DIFFERENT

Pic above: We love to see innovative amish ideas and ways. Kid's liked that this guy was hauling his wheel barrow on top of his buggy in heavy traffic.
Pic Above: Sweet Son and Dear Daughter at the Homeschool Fall Festival
Pic Above: Face painting for Dear Daughter!
Pic Above: Field trip to Humane Society. My lovely, multi-faceted, pioneering friend is the host.
Pic Above: Live Native American Village! What fun!
Pic Above: Joking around with Sweet Son in the Dollar Tree (burning time between Tues. Classes)
Pic Above: Dear Daughter getting some much needed assurance and love from Handsome Hubby at her latest Vandy visit.
Pic Above: Me and Dear Daughter after our "make-overs" courtesy of FB friend.


I am *so* thankful for my family. I am also thankful for the opportunities that have been provided to me in my everyday life. The moments above are brought to you courtesy of today's sponsor: HOMESCHOOLING. :-)
Seriously, at least half of the great moments I have had with my kiddos are within the 8 or 9 hours they would have otherwise been away from me. (Which by the way is one of the main reasons we even looked in to homeschooling, seemed *odd* that we should hand over our kids to be raised and educated by the state the majority of their waking hours).
I will usually go out of my way to not *stand out*. I don't like attention being drawn to me...but when you are different, in whatever way, you get attention you may not really want.
There's one little girl that asks my daughter every time she sees her.."So, are dresses all you ever wear." Dear Daughter says sweetly, "yes." I tell her to say, " not much has changed since last week, yep, still wearing dresses." LOL I remember this from my school days....some people just can't help themselves. If someone is all the time commenting on your "difference" it either: 1.) bugs them in some way 2.) makes them ashamed or 3.) they have early onset dementia. "
When my children were toddlers, I had friends who would shake their heads at me as I encouraged my kids to breathe onto the window pane then "write" their name on it, they would scoff as I cleared out our small kitchen and pulled out the finger paints. I think there was possibly some heart failure when we started to homeschool. We still run a *different* household. Dear Daughter still raids the pantry for canned goods she hauls into the living room, sets up on my ironing board, and plays grocery check out. One year our expectant cat provided a several week study of gestation in animals, the culmination being watching her birth the kittens. Earlier this year my hysterectomy provided another learning experience, kids accompanied me to the Dr. each time, and went over the literature and procedure outlines with me. Many trips have been made to the pond to collect, study and set free. We have ate dinner, cleared the table then dissected a pregnant fish where our plates just set... etc. etc. Homeschooling is truly a different lifestyle. Spending 24/7 with your children, and they with you, is an amazing experience......

So, different we are, and, I'm assuming, different we'll stay. Both Sweet Son and Dear Daughter express their desire to continue to be homeschooled. There are a few down sides to homeschooling, like my carpet getting much more wear and tear, hey, the whole house gets more wear and tear. My kitchen is continually used as a lab, I have a busted place on our counter from a coconut experiment, I'm in extreme need of updated kitchen cabinets, my oak table has years of handwriting worn into it, my car interior is shot from all the living in it, We don't have as much *stuff* because our extra money usually goes toward another class, more books, or something of the sort, and there's an extreme lack of privacy.
Such a small price to pay for the gain. :-)

Message

MessageCHRISTMAS CANDY TRAYS
2009
This year’s candy trays will include the following candies: buckeyes, coconut bonbons, cookie dough truffles, fudge, peanut butter fudge, Tiger butter, chocolate oatmeal drops and of course some novelty items to dress up the tray. (Novelty items could include dipped pretzels, Santa or snowman faces). All of the candy is made with quality ingredients. Trays come festively wrapped with bow, personalized gift card, and an ornament. If you want your tray to be delivered to the recipient (someone other than yourself in Bowling Green or Brownsville only) there will be an additional $5.00 charge) Please call or email if you have any questions. 597-8060 or chawkins2007@windstream.net Merry Christmas!!!
Large (size has been increased since last year) has 120-135 pieces of candy (not including novelty items) $78.00
Medium: Have 65-75 pieces of candy (not including novelty items) $39.50
Small: has 35-45 pieces of candy (not including the novelty items) 21.50
Specialty orders: A specialty order consists of 35-40 pieces of one specific candy. These orders come in a holiday tin with a bow and gift card. $17.50
ORDER DEADLINE: NOV. 25 DELIVERY DATES: DEC 4,7,8,AND/OR 9

