Friday's Feast


Appetizer
Who is the easiest person for you to talk to?


You know I hate to single people out.
I can't do it. It's almost like saying who is your favorite and I just can't do it.
Sorry.
Let's just say, there are those I can talk with for hours and hours and wake up the next day and still have things to talk about. I use to walk with a friend and we would talk for the whole hour we walked and then we would stand on the corner and talk for another hour. Every morning. We were equal opportunity talkers.



Soup
If you could live in any ancient city during the height of the quality of its society and culture, which one would you choose?

Can we call New York ancient?


Salad
What is the most exciting event you’ve ever witnessed?


Lambeau field.
Packers vs. Carolina
NFC Championship
1/12/97 - Packers Win 30-13

Packers win!!!
Going to the Superbowl.
Wildly exciting!


Main Course
If you were a celebrity, what would you do for a publicity stunt?

I wouldn't do any stunt. I would promote my movie or book or opening at a gallery...
But I wouldn't do anything naughty for attention.
I would attend charity functions if it brought money to the group. But, a stunt, I don't think so.

Dessert
What do you consider the ideal age to have a first child?

I don't think it's about a number.
I think it's about your maturity and your heart.

And being married.

********

Secondly,
Thank you for being so friendly and fun yesterday by going over to visit the Country Doctors Wife. I knew you would like her stuff...and I'm proud to call you my peeps :o)

(peeps = people)


***********


Ten years ago today Diana died.




I fondly remember her as being charitable, beautiful, stylish and a loving mum.

Today's Memorial Service. Speeches in full. Harry speaks sweetly about his mother.
Read here:
Memorial Service

*********

Photo shot with props and a silly girl.



click on this one to see it bigger.
This is very typical.
Very.


And so is this.








See you in the comments!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Somehow,
I found my long lost twin.
She is out there.
In the great wheaty state of Kansas.

I think, I stumbled onto her blog after reading a funny comment she left in Ree's comments.
Or something like that.

Once I got there...I looked around a little.

I happened upon her list of skills.

She was wondering about going back to work,
and thought to list her skills.

And her list is hilarious.
And like I said, I felt a big bond.

1. Blogging

2. Checking my stat counter

3. Reading other people's blogs

Those are only the first three of twenty rockin' skillz that the Country Doctor's Wife possesses.

Click over to her blog.
Let's see if we can make her stats rise.

The first link is her skill set. (It's really funny. I promise. Go read it!)
The second is what she does to her kids on Sunday,
The third and fourth links are to her remodeling and redecorating projects.
She has a big farmhouse that she is working on...
and a pack of little boys to keep it all interesting.


Country Doctors Wife's List of Skills

No Screens

Home Renovation 1

Home Renovation-the bathroom

Well.

Okay.

We're not really twins. But when it comes to all things bloggy.
Let's just say.
I can relate.


And she makes me laugh, she's got a way with words and I love her style.


*******

And when I am not blogging.

I am reading and lounging at the pool.

(At least, once every two weeks)



My favorite magazine of all time.
Cottage Living.

And this book.

A home in France.

It's nice and dreamy.

*******

What's on your plastic, umbrella-clad table?


Encourage one another,
Donna

Snack time at the pool.


Carrie chose the fast to eat ice cream sandwich.



Katie chose two soft cookies.

Carrie finished quickly and dashed back to the sparkling waters.



I'm having a little trouble here, mom.


Katie is a girl of small bites.
She does not do well with a mouth full.

"Chew that cookie before you go in the water."






Happy now.


Splish, splash....

I wish you all could meet me at the pool.
I really do.

I bring along my books and magazines...

But, gee, I would much rather be talking to you.



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

I asked Katie if she would let me take some pictures of her in something colorful.
This is what she chose!
Emma brought this pretty punjabi home from India for Katie.



What is the most colorful thing in your closet?

Mine is a scarf that Emma brought me from England.
It is bright pink but not as bright as Katie's punjabi.

I cannot pretend to feel impartial about colors. I rejoice with the brilliant ones and am genuinely sorry for the poor browns.
~Winston Churchill (1874-1965) British politician.

The purest and most thoughtful minds are those which love color the most.
~John Ruskin (1819-1900) English art critic.

Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky.
~Rabindranath Tagore

I wrote most of this blog last night.
And as I lay in bed thinking about it.
I thought if I asked you all what colors you liked and encouraged you to wear brighter colors...

you would be ready to sign me up for that old lady group...
the purple and red group.

