HAPPY NEW YEAR

I had to make a short post for the first day of the New Year. We had a blast at the New Year's Eve party at church. The last few years have been kind of a dud, but this year was great. How do you have so much fun playing cards? My stomach is paying for it today though, lol. I wish I could have gotten a better picture of Shawn & Blake's truck's saran wrapped and TP'd. Someone came and did their token tp on Blake's old truck in the drive way. Funny, that happens every year, just a token amount. Of course the dog was out so maybe I got lucky. I've got to get to work and prep GA's over the next couple of weeks. I am looking forward to 2010, it has so much potential, lots of exciting things will be happening. Shawn Jr. will graduate and begin college, Blake will move up to be a senior, and I'll start my last semester of school. Yay! Well, I've got some cooking to do, so I better get off of here and get busy, just wanted to say I pray the year of our Lord and Savior 2010 is happy and blessed for you and yours!

the Doldrums

I guess I have the cold-weather doldrums. The doldrums are an area of wind currents where NOTHING IS moving, haha, that is me today...I've plenty to do around here, I just don't feel like doing any of it, lol. I'd really like to curl up by the fire with a great book, a cup of tea and a quiet house. NOT HAPPENING, LOL. One, I don't have a 'just gotta read it' book right now. I have two on the way, but they aren't here yet. Pl- there are 5 kids here right now. I have lots of need to do items, polish more silver, wash clothes, clean off my desk, work on GA stuff- just nothing is appealing to me. I need a good couple days at home with no kids to get the house they way I want it... Oh well, I will get it in gear. I don't even have a good end-of-year-reminisce post in me. Ah the mass text's/emails have begun. You are really important to me so I sent you this message along with 300 of my best friends, lol.

decisions, decisions, multitudes in the valley of decisions

I'm not quite sure this is what Audie had in mind lol, but I've decisions to make...I'm praying about something, but I don't want to overload myself. If God has a certain thing taken care of then it would just be a switch. I just have to see what He says for sure and then just do that ;-) Cause He knows... anyway. I've lots I need to do, I just can't decide which to do when, lol. I need to go get tires on the truck. I thought I was going to JCP's shopping, but my gift card wasn't activated, so I have to wait to get it back. I'm probably talking to myself, because none of you guys are blogging! :-) Anyway, Shawn Jr. got a pocketknife for christmas and cut his finger pretty bad. He should have had a few stitches, but he didn't so too late now. I pray he keeps it clean. I am trying to remember to keep an eye on it.

End of 2009

It's hard to believe 2009 is almost over already. Time just goes by faster and faster each year. Funny how that is. I remember how long summers used to be when I was a kid. They seemed to go on forever. Next year I'll turn 40 and be married 20 years, how did that happen? 2009 was a good year for us. We are still so thankful for our place. It was so nice to have everyone out for Thanksgiving and Christmas, . We had a house full on Christmas Eve, 5 families in all,even a few surprise guests- we never could have done that before!

Christmas was really nice. No big expensive gifts here, but I think the kids were happy with what they got. Shae and family came too and then Shawn went with them for a while on Christmas day. It's really nice being able to get along with the family. They feel just like family.And the fireplace is such a blessing. We we thinking we might have to do some major work after talking to several people about it, but we decided to just have the chimney sweep out and see what he said. Boy we were happy when he said it was fine. We even got a discount because it wasn't that dirty!


We all have gift cards to spend. Amberly will spend hers at walmart. Grandma got her a DSI and she is going to buy some accessories. I will go to JCPenny ;-) next week. The guys all have 2 a piece. I am sure a trip to Gander Mtn. will be in order soon. Amberly and I usually go to the movies the day after thanksgiving or the day after Christmas. Well we went on Christmas this year so we could avoid the crowds. Amberly, Mom and I saw the Chipmunks-the Squeakeaul, and Shawn Sr. and Blake saw Avatar. Well Shawn slept through most of it, he had a headache. The only place there were any people was the movie. :-)

We are headed to walmart today to get a few Christmas decorations, let Amberly spend her money and some groceries. Blake is hoppin to go, but not enough to get up and go with us. Then I have a ton of laundry to fold and boxes to burn. Tonight we are going out to eat for our anniversary (last tuesday). I wanted to go to the Bayou and they weren't open on tuesday and I'm sorry but the Ole' Feed House is no Bayou!! The Blind side plays at 7, so opefully we will catch that also!

Good days

Yesterday was a great day. The Lord blessed me in many ways -all day long they kept coming! We called a chimney sweep and after Shawn told him how bad the build up was they said it might just need cleaning, but that if it was cracked, they would find it. We have a lot of questions for him. But there is a small possibility that we could have a fire tonight if he finds nothing wrong and if he does find something, we will know what it will take to fix it. Made a big pot of gumbo yesterday, have to deliver a little to Audie or he'll have a fit, lol. Really looking forward to this week. I have a few little gifts to pick up tomorrow when we go to town...and I found the recipe (I think) for a crab and shrimp dip that I made years ago and lost. It's really yummy! Not too much on the agenda today... deliver gumbo (maybe if I can get jr. to pick up all my stuff that might go out the window). I can freeze it...tomorrow shopping thursday cook/have fam out. We are going to the movies, but I haven't decided which day yet...

