Keep the Homefires Burning
Pics of Jack receiving his yellow belt!! {
08:57 PM
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Thursday, June 26, 2008
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Jack has been taking martial arts for the past year at our homeschool parent partnership program. He earned his yellow belt and boy was he thrilled! He worked very hard and was so determined. It was great to see him succeed!  Jack's Ajarn tying his new belt on.  The special "hand shake" for this type of Thailand Martial Arts! With all the behavior issues Jack continues to struggle with, it is SO wonderful to see how he flourishes in his martial arts class. It has been the best outlet for his energy. Blessings! Connie Kitchen mill/grinder questions! {
08:25 PM
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Tuesday, April 22, 2008
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We are thinking we need to try a gluten free diet for Jack and I know many of you grind your own grains. I'm totally in the dark and am wondering about brands of mills, how easy it is to grind rice and corn flour, is it really as simple as grinding up long-grain rice, is there a co-op or other place to purchase ready-to-grind grain, are these questions really as silly as I think they are? :-) We read that 1 our of every 10 kids with Type 1 diabetes are also diagnosed with celiac disease. Until we can get in for the official testing, we have decided to start living gluten-free just in case. I'm quickly learning all kinds of things and researching recipes, etc. Any advice or links would be most appreciated! Blessings! Connie 4minutes, 30seconds - A new understanding of God's love for us! {
01:36 PM
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Sunday, April 20, 2008
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Words will only interfere. Just watch!March what? And snow! {
07:35 PM
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Friday, March 28, 2008
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Can't get over the bizarre weather we're having! Snow!! I went to visit my parents in Montana and had to cut the trip short since Lookout Pass was expecting 3-6 inches tonight! Can't believe I have to pull out the boots and mittens again!Spring (yeah, right!) break is this week. I'm off for a week. Can't wait to enjoy staying home every day! Blessings to all ... and if you are in the WA/ID/MT area -- bundle up!! Men's Brains/Women's Brains--Funny Video! {
07:28 PM
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Thursday, March 20, 2008
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This video explains so much!! Isn't it wonderful how God created two completely different "pieces" that fit together so well?! I hope you laugh at this like I did!Connie Looking for "Hawthorn Cottage" -- Help! {
07:55 AM
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Sunday, March 16, 2008
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I was browsing blogs the other day and came across an entry from "Hawthorn Cottage" I wanted to "bookmark" so I could read it later. So I jotted down the name -- but not the user name or any other info and the search feature doesn't have a spot for blog name! I didn't click on "add to friends" because...I don't know, I'm not sure of the etiquette of adding friends.Does anyone have Hawthorn Cottage's username or name so I can find her? I'd be ever so grateful...and careful to jot down people's username next time!! Thanks in advance! Connie Arrgghhh! {
04:41 PM
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Thursday, March 13, 2008
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After spending $300.00 to fix the starter in the car we found out that the head gasket (? or something like that) is blown. I got one block from the repair shop and was blowing so much bluish-white smoke that I thought something was on fire!Needless to say, that repair would cost more than the worth of the car so we are now car-less! We do have hubby's pick-up but it only gets about 12 miles to the gallon and at $3.40 a gallon...well, you get the picture! But in all things I will give praise! We live an easy 10 minute walk to a city bus stop that takes me very conveniently to my school. We will be less likely to make extra trips out which invariably lead us to Walmart or Target or the thrift stores "just to see" (translate: spend money on bargains we don't really need)! I'm getting great exercise walking to the bus stop. We're saving money on insurance and gas. Jack loves to ride the bus so that's an incentive to get him up and out the door with me on his school days. Now, this is going to seem very goofy to some of you, but as I was loading up my bag for school the other day and putting my "walking" shoes on, I got this sense of peace running through me. As I walked down to the bus stop I realized how great it felt to be walking, smelling the early morning air and not putting any kind of strain on our tight budget. It was a sense of freedom, in a way. My son in Seattle walks or busses everywhere. It's just the way you do things there when you're young and just starting out. Well, I'm not young and I wouldn't be classified as "just starting out" but I'm not sure I'm in a big rush to replace the car. (We'll see how dedicated and infatuated I am with public transportation in a few more weeks!) I figure my parents lived with one car most of their lives, I can do it for a while!! Blessings! Picture of my Cowboy boy {
