old grandfathered place- A shack like Muggs Up.

We love that sort of place.

Darn, if I can think of the name.

(It's Burger something and I just spent 1/2 hour searching for it. No luck)

Patrick and I enjoyed our burgers, but Katie ordered a hot dog which it arrived with tough skin. She didn't eat a bite.

The owner, of unknown Burger Joint, asked Katie if she would like to make her own soft serve ice cream cone.

After she make her own wobbly, free, vanilla cone, she was invited to come back in a few years to work.

Sweet.

She ate the whole thing.


Encourage one another,
Donna

And support small family owned businesses.
Everybody wins :o)
Our friends in Marinette own Mickey-Lu Bar-B-Q

Monday, September 11, 2006

Christ in me -the hope of glory
~Elisabeth Elliot tape

1. Strive to see God in all things.
2. Do everything for God.
3. Do everything quietly.
4. Commend all to God.
5. Lie still.
6. Cling simply to God.
7. Maintain a holy simplicity of mind.
8. Do not smother yourself with a host of cares.


On a day where the news is full of terror and sadness and fear...

my hope is in the Lord.



The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

He maketh me to lie down in green pastures:
he leadeth me beside the still waters.

He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the
paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the
shadow of death; I will fear no evil: for thou
art with me; thy rod and thy staff they
comfort me.

Thou preparest a table before me in the
presence of mine enemies: thou anointest
my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all
the days of my life; and I will dwell in the
house of the Lord for ever.

Psalm 23 - Bible - Psalm of David




Encourage one another,
Donna

Saturday, September 09, 2006

Alphabet Meme

A - Accent: Ask my sisters ;o)
B - Breakfast Item: Toasted something or other...soft boiled eggs.
C - Chore you hate: Washing floors
D - Dad's Name: Jim, Jimmy
E - Essential everyday item: Tooth Paste-Colgate
F - Flavor ice cream: Almond Joy
G - Gold or Silver?: Gold
H - Happy Place: Someplace with a wide open view of the sky.
I - Insomnia: When I was 8+ months pregnant...I could not sleep!
J - Job - I love my job as a wife, mom and teacher.
K - Kids: Make the world go round
L - Living arrangements: Currently. One husband, two daughters, one cat.
M - Mom's birthplace: Loretto Hospital, Chicago, Illinois
N - Name your pets: Rufus, Frango, Zorba, Cooper, Emma, Sterling, Maggie. (That's in my whole life, not presently living with us :o)
O - Overnight hospital stays: Five births including my own. One bowel obstruction and one ruptured appendix.
P - Phobia: Poverty.
Q - Question: Is this a boring meme?
R - Religious Affiliation: Christian.
S - Siblings: Jim, Nancy, Sue, Cindy, Janice and Janet
T - Time you wake up: 6:30am
U - Unnatural hair colors you've had: Blonde highlights.
V - Vegetable you refuse to eat: Lima beans *gag* *shudder*
W - Worst habit: Laziness
X - X-rays you've had: Tummy. Back and neck. Teeth.
Y - Yummy: Cheesecake Factory's BANG-BANG CHICKEN AND SHRIMP
A Spicy Thai Dish with the Flavors of Curry, Peanut, Chile and Coconut. Sauteed with Vegetables and Served over Rice
Z - Zoo animal: Polar Bear






A simple meme for a busy day.

Why not post a picture of your Happy Place on you blog today?

I'll be back tonight to see.


Encourage one another,
Donna
Ok Go---Here it Goes Again

The Amazing Treadmill Music Video.

Watch it here and enjoy the delightful choreography!

Let me know if you have seen or heard of an out-take clip of this video...I would love to see that!



*********

Flame was a hit! Katie came home worn out, but in a good way :o)

Her room is nice and tidy.

I finally had the courage to go through her clothes and I made the decision to give it all to Goodwill.

In June, I attempted to de-clutter, but only got as far as the bags:

A. Junky-holes in knees- Garbage bag
B. Out of style-worn- Goodwill bag
C. Still cute and nice- Garage Sale Bag
D. Favorite outfits- Can't Part with it Bag

Five bags are going to Goodwill.

The Can't Part with it Bag is staying here.

You see Katie wore some of Emma's clothes. Imagine the memories wrapped up in those pretty little dresses. I don't have the heart to say goodbye yet.


*********

The Sheep and Wool Festival is this weekend.
Might be a nice diversion.


Packers play tomorrow.
Our team is very young...
except for our quarterback.


  


While there's Brett, there's hope






Go Pack Go!



Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday, September 08, 2006

Friday Feast...with some adjustments.


Appetizer
Who was the last person you hugged?


Soup
Would you ever have plastic surgery?

Salad
What do you like to order from your favorite fast food place?

Main Course
What time of day do you usually feel most energized?

Dessert
When you were a kid, what job did you most want to have when you grew up?



***********

Our local homeschool Co-op starts today. It is called FLAME. Families Learning Art and Music...er.....something or other.
(Nancy or Anita would know this :o)

Katie will be in art (with Kris P. from the comments) and choir and Emma will be in choir only.

So exciting!



I get to will stay home...alone...

And watch Regis and Kelly :o)

I will also tackle Katie's bedroom which is in need of a thorough cleaning.