And that would be so discouraging.

On Friday night, the waitress at Quivey's Grove asked Emma if Katie could have the ice cream sundae that came with her meal.

As the waitress walked away, Emma looked at me and said,

"She thinks I'm the mom."

And I looked at Patrick and said,

"And that means we're the grandparents!!!"


So I am not going to tell you to wear bright colors.
Cause they are pretty and photograph well.
I'm not.

Wear all the black and brown you want. It's chic.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Homeschool Post




This is the method I came up with the explain to Katie the difference between a lower case 'b' and a lower case 'd'.
Or the way I say it.

A baby 'b' and a baby 'd'.

The baby 'b' can be made into a big 'B'.

And look! Big 'B' has a baby bump!

A baby 'd' can not become a big 'B'.

It only works for baby 'b' and big 'B'.

We shall see if this explanation clicks for her.



For Lynn

Lynn and I met to knit on Sunday.
It was so nice to get together with her.

I forgot to bring my knitting.

We blame the glasses.


+++++++++


Junie B. Jones

Katie is enjoying these little books.
My sister Cindy has recommended them for years. She reads them to her kindergartners.

I thought it was odd that they are never on any homeschool lists.
And I can see why now.

All of her adventures take place in the classroom.

And well....she says dumb and stupid.

Elsie Dinsmore she is not.

But we like her anyway.

Here is something that made me laugh yesterday.

Junie B. has lost a tooth and wants to take it to show and tell;

"Disgusting" said Daddy.
"Yes," said Mother. "Disgusting."

I whined at those two. "No, it isn't," I said. "Lots of kids bring teeth to school.
'Cause one time Roger brought a shark's tooth. And he even let me and Herb put it right in our mouths. And then we looked like sharks, too."

I thought some more.

"Plus another time, Shirley brought her grandmother's dentures. And lots of us put those in our mouths, too."

Grandmother Miller did a little gag. Only I don't actually know why.

Speaking of show and tell.

Did you love show and tell?

I still love show and tell.
What do you think this blog is about?


The strangest thing I ever brought to show and tell was a....

lobster tail!

I left it in my desk until the teacher had to come looking for the bad smell in the room.

I was a bit of a Junie B. Jones, I'm afraid.

But you already knew that, didn't you?


Encourage one another,
Donna

A Thousand Cartwheels.



That's how you get slim legs and dirty toes.

(Katie enters house panting)
Mommy says: Katie why are you so out of breath?
Katie: I've been doing lots and lots of cartwheels!


Can you still do a cartwheel?

I haven't tried in a while.

But the last time we went swimming, I did a somersault under the water, and just about passed out from dizziness and nausea.
Halfway around I knew I shouldn't be doing a somersault.

When did this happen?

At what age does your body tell you that you shouldn't be flipping upside down anymore?

Janet, you're nine years younger than me.
Can you still do a somersault under water?
Would you go try it for me and send me the results?


Ecclesiastes 3
To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:

A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;

and

A time to somersault and a time to float.

Encourage one another,
whatever the time,

Donna

The photographers I admire take the time to look for locations.
Really good photographs take a little planning,
I think.

It seems walls are a good thing.
And so are barns.

I didn't have to drive far to find this little spot.

There was no house near the barns....
so I just pulled in and made myself at home :o)



This is my favorite.






The car came along.

"These things are gushy."


What are these things?
They fell from a tree or a big bush.
That's helpful.
I think I need a field guide.


At least I can see them clearly now.

Yes, the rain is gone and I have my new progressive glasses on.

They are wonderful for distance. I didn't realize how blurry I was seeing.
Things at a distance AND the TV are sharp, sharp, sharp.

The reading is odd. As I look at a page, only the words directly in front of me are clear. I have to move my head to the left and the right to see the whole sentence clearly.

So I look like I am watching a tennis match only to read a sentence in a book.

And then there is the computer screen.

In order to see the computer screen I have to both bob my head back and forth AND stick my nose up in the air!!!

It's riotous and annoying.


This is not a mating dance. The goonies are commiserating about their new progressive glasses. It's Tammy and me.


One more thing about my glasses.
They look very much like my cheaters/readers.

They may be from Paris...but they look like they are from Walgreens.

I mourn.



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

Here is the email I got from my hubby this morning.

Love you, have a good time in the car

And I will.
I will!!!!

Happy Saturday!

Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday's Feast


Appetizer
Say there’s a book written about your life. Who would you want to narrate the audio version?

