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Thursday 13

My Thursday 13

I am in the mood for some good ol’ Thanks Living! I am a firm believe that there are just a bazillion things I have to be thankful for. So I think for the next few weeks- I’ll give myself a category and share 13 things I am thankful for.

Today is Beverages. [Hey, it just popped into my head.]

1. Wild Cherry Pepsi (oh my, a weakness and none of that yucky diet stuff- I go for the real deal!)
2. Hot Cocoa made with warm milk and topped with whip cream and sprinkles (have I ever mentioned how much I love to gild the lily?!)
3. Chocolate Cherry Festival Coffee
4. Orange Juice mixed with Grapefruit Soda (slurpy, yum- double the goodness by planning ahead and making orange juice ice cubes)
5. Hot spiced apple cider
6. Cold apple cider (I like ‘em both- depends on whether I’m feeling hot or cold!)
7. Milk (nothing beats good ol’ milk. Oh, and don’t forget the cookies.)
8. A Nice Tall Glass of REAL Lemonade (not that Minute Maid stuff- I’m talkin’ real lemons you squeeze yourself! Slurp!)
9. My sister-in-law’s Punch (no alcohol in it at all- but it does have some of that sherbet- ooh, I like that stuff.)
10.  Cherry Lemonade from Cherry Republic in Glen Arbor, MI (ah, a drink of slurpity goodness- and they float real cherries in it too!)
11. Carmel Apple Cappuccino topped with whip cream and a very generous drizzling of caramel sauce.
12. Cranberry juice mixed with orange juice and lemon lime soda
13. Chocolate Cherry Coke (Made to order at my fave 50-60’s diner! Yum!)

There are more but these have to be my top favorites and yes, I do drink water too (just not as much as a should!)

Thursday 13

My Thursday Thirteen

13 reasons we decided to homeschool

1. My oldest girl is only 2 years away from middle school and this is just too darn scary.

2. I don’t have to get up at 6 am, pack lunches and drive to 2 different schools to drop my children off.

3. My children can be correctly informed about Creationism vs. Evolutionism.
4. Our health class won’t involve passing out little foil wrappers and discussing our “orientation”.
5. We will teach purity and chastity and how it honors God.

6. I hope to strengthen and renew my relationship with my oldest daughter (and the other 2 kids too). Oldest has had some attitude issues during the past school year and I am hoping that homeschooling will iron some of them out.

7. I like the idea of our children’s schooling being over in four hours instead of seven.

8. Better student to teacher ratio.

9. A deep desire to be more involved in our children’s education and to know exactly what is being taught and how they are grasping it.

10. Many more opportunities for field trips than in public schools (I love the idea of family vacations being field trips- a twofer!)

11. There won’t be 7 hours of school and then 2 hours of homework in the evening.

12. Bible time- scriptures for dictation, reading lessons from The Word, writing out prayer requests and praises . . .

13. And lastly- Because GOD TOLD US TO!

My Thursday 13

Today’s 13 things about me has to do with camping. I have only gone camping once this year and with our change in weather here- it’s perfect camping weather and I’m feeling the pull . . . . .

Thirteen things about me and camping . . . .

1.    I tent camp- its fun and we’re too poor to buy a trailer/pop-up and besides- a trailer/Pop-up would take away some of the fun!

2.    I go camping with my little family and my extended family (parents, brother and his family, sister)

3.    We go camping every Labor Day Weekend with my family- its like a Norton Reunion (my parents, brother and family, Aunts and Uncles, cousins etc.) Except we aren’t going this Labor Day.

4.    I do not help my husband set up the tent and our marriage is blessed because of it! [Note: ignore those directions that say it sets up in 10 minutes- they LIE!]

5.    Campin’ food is awesome. Chili, pulled pork sandwiches, pancakes, sausage gravy and biscuits, h’made soup, pizza camp pies, s’mores, camp pies . . . .

6.    I love to camp Up North. Michigander talk for anything above where you live- usually refers to U.P. (upper peninsula) or northern part of lower peninsula)

7.    Why do we camp on Labor Day weekend? We started camping that weekend because we walked the Mackinaw Bridge. Did that for 6 years but not the last 2.

8.    I tent camp but I do not sleep on the ground. Hubby and I have a posh 2 ft high Coleman air mattress- heavenly. Best money I ever spent on camping necessities!

9.    Up until last year- hubby and I would sleep together in separate sleeping bags- last year after over 12 years of camping together- he finally shared that he really doesn’t like to do it that way. Now- we didn’t share the same sleeping bag- a girl’s gotta draw the line- I don’t care how big you think it is- it ain’t. We placed his bag on the mattress and mine on top and slept between. Bliss.

10.                       We have never tent camped with only hubby, the kids and me. I believe in having more adults than children when camping.

11.                       I do not tent camp in the middle of summer when it’s 100 degrees- that is air conditioning weather. Go ahead and call me a ‘fair weather camper’ I agree.

12.                       2 of the best things about camping are reading books and everyone sittin’ by the fire and chatting. Oh and the smell of the campfire!

13.                       I love how camping and being in the outdoors 24/7 wears my darling children out. They fall asleep around 8:30 at night! Whoo Hoo!

14.                       Oh, heck- I’ve got to add one more- I do not rustic camp. Meaning I do not use pit toilets- I gots me a phobia about that. Don’t know that they have a name for it- but I got it and I don’t use ‘em. I’d rather go out in the woods . . . .

Thursday Thirteen

Today’s Thursday Thirteen (things about me) is taken from what I’ve been seeing posted on the homestead the last few days- Thing’s You’ll Never Hear Me Say. So without further ado:

13 Things You’ll Never Hear Me Say:

1. Oh, no that skirt is just not short enough!

2. Feel free to just pop into the bathroom while I’m using it.

3. I just hate, hate, hate chocolate.

4. I’m sorry officer; I didn’t realize I was driving so slow.

5. Sure, I’d love to host a 24 hour lock-in with the teens- by myself.

6. Please no sugar or cream, I like my coffee black.

7. Sure, you can share my toothbrush with the cat.

8. 25,489 Legos are just not enough. Let’s buy more.

9. Oh, how clever of you to mash 3 different colors of playdough into the new carpet. You are such an artist!

10. Feel free not to do your chores, I am your most humble servant.

11. Of course, I allow my son to hit anyone he chooses and no, he has no consequences for it.

12. I can do it all by myself- I don’t need God’s help.

13. I’ve stopped reading the bible- I know EVERYTHING now!

Thursday 13

I have succumbed and joined the ranks of this crazed meme crowd and will now post 13 Things about me and mine on Thursdays—maybe not every Thursday and maybe I’ll run out of things to say at some time . . . . . hmmm. I doubt that.

So Here’s Today’s 13—

13 Smells I like

1. Pine

2. Clean Sheets on the line

3. Granny Smith Apples

4. Pumpkin Pie

5. Chocolate

6. Coffee

7. A lake in the morning with the mist just burning off

8. Fall leaves

9. Good dirt

10. Lavender

11. Lemon

12. My husband (I love his cologne)

13. Just out of the bath Babies- I just love to bury my nose in the little crook of a baby’s neck and sniff, sniff, sniff