15 YEARS OF WEDDED BLISS....

Oh my goodness! We are getting ready to celebrate our 15th Wedding Anniversary....WOW..
Can't believe it's passed this fast! The picture above is of our wedding night....I was 17 (and not even a half) and Handsome Hubby was 19! ****and*** we're still married. :-)
We, like most couples, have had some struggles, but for those of you who read my blog or Face Book page know I'm hopelessly in love with my guy, and that he's a super sweet gentleman...a pick me flowers on the road side guy, a rub my feet with lotion guy, a work two jobs so I don't have to guy, a put up with my animals guy, a grill me Greek chicken guy, a send me roses when I'm blue guy, a never yell at me guy, my husband!
Not even a year after this picture was taken, we lost our first baby in a late term miscarriage...it was a struggle and that year and the year following was the hard times in our marriage. That loss and the one after was hard, and we were incredibly young.
Now we are "young" parents of an "almost teenager" and a 10 year old. Living a life of homeschooling/working chaos. Well sorta, we *make* time for each other....we love to hang out together with our kids. We laugh, play scrabble, watch old Andy Griffith reruns, color, throw ball, take walks, bike rides, camp out in the living room floor, etc. etc. It's fun!
Our kids groan now when Handsome hubby smacks my rear. They roll their eyes when we sit on the couch and kiss. But they know we love each other. :-) It's a joke at our house....and we've threatened their lives with certain goings on!
I am *so* happy and blessed to have such a great family....Jarrod is the head of our household and more than willing to be his help meet.

So now that I'm 32 I see a lot of things differently. I wish I hadn't faulted my in-laws on petty issues that don't matter. I wish had been kinder to my folks, strangers, neighbors....
Some things just don't matter. Handsome Hubby, at 34, sees things differently too. However, one thing has remained constant....our love...the only thing that has changed there is the depth!

The Fight For Family Life

Above is My Grandaddy and Nanny Bledsoe. Their wedding just before Grandaddy went off to War. Nanny stayed with her folks and read Grandaddy's letters (sitting on a milk can near the mailbox). She saved his War money to buy a bedroom suite for when he got home. It's in my room, what Handsome Hubby and I sleep on today. Grandaddy and Nanny are still happily married, living about five minutes from me. Lord willing, my family will again, as every year, eat Thanksgiving dinner with them.
Picture above is of my Pa and Nanny Houchin. Sweet as can be....I was raised a field over from them and spent many days and nights at their place. Pa raised produce for many grocery stores in Bowling Green. I would help polish peppers and grade them. On some special days I would go deliver with him..Where I would sit side by side with Pa during the ride while he told me stories. I loved to show up just before lunch time to find Nanny in the kitchen making lunch for the farm hands. She always let me lick the frosting bowl. When I stayed over night, Nanny would snuggle up with me and do word find puzzles. Pa and Nanny are still happily married and ate lunch at our house last Sunday.
Above is my parents....married on a October weekend so they would have a couple of days honey moon before mom went back to finish her Senior year in high school. I can't say enough about how thankful I am for my parents and how they raised me. My stay-at-home Mama was always there for me and my brother (and still is!). My hard working Daddy, factory by day, farming by evening, made sure we were taken care of and made time to give extra love and encouragement for us. Daddy and Mama had the "you can do it" attitude. They have been our biggest fans in homeschooling. I love them so much!


THE FIGHT FOR FAMILY LIFE:

Increasingly it's becoming "hip" in our society to be non-traditional. There are some ideas in which I can really appreciate this (homeschooling???!!!). But it just about drives me up a tree to hear and see the family unit being put down. I *love* the traditional family ...Dad, Mom, and kids. It's completely how things are *supposed* to be. Kids shouldn't have to deal with Mom or Dad's new boy/girl friend, being shuffled to this house or that while their parents play the dating scene.
It's sad. The situations reek of irresponsibility and the "me" syndrome.
There are many, many people I love who are in broken and mixed homes...this is in no way a slam against any of them. It's just facts. Look what are children have become in a society whose family values have plummeted. There is no longer shame in infidelity, premarital sex, etc. It's *cool*. From the way we are dressing our little girls to the examples we are setting in front of our little boys....we are giving them the *wrong* message. The do as I say, not as I do notion is obviously not working.....
In the very best of situations, our children have a lot to face and overcome. The pressures to *fit in* are great. Authority figures are many times giving their "ok" on precarious, dangerous lifestyles and ideas. When the situation a child is in goes from *ideal* to *less than ideal* that child is more at risk.
Think of our children! What are we telling them? Be it in words or actions....we are sending a message. Make yours a positive one!
I thought I might post a few pictures of some folks who kept family values in the midst of some hard times.....(pictures above).

HALLOWEEN.....

Last night after the guys got the gun urge out of their system, we carved pumpkins...er, I mean *they* carved pumpkins. I took pictures, cleaned out the fridge and cleaned up dinner dishes.
Every year about this time we all gather in the kitchen and start shouting ideas at Handsome Hubby (Master Carver). I always have a cat (surprise, surprise). The kid's ideas vary, but it's always something other than two triangles for eyes, one triangle for nose, and jagged mouth....so....that means I can't carve it. Sweet Son and Dear Daughter usually help some, and have a grand time digging out the goo and making comments that turn my stomach. This year Sweet Son took up carving himself. He carved the third one from the left and had a great time doing it!
Pumpkin carving is a tradition in our household, and was in my household as a kid. My Daddy's birthday is on Halloween, so it was always lively and festive at our house, I kinda took that mood into my own family. I had no idea that there were people who didn't participate in the fun festivities until we started homeschooling ( I showed up at a fall event with ghost treats, argh) .....so I read up on the history and was appalled. However, I am going to take the Victorian stance on this. The Victorians (early 1900's) made Halloween a "party time"....it originally started as a young adult celebration. They bobbed for apples, made cards, played games to "for tell" ones future spouse, and pretty much introduced the "fall festival". So...here's to some fun fall times.....