Me! I want to read out loud. And get paid for it.
I read for the blind in college.
It was really hard because the book was a science book.
For some reason "Seventeenth Summer" was not on his reading list.



Soup
Take the letters from your favorite kind of nut and write a sentence. (Example: Perhaps every avenue needs understanding today.)

Cassius and Sonny hurt everywhere.


Salad
If you could go back in time and spend one week in another decade, which decade would you choose?

I'd go back and spend a week in the 60's with my parents.
Like Our Town or Peggy Sue Got Married.


Main Course
Name a song that brings back memories for you.



I remember You by Frank Ifield

This song goes out to Esther and Jim.
Enjoy!

Dessert
Do you prefer to wash your hands in cold water or warm water?

Warm.
Does anyone like to wash their hands in cold?



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

Last night, I read a very convicting blog entry at Kate @ Under the Sky
Kate heard Ted Tripp speak at a homeschool conference and was encouraged greatly by his talk.

Click her link to read more.
It's really worth it.

Life is found in Christ. Our craving for pleasure can be satisfied in a hunger for the Lord. He spoke about the greatest deliverance being in our Savior. Help your children to feast and delight in the Lord. He said a shrunken God will not be one before whom they will tremble and obey with reverence. What he said that hits me the most was that *our* joy, our life, our treasure must be in Christ. We must be driven by joy. I must have the beauty of God, the glory of God, before my eyes and heart. We must be dazzled by God to dazzle your children. We don't live out of facts and circumstances, but what we do with God. What we do with God determines how we interpret life. Solid joy and lasting pleasures are found in knowing God. Without Him - we are truly lost.

~Kate

Beauty is.....all around.

(Katie and I took a walk around the block yesterday and here is what we found.)


Encourage one another,
Donna

A surprise came in the mail yesterday.

Mere sent me a package.

And even after reading her post earlier in the day.
And seeing the adorable skirt she just finished.
It still didn't register that the adorable skirt was for Katie.

The perfectly-fitting, boho, grown-up looking, beautiful skirt.

Katie loves it!
I think it has moved onto the 'What I will wear to Flame in two weeks chair'.

Thank you for this wonderful surprise!
We both love it!






I make her spin.


And because I am stuck at home for a whole week, without a car, like it's the old days, before women drove, I am reading about photography and taking a lot of pictures.
And since our cat in unphotogenic and Katie is very.
Here's a favorite.




On Monday, Katie had a tea party.
I'm sure you recognize the children.
But I asked Stephanie if I could get her in a shot.
And then I made her squat down.
Bossy photographer.

And she is fit and young and she squatted on cue.

But she understands that I'm nutty about my camera and I need to take a picture of someone besides Katie.

Doesn't Stephanie look beautiful?



Do you sew?
What is the last thing you sewed?




Here is the last thing I sewed.


Happy Thursday, dear friends,
See you in the comments,
You are all the company I've got,
as I'm stranded and can't even go to the grocery store.

WILSON!!!!!!


Encourage one another,
Donna


UpDate

The Great Ketchup Shortage.

I don't remember it.
Do you?


But there must have been some strange ketchup shortage in Marinette, Wisconsin in the 1960's.

My orange-haired, opie-lookin', freckle-covered, gym-shoe-wearin', gangly-legged, husband-to-be, must have gone without.

Without ketchup on his french fries.
Without ketchup on his hot dog.
Without ketchup on his hamburger.
Without ketchup on his meatloaf
and
without ketchup on his pot roast.

He must have had a real sense of loss.
A real hankering for the stuff.

Because, nearly every time he goes to the grocery store to pick up this or that.

He comes home with some ketchup.

"I got some ketchup"

"*grin* We have lots of ketchup."

"It was on sale."

Hey, I asked for ketchup! I'm eatin' salad here!
Homer Simpson

Encourage one another,
Donna

In the Christmas picture,
that's Patrick on the left.

In the exciting gun-slingin' picture,
that's Patrick on the right.


Sweet little boys.


And since I was digging thru the photos...
Here is a cute one of me!

Networking.

If you only listen to one podcast, in your life, this is the one to listen to.

Cyndi and Deacon Tim talk about marriage again this week.
But, I, who have read twenty-some books on marriage,
who have watched hours and hours or marriage videos and listened to even more hours than that on tape player...
learned and was encouraged from this weeks podcast!

Give it a listen.

Two Edge Talk


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


Have you ever heard of a mission for deaf children?
A place where they can come to learn language, be educated AND learn about Jesus?