Christmas

I am ready for Christmas... this is the first year that I haven't had this overwhelming feeling that I can't quite explain. Usually, I am upset all through the holidays...

I don't have too busy of a week, clean house and maybe rake leaves today. Hopefully, DH will feel better and I can cook my deer chilli. Gumbo soon :-) Hmmm, I wonder if New Year's Day would work.....or maybe the saturday after... DH stayed home, he seems better, but I need to go get him some mucinex. Tuesday I have some more food to deliever. I can't really give exact details, but the Lord always has things under control. I had no idea until yesterday where the food was going, (except for some already delivered) but the Lord did. It is awesome how He provides needs for 3 different people in one move ;-). He had the place for me to take the food, filled the need of a person desiring to give it and blessing several families with the food. This is the point I was trying to make yesterday, God does the work, we just have to listen and wait and trust that He will do it. He always does. :-P

Mom arrives tuesday, which is my 19th anniversary BTW :-). God blessed me with a great husband that just keeps getting better. Wednesday, we have to go grocery shopping and pick up stuff for Christmas Eve. We are having the 'family' Christmas Eve here for the first time. :-) Mom, Amberly and I are planning on going to the movies sometime this week, I'm just not sure when. Thursday everyone will be coming over, so if we go it will have to be early. Hopefully, they will get Shawn Jr.'s ignition fixed.

I guess I need to buy a bible study program. The one I used to use is all changed (for the worse as usual) and dialup is so slow).

Some waters are for swimming in... you just have to jump in the deep water, makes me think of the Lake in the Circle... jump in and swim and drink of Him...

Ez 47:1-5 Afterward he brought me again unto the door of the house; and, behold, waters issued out from under the threshold of the house eastward: for the forefront of the house stood toward the east, and the waters came down from under from the right side of the house, at the south side of the altar. 2 Then brought he me out of the way of the gate northward, and led me about the way without unto the utter gate by the way that looketh eastward; and, behold, there ran out waters on the right side. 3 And when the man that had the line in his hand went forth eastward, he measured a thousand cubits, and he brought me through the waters; the waters were to the ankles. 4 Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through the waters; the waters were to the knees. Again he measured a thousand, and brought me through ; the waters were to the loins. 5 Afterward he measured a thousand; and it was a river that I could not pass over : for the waters were risen , waters to swim in, a river that could not be passed over


and when you walk through the waters I will be there, and through the flame... you'll not, no way be drowned....and you'll not, no way be burned....

Dumbing Us Down-a sort of book review?

I just finished reading "Dumbing Us Down: the Hidden Curriculum of Compulsory Schooling" by John Taylor Gatto. I had to make myself read past the first chapter (the 7 lesson school teacher), I didn't really agree with most what he was saying in that chapter. BTW-- You homeschooler's would probably enjoy the book.

Once I got past the first chapter, I agreed with a lot more. I do agree with *some* things he says, maybe just not the correlation/causation. He basically attributes the whole breakdown of the family and community to public school. I think there are other, much more contributing, factors. (not to say that ps has not played a large part, but the centralizing of the school especially)I think TV is horrible (and yes we do watch plenty of it). Kids do not have time to think. We certainly aren't teaching them to think critically. Kids need to have down time, time with nothing to do but be creative and come up with ideas. Parental care also has certainly gone out the window. He would idyllically like to see things go back to pre-colonial times. I just don't see that happening, but maybe some sort of homeschooling phase where more private schools are grown out of necessity.

He is definitely right that we have lost the sense of community, especially in larger areas. It seems we have an advantage in this type of area (although many would say we were backward, lol), that we do have time to instill community in our kids and many families are raising their children instead of allowing public school to do so. Of course, there are people in larger areas that do also. I also believe that our kids are not taught to think, but to follow blindly-but I think that is more societal (such as news and what's considered to be politically correct, etc. If you take older textbooks, say, from when my father was in college, you can see a stark difference in difficulty and readability. He speaks of texts from 1860's and I would like to see those myself, that would be interesting. One of the things I found absurd was his objections to having to ask to go to the bathroom.? I don't think that is a real issue. In fact, kids ask their parents all the time to go to the bathroom and I haven't seen one harmed yet, lol. He says that school teaches class position (in society) and I lean more towards it equaling that out. However, we seem to be sliding back into a class hierarchical system. He also says that using grades or smiley faces teaches emotional dependence, but I also see that as a normal trait for children to want to please adults. How often does your child seek your praise? Does that mean they are emotionally dependent on you? I don't think in a negative way. Now do we necessarily want them desiring to please the teacher? Well, I guess that depends on the teacher's agenda! :-) He discusses worth and while I know that peer relationships and academic failings and affect a child's self-worth, that ultimately (at least initially) comes from the family.

Later in the book, I come into more agreement. Less TV, definitely not extended time in school, more free time, smaller schools, more community spirit, LOCAL CHOICE, etc. are some of the answers we need as a society. You might have no interest in this, and it may not make much sense without reading the book- I guess I am just thinking outloud. But you are welcome to borrow the book if you like ;-)