02:18 PM
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Sunday, March 9, 2008
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I just had to upload this picture of my little cowboy. I've been looking into "dude ranch" vacations and realized that's way out of the budget. I'll need to call around and see if we can find somewhere that offers horseback riding. He keeps telling Dad we need to move to a farm...hmmmm....:-) Blessings to you and yours! My little boy wants to be a cowboy! {
07:20 PM
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Thursday, March 6, 2008
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If I could I'd move us to Montana and live a real homestead life. My son would be packing up tomorrow! Since going to the Sanders County fair for the past two years with my parents and attending the rodeo, Jack has been obsessed with all things western. Boots, chaps, spurs, western shirt, cowboy hat, etc. I found an old National Geographic book for kids all about cowboys and he all but sleeps with it! This is when that yearning for rural life really wreaks havoc on me. I lived in a small town for about two years and loved every minute of it. I would love to raise my third munchkin in that atmosphere. If I could make a living as a teacher in Montana, I'd be there tomorrow. Unfortunately, teachers there earn half of what I earn here. I know I'm whining, and I believe I am where God wants me and my family....(I think!!)...but every time I see Jack in his western gear, trying to rope the cat and dog, asking for a chance to live on a farm...well, I would if I could! For those of you blessed with the true homestead lifestyle, don't take it for granted! There are so many of us that envy you! In the meantime, I will "bloom where I'm planted"! Blessings to all! Connie 9:40pm and finally finished (Hubby is so relieved!) {
09:39 PM
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Sunday, February 24, 2008
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I had written a few days ago about my husband's incessant, inexplicable need to upgrade our computers and how, on his latest impulse-driven outing on my computer, he lost all my i-photos and slideshows I had prepared for my mom's upcoming birthday.Well as of 9:40 this evening, I have completed (and backed-up on a disc) the two slideshows I'd lost. Phew! My mom's b-day celebration is next Saturday and I am thrilled to have finished the slideshows...again! I have to say I'm pretty proud of them. I used Point of Grace's "How You Live" for one of them. For the more goofy, funny slideshow I used a little-known song by Lori Loza called "Perfect Woman". It is such a cute song. Here are the lyrics. My mom loves Proverbs 31 (the theme of her party) so I HAD to include this: Well I had a dream just the other night I was perfect woman in the perfect life. I prayed every morning at the crack of dawn All my children called me Saint Mom I never got tired, I never ran late My house was spotless 24 hours a day. My kitchen produced only gourmet meals I ran a taxi on the side to the little league field I joined every committee that the church could form But I was always waiting when my man got home They listed my phone in Proverbs 31 So the women could call to see just how it's done. I was a perfect woman Impossible though it seems I was a perfect woman Even if only in my dreams! I never made one mistake while training my kids Dr. Dobson even called to get some help with his The Lord never said no to my requests I was always anointed, I was always blessed I was always smilin' I never got down I never showed a wrinkle and I never gained a pound I was a perfect woman Impossible though it seems I was a perfect woman Even if only in my dreams! Well, if you're feeling somewhat overwhelmed Don't be afraid to lay that burden down You can't do it all haven't you been told Sometimes a woman's gotta just say, "No" Stay true to your God and your family and if you're perfect chances are you're dreaming just like me! I should try to figure out how to upload the song. It's so fun. I suppose I could ask my husband...no wait! What am I saying? He's not allowed to touch my computer for a year!! Blessings to all. I shall sleep the sleep that comes from total mental exhaustion!! (But it was worth it for my awesome mom!) Connie Upgrading the computer should be illegal in some states!! {
06:10 PM
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Thursday, February 21, 2008
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I love my techy husband...honest! But when he upgrades my computer without permission and THEN loses my i-photo slide shows I spent hours building for my mom's upcoming 70th b-day....well, let's just say it took all my will-power to smile sweetly and tell him not to worry and that I can re-do the slide shows.He really did feel badly and he is going to try to search out the old i-photo library on the hard drive. Of course, if this hadn't been the second time he'd done this I wouldn't have been so...hmmm, what's the word? Strained? Annoyed? Ready to break our promise about never "locking" each other out of our computers!! :-) Let's see...a new password to protect my little digital domain from his obsession to upgrade... upgrade upgrade upgrade! Whew! I feel better! Blessings to you all...and protect your computers from the upgraders of this world! Connie Homeschool radio shows HUGE sale! {