Well, I hadn't until this morning.

Little Miss Tammy from Ca. sent me a link to this remarkable place.

It is called Rancho Sordo Mundo

I can't wait to pass this information on to the young students I have taught sign language to! I think they would love Rancho Sordo Mundo!

I think it sounds wonderful, don't you?


**********

Here is a bit of good news for our Emma.

As you know, (or maybe don't know) Emma was accepted to the college of her choice, Moody Bible Institute. However, she is on the official wait list until next fall.
She will not be leaving home until the fall of 2008.

In the meantime, she will be taking Moody's Internet courses.

Yeah.

She doing college at home.

Now, this cracks me up. Because while, I know some homeschool parents desire this for their children. We didn't really.

And it was the furthest thing from Emma's mind.

But, for some reason this is Emma's path.
(After some sadness and disappointment)
And she is looking forward to it.

She even has a good friend who is also doing the Moody Internet courses as she awaits her entrance to Moody.

But a really encouraging thing has happened.

Emma won a scholarship thru Patrick Sr's work.
She was actually their 3rd choice.
But someone became ineligible.

So Emma was next in line.

We worried a little that the scholarship would not be awarded due to the 'online' status for the first year...

So we held our breath and said a prayer.

And the check for the first semester came yesterday.
(Right on time as payment is needed by Aug. 24)

The scholarship is renewable for all four years if Emma keeps a 3.0 GPA.


I believe this is all part of God's plan for Emma.

The whole circumstance feels like tubing down a river.

And while we are floating along,
trusting in God's will,
He is blessing her,
abundantly.


Realizing how God is at work in my life and the life of my child
helps me grow that quiet and gentle spirit, I so desire.

It's not always easy to see how God is working.
But sometimes it is very clear and beautiful and encouraging.


“'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.'”
Jer. 29:11


Encourage one another,
Donna

Raining



Let the rain kiss you. Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops. Let the rain sing you a lullaby.
(Langston Hughes)

The world is mud-luscious and puddle-wonderful.
(e. e. cummings)

It raineth on the Just and the Unjust Alike,
But the Unjust stealeth the Just's umbrella




*********


"Oh, no. It's the little girl."



"You aren't going to help me, are you?"





Run Away!
Run Away!

That.
Darn.
Cat.

Why is she so unlovable?


Encourage one another,
Donna

And ya know what?
Because she is so cranky, she just eggs me on.
You should see what happens to her tail when I chase her with the dustbuster!

Bwahahahaha

Did you watch High School Musical 2 last night???

We did!



There was a little bit of this...




A whole lot of this...





A little more of this...



And even this!?

I think she was excited! She asked me to pause the show so she could run outside and do a few cartwheels and fling her body in a big way.

Ya know.

She isn't really hyperactive.

She just acts like it sometimes!


Emma was at a High School Musical party with her girlfriends.
Sadly Katie wasn't invited.

So we watched it together, Katie and me.
I got up off my duff and put down the camera by the finale and we danced wildly together.

Weeeee!!!!!


We're all in this together
Once we know
That we are
We're all stars
And we see that
We're all in this together
And it shows
When we stand
Hand in hand
Make our dreams come true


Encourage one another,
Donna

Friday Feast


Appetizer
Describe your laundry routine. Do you have a certain day when you do it all, or do you just wash whatever you need for the next day?

Soup
In your opinion, what age will you be when you’ll consider yourself to truly be old?

Salad
What is one of your goals? Is it short-term, long-term, or both?

Main Course
Name something unbelievable you’ve seen or read lately.

Dessert
On a scale of 1-10 with 10 being highest, how happy are you today?



***********

How would you like to win a $20 Starbucks gift card?
My little sister Janet is having a name that picture contest!
She's in love with Ree's site too!
Go over there and give it a try!

Janet's contest to win coffee!!!

My other sisters (Janice and Cindy) and Anita are hoping you don't show up so their chances are better.

Go give them a run for the money/coffee :o)

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

Name something unbelievable you’ve seen or read lately.

Just this morning I saw Dr. Gene over at Confessions of a Pioneer Woman.

I find it unbelievable that God made a man who could do THAT job and smile.
What a spirit!!!


(If you don't pop in to see what Dr. Gene does. I'll tell you.
He preg-tests cows. Lots of em. And he gets covered in poop.
And well I just can't stop imagining the smell. Maybe Dr. Gene is on of those people who can't smell.
Did you know there are people who can't smell? I personally have know two in my life. What a weird sense to lose.)