Perhaps every Friday morning I will deep clean a different room in the house. Now that's a fine idea.

I'll let you know if I do it :o)


********

I have lived in Illinois and Wisconsin my whole life. To me, harvest is September.

It was odd to hear that many of you experience this bounty so much earlier than we do.

I am still waiting for my big tomatoes to turn red.




Well, I better go and wake up Katie...she has a big day.


See you in the comments!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Wednesday, September 06, 2006

Life is just a bowl of cherry tomatoes!








In all of their homegrown glory :o)


I think it is time to post a picture of your garden harvest!
Let us know (in the comments) if you post a picture!

Thanks!




It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato.
~Lewis Grizzard



Encourage one another,
Donna
Here's what I want to know.

Why does the cool air stay outside on a cool night?

It seems that the cool air will waft into the family room on the ground level...but especially upstairs, it doesn't want to come in.

I have a fan near the window to encourage the cool air to flow through the bedroom....but it just prefers to stay outside.

It's very strange.


My sister Cindy has a attic fan.

It is a giant fan in the ceiling. It sucks air out. On a cool night, you open the windows and that cool air pours into the house.

I dream of that attic fan.


*******

School went very well.
Katie read Go, Dog, Go to me.




Notice the chips. Those were her idea. She would pop on in her mouth as she finished a page.





And then this seemed to be the right thing to do.



Oh, how I love that little one.
She makes me smile.


Encourage one another,
Donna

(Just to be very clear......I adore all of our children. No favorites in this family.
I am merely expressing the feeling of the moment :o)

Tuesday, September 05, 2006

Do you know this song?

School days, school days,
Dear old golden rule days.
'Readin' and 'ritin' and 'rithmetic,
Taught to the tune of a hick'ry stick.

Listen here.


We had music class in school when I was growing up and we sang all of the oldies. And that doesn't mean the 70's. (Cause it was the 70's)
That means the roaring 20's :o)


I sure liked that class. It was different than choir. We sang sitting or standing at our desks with a music book.

We sang;

Patriotic songs
A Bicycle built for Two
Climb Every Mountain
...so many others

I wish I had one of those song books :o)

Can you recommend such a songbook?


*********


For our first day of school.



As we come to school this day,
let us not forget to pray.
To God who kept us
through the night
and woke us with the morning light.

Help us, Lord
To love thee more
Than we ever loved before.
In all we do.
In all we say.
To grow more loving,
every day.

~Calvert School


Anyone else teaching a 1st grader and a 12th grader this year?

Do you have any traditions for your first day of school?


I think we will go out for lunch. That sounds like fun!

Happy school days to you!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Monday, September 04, 2006

Photo Essay II


Patrick and Katie and I went to the farmers market Saturday morning.
As Katie was choosing a donut from the Goose Gulch bakery stand I overheard her conversation with the clerk.


Clerk: You better ask your mom....er...grandma?



  










*cough* *cough*




Do I LOOK like a grandma?



  
*giggle*


I always imagined this would happen.

It still stunned me, tho.

I thought I was looking so hot with my new blonde locks!

Me: Patrick, does my hair look grey?

Him: No.


Dang. A grandma.

Perhaps we will skip the big birthday celebration this year!!!


Encourage one another,
Donna

I hope these pictures made you laugh....cause I'm really putting myself out there for ya today :o)

Saturday, September 02, 2006

My favorite red-headed girls.




BEWARE: Extreme Silliness Below





Preparing for take-off.




One Up.




Two down.




The big girl is up. The little girl is down.


Mr. Brown is out of town.






Mix a little foolishness with your serious plans: it's lovely to be silly at the right moment.
~Horace


Be Silly. Be honest. Be kind.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson



Encourage one another,
Donna


Viva la Silly!

Friday, September 01, 2006

Friday Feast One Hundred & Nine




Appetizer
What are some lyrics you have misheard (such as, instead of "Gettin' Jiggy With It" you heard "Kick a chicken with it")?

There is a song that says "Room to groove" and I always sing "Room to groom" :o)

Soup
What is the worst movie you have ever seen?

Platoon- hated it-

Salad
Using the letters from your favorite number, write a sentence. Example: Tomorrow has really easy experiences.

Forgiveness is very exemplary.



Main Course
What was the most interesting news story you have heard this week?

The capture of the polygamy fugitive.

Dessert
Which word(s) would you choose to describe your wardrobe?

Sparse


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

Those lyrics ought to be funny. Looking forward to your answers. Seems a long time since we have done a Friday five.

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







The summer reading challenge has come to an end. I didn't really follow my challenge list, at all. But I kept reading and recording what I read...so that's good. (My list of finished books is on the sidebar.)

I will join the Autumn Reading Challenge. Cause I'm just a bug joiner.
And it is hosted by one of my dear blog-sistahs.

My list for Sept, Oct, and Nov. will be very short.

But the pages will be, oh so long.

I will finish reading the delightful The Girl of the Limberlost and then I will dive into Les Miserables. Awhaw.

That's it.

Two books.

It will take all fall.

And I'm fine with that :o)





See you in the comments for the Friday Five!

Encourage one another,
Donna