04:42 PM
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Sunday, February 17, 2008
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Someone on homesteadblogger introduced me to Homeschool radio shows on the web (I'm sorry I can't remember who!) and I love it. Each week they have a free download of an old radio show from the days of yesteryear. I've downloaded a few shows and when I went to check the site today there is a huge sale going on!Follow this link http://www.homeschoolradioshows.com/ and check out all the great history shows available for $27.00! The Civil War, Revolutionary War, WWII, and more. The sale ends midnight February 18th so you need to check it out now. I can't wait to get mine. DH and I love listening to old radio shows (Superman, Jack Benny, etc.) and we were so excited about this website. I hope you enjoy it as much as we do! Connie Scattegories game {
09:31 PM
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Thursday, January 31, 2008
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Found this at Kitty’s blog, give it try. *Scattergories*. .. it's harder than it looks. Copy and paste into a new post. Erase my answers and fill in your own. *Use the 1st letter of your name to answer each of the questions...they have to be real places, names, and things*...and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question.What is your name? Connie 4 letter word: comb Vehicle: car City: Coeur d’Alene Boys name: Carl Girls name: Cathy Movie: California Suite Occupation: cook Something you wear: cap Celebrity: Carrie Underwood Food: carrot Something found in a kitchen: coffee cup (2 points! :-) Something found in a bathroom: comet Reason for being late: Couldn’t find my keys. Cartoon character: Curious George Something you shout: Come on, ref! Animal: cat Body Part: calf Now it's your turn! Record snow days! I feel like a kid again! {
08:38 AM
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Thursday, January 31, 2008
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This is the fourth snow day in a row and for this part of the country that's odd. Last time we closed school for any length of time was 12 years ago during a devastating ice storm...and then it was only for three days!But as I posted before...I'm looking at this as a gift because I'm home with my family feeling like a mom and wife again. God knew I needed to fill that maternal tank and it's working! I've been baking, making hot breakfasts, cleaning, organizing, doing the homeschooling, and falling asleep content with my efforts! What a wonderful way to be! I'm going to try to post some pics from this latest deluge! Lots of white out there. "Stay, stay at home my heart and rest. Homekeeping hearts are happiest." It's a blizzard!! {
01:56 PM
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Tuesday, January 29, 2008
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I can't get over the weather here in northeast Washington state! We've had well over a foot of snow fall and it's coming down hard and fast again! Our big "city" school has been closed for two days now! They haven't closed for weather since 1996 when we had a severe ice storm. The time before that was 1980 when Mt.St. Helens blew her top! Nice for me...I teach at one of the elementary schools. Nothing beats a 'snow day'! Of course, as homeschoolers as well, there is no such thing as a snow day. Business as usual except I get to do the teaching with Jack and I love it! Just the other day I posted about my yearning to be the parent at home in charge of teaching Jack and here God gives me two days to do just that! I have taken advantage of every minute. Not that we have been 'hitting the books' every second of the day. But just being able to be around and talk while we work, discuss how amazing the platypus is, figure out how many times we can blink in one minute, and see how many ways we can divide the pretzel sticks. Let alone the games of Sorry and backgammon we've been able to play! Thank you, Father, for filling my emptying tank in this manner! You always know just what I need! My DH and Jack are out shoveling AGAIN! But right now I think it's a losing battle! I think I'll put the tea kettle on for tea and hot cocoa when my worker-men come back in! Stay snug! Connie Figured out the picture thing! {
06:47 PM
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Monday, January 28, 2008
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Here are just some fun shots of my parents and family. We are getting ready to celebrate mom's 70th b-day and have a huge slide-show of her life planned. My parents on their 50th Anniversary!  My mom last year on the night of my parent's 52nd Anniversary!  All of us at my Dad's 70th b-day on 2005. We all had t-shirts that said "Bob's Daughter". My mom's says "Bob's Wife". My dad's says "Bob-The Man, The Myth, The Legend"!  My parents on Halloween. Mom made the costumes!  Thanks for enjoying this pictures with me! Connie A few pictures to share--hopefully! {
06:32 PM
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Monday, January 28, 2008
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I am hoping to upload a couple of pictures to share but it's been so long since I've done that I can't remember how!! I'll play around with buttons, templates and 'stuff' and see if I can figure it out!