I wonder what motivates Dr. Gene.
I wonder how he keeps that cheerful spirit thru it all.

I am cranking when I have to wash the kitchen floor!

The kitchen floor that only has a few splashes of coffee on it and a few loose kernels of popcorn.

The man is unbelievable!


**********


I have been trying to take pictures with better backgrounds.
I LOVE how the flags look in this picture!

But Katie's expression is a little strange.

I think she is thinking.

"You see, this is my life! It always will be! Nothing else! Just us, the cameras, and those wonderful people out there in the dark!... All right, Mr. DeMille, I'm ready for my close-up."





Well....not exactly!
It worked better in my imagination :o)

Okay...
Gotta run.

Good luck with Janet's contest!
Can't wait to read your comments!

Especially how old you think old is!
Watch out youngsters.
Don't you dare say 50!


Encourage one another,
Donna

I thought you'd like this picture of our summery chenille bedspread.
In the winter, the beds are all covered with down.
But summer arrives and I pull this one from the closet.

It reminds me so much of our grandma Hansen.
In their brick house in Oak Lawn at the end of the hall were two bedrooms.
One for grandma and one for grandpa.
Both had chenille bedspreads.
Always.

When I would go visit, I would always walk down the short, dark hall and peek in at the bedrooms.
Just for a little look at the chenille bedspreads.
I would do this even when I grew up.

One summer on the way to Minocqua I stopped at a wonderful antique store and purchased this pretty bedspread.

Everyday as I make the bed, I think of grandma Hansen.

That's what I like about old things.
They remind me of people I love.


Do you have something very ordinary that sets your heart remembering?
Do you change your bedspread in the summer?



Memory... is the diary that we all carry about with us.
~Oscar Wilde, "The Importance of Being Earnest"


Encourage one another,
Donna

Mommy and me.



We may not be starting school for a few weeks...
but the learning happens all the time :o)

Katie is looking forward to returning to her choir and art classes (Flame) in a few weeks. She is so excited she lays awake at night thinking about it.
She has the outfit she will wear arranged on a little chair in her room.
And yesterday she told me she thought she had too many accessories picked out.

Where did she get that!?

But anyway.

The top she choose is a pretty baby doll top we bought recently from Old Navy.
It has been washed once. And it has a torn seam.

It was time to sew it up. I found the thread and Katie ran to get the needle.
She knew right where the needles are kept because we use those same needles to extract splinters.

I started sewing and was just about finished when Katie asked.

"Can I do it?"

At first I said 'no' cause I am accustomed to saying 'no' a lot.

But I quickly changed that to a 'yes'.


I handed it over and gave her a quick lesson.

On the first pull she almost lost the thread...but caught it in time.

"You have to hold on to that thread, just like in knitting." I said.

"Can we put a knot in it?" she said.


Small lessons. That don't feel like lessons.

Sweet.



She's also taking photography.
She took the photo of my hands on the left.


Encourage one another,
Donna

Where in the world?



Do you remember that computer game 'Where in the world is Carmon Sandiego?'

That was way back in the computer game infancy.
Along with Sim City.
Remember that one?

Well, I'm having you guess.

Where are those girls in the picture above?
You have to be specific. More specific than the city name.

Good luck.

And no, you don't win a big fancy prize.
You don't even win a crummy prize.

You are guessing for the joy of guessing.

Yeah. Right.

Anyway.

Aren't those neat uniforms. They are singing a happy song.
They reminded me of Girl scouts or Bluebirds.

What were Bluebirds anyway?
They sure had a nice name.

I flunked out of Brownies.

My leader called me a 'little booger' and I didn't like it.
I told my mother so.
She said, if I quit, I could never join again.

I didn't.

And I actually have never been much of a joiner ever since.

I blame the Brownies.


*********


And I kind of have a beef about something I have no right to have a beef about.

What's with all the children going back to school in early August?

If I didn't homeschool, I'd start because of this!

Can you tell I was a little girl who didn't like sitting in the classroom all that much, cause the thought of going to school in August makes me really sad.

This is what August is all about to me.


I guess, I'm old fashioned and stuck in my ways, and living in the past and all sorts of other things.

But, I'm enjoying every hot, unrushed, wonderful minute of it!


Encourage one another,
Donna

p.s. Our pool has gone saline. No more chlorine.
Interesting, no? Katie noticed right away. Because of the taste.