Here's the first couple of pumpkins Handsome Hubby Carved.
Julia got her pumpkin carved first, she gets sleepy around 8:30.


The long awaited for "goo moment". Sweet Son couldn't get enough....Dear Daughter was finished after the first couple of handfuls.

Handsome Hubby getting ready to carve. (He's *so* cute!)



Dear Daughter didn't last until all the carving was over. She made her a bed on the sofa so she could be near us and fell asleep. Miss Mary (kitty cat) liked her idea.

Being Thankful....

The past few weeks I've had a party almost daily. A party for myself...and pity was the only guest. When I took a step back and took a look I was ashamed....the things that I worry over are so small compared to what they could be, or what I see others struggling with. Given the event of a tragedy, they would mean next to nothing. I started considering the things I was thankful for.....salvation, my husband and children, my marriage, my extended family, my friends, my church, my home, my health, etc. etc.
I decided that I need to get back to finding pleasure in everyday small things....I've pretty much always been a person that could find something enjoyable no matter what my surroundings. Whether it be a tree gently swaying outside of a window, the sound of rain, a cat swishing its tail, the clouds, the sun...something.. It's always there, it's just whether I take the time to consider it. Yesterday, Julia and I sat and watched a squirrel digging and scurrying and carrying it's bounty away. A common sight, one easily passed over, but enjoyable.
I also come to the conclusion I need to *slow* down. Mentally more than anything. I had gotten into a mode of not focusing on the task at hand, but projecting onto the next thing that needed to be done. This rat race produces anxiety, stress, and leaves me feeling exhausted at the end of the day. I also don't give the needed attention to my children during the day when I am so engrossed in "doing and going and getting". Being there means more than *being* there. :-)

Our lifestyle does require that I multitask, stay pretty much busy, carry on more than one conversation at a time, and being able to switch gears quickly and smoothly. I do nearly everything during the day with one of the kids talking to me. I can't always take the time to do things how I want to, when I want to. But what I can do is make the best of the moment. If the moment is stressful, I can handle it with grace. If the moment is hurried, I can slow my mind. I can accomplish these things with Him who has has brought me this far, I can hand Him the worries and fretfulness, the cares and burdens, the fear and intimidation.
And He will carry the load.

Privacy....or the lack there of...

La Toilette. About the only place, recently, that I'm alone....well,not really alone, because I have many conversations through the bathroom door with my kids. This is, however, a step up. Not so many years back the kids, or at least one of them sat at my feet while I was on the toilet, or in my lap, or played with hair curlers in the floor.

I *love* homeschooling, but if there is anything I struggle with it's the lack of privacy....or lack of minutes I have alone. Everyone needs a few minutes alone at times. Sweet Son is 12 and Dear Daughter is 10 and they've always been home w/me....they've never been to public school (gasp, gasp). When they were little, I didn't have to worry much about what I said at the doctor's office, what they heard in my phone conversations, etc. etc. But now it's a real issue.
Earlier this year I had a hysterectomy. My kids went with me to *every* doctor's visit. In fact they were both with me at the initial visit just for a check up when Doc first thought there was something wrong. I was scared....but I had to gather myself together and go out and tell my kids it was "no big deal" that they needed to run a few tests. There sat both kids leafing through publications on breast cancer, ovarian and cervical cancer etc. (the only reading material in the office) Immediately both of them froze. and started to worry. And wanted to come back with me for the tests. Er, no honey, I don't think that is a good idea. (internal ultrasound). Both of the kids became well educated on fibroid tumors and learned about a my surgery and was there the day of.
Another issue for me is the buying of personal items. The kids are old enough now to send a few isles over and browse. But they both love looking through my cart. ARGH. Some things I just don't want them to see."What is this, Mom?" Gee Whiz.
Phone conversations are always monitored. Most of the time by dear daughter.....LOL. Very curious little lady, she is. For the most part the kids go w/me to the grocery, dentist, doctor, errands, well, just about anything I have to do. For the most part I enjoy it.
Every couple of months my parent's will offer to keep them for an afternoon or overnight. I really enjoy the first couple of hours. After that, my need to be alone or have privacy starts waning...if they stay over night, by the next morning I'm down right anxious for them to get home....LOL
I think about how quickly the past 10 and 12 years have passed...I don't have that many more left with them as children...so I'm more than willing to forgo my privacy (and maybe even a tad of my sanity) to have the time with them.