Private heartache {
08:07 PM
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Friday, January 25, 2008
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For many reasons, I have been employed full-time this year (I'm a public school teacher -- fortunately I work for our district's homeschool partnership!) while my hubby has stayed at home with our boy to head up the homeschooling (and if you knew my husband a year ago your jaw would drop in amazement that he's doing this!!). We pulled Jack from school in the spring of '07 because of behavior issues and he's still not ready for the pressures, both academic and peer, found in public school. While I am thankful to God for providing me a truly dream job, I am heartsick that I am not the one home with Jack. I have not shared this with my hubby because he carries that "male" burden of not being the bread-winner and I don't want to add to his own stress and worries. However, when I am in the midst of the cold, dark, morning commute to work I find myself longing...yearning...to be the one at home. As much as I adore my husband, he is not a committed Christian and he doesn't incorporate scripture or Bible verses/stories in Jack's daily school time. I'm not saying that every subject should center around a Bible verse, but our time to mold and shape Jack's character is NOW! I continue to gently remind my husband that we are called to raise this young boy into a fine young man and we can't do it alone. I have found that I am so exhausted at the day's end and yet my sparkler of a son still needs an energetic mom until he crashes at 7pm (sometimes as early as 6:30!). Working full time, being responsible for dozens of children throughout the day, takes its toll on me and that's not fair to the one child God has placed in my hands who needs me desperately. Not to mention my husband who deserves a bright, happy wife instead of the haggard woman I feel like by Friday afternoon! My secret prayer is that God will orchestrate our lives in such a way that next school year I will be home while hubby goes back to work. (Hubby is looking forward to Jack getting back into "regular" school. I, on the other hand, would like to keep him home for a couple of more years.) Of course, we need to be able to live on his teacher's salary which is a bit less than mine. Right now we can barely make it on what I bring home. Or perhaps I can be a part-time certificated consultant for the school I teach at now. That way I can work from home. Ahhhhh...as I said, I daydream a lot. Whatever happens, I know that God is in control, He has a plan for my family, He loves us with an unending love, and that NOTHING is impossible for Him. Blessings! Please watch this short video! {
03:37 PM
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Tuesday, January 1, 2008
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My words could only cheapen the message of this video. I hope it touches you the way it did me.Amazing Grace...how can it be? Blessings! Hilarious home school moments {
04:54 PM
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Thursday, December 13, 2007
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So this is our first year at homeschooling. (I LOVE it, the hubby is a slower convert!) I knew it would be difficult at times. I knew it would require a huge sacrifice of my time. I knew it would seem overwhelming on many occasions. But nobody told me about the hilarity that would be present!We are using Story of the World for our history curriculum. (I love this...I'm learning as much as Jack!) Volume one begins with the earliest Nomads. It had been a long day for all of us but I still wanted to get the "narration" exercise in. I asked Jack a few questions about the nomads. He answered well until I asked him to tell me again where the nomads lived. He sighed, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "I don't know...retirement homes?" When I stopped laughing I told him we had probably had enough for that day. Funny #2: We were discussing Joseph being sold by his brothers to slave traders. When I read the part about the brothers returning to Jacob with the blood-stained coat of many colors and the lie they told, Jack wanted to reenact that scene. He stood very solemnly by the fire place and I was to come in as the sinful brothers and place the bloody coat at his feet. I tossed a towel down in front of him and he said, very sternly, "Where is your brother?" I told him that Joseph must have been killed by a lion and here is the bloody coat to prove it. Jack looked very hard at me, narrowed his eyes, shook his finger at me and said, very gravely, "Tell me the truth or you're grounded, mister!" Blessings to all!! Connie { Last Page } { Page 1 of 4 } { Next Page } |
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