Lisa's Logbook - May 30

Outside: 89 and sunny today (81 right now)

Sounds: the window fan (NOT doing the A/C)

Home: Trying to make things nice and neat since I am hosting a party next weekend

Projects: Entering soccer registrations; Bob is doing car repairs and finally finishing that sidewalk project.

Pondering: my top ten love stories list (books)

Teaching: The trial summer learning week went fairly well, so we will continue in that vein. Maybe I can post a little about it later.

Gratitude: Nice weather!

Recipes: S'mores? Tonight over a fire?

Duds: green plaid shorts, black stretchy tee, bare feet

Reads: going to start The Hound of the Baskervilles by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle for book club, about 3/4 through Echo in the Bone audio (and it's overdue); skimming through lots of magazines

Vids: It's Complicated (rather dull), Little Women (Winona Ryder version), Management (LOVE this movie!), Swimming Upstream (about an Australian competitive swimmer with a dysfunctional family)

Hopes: that my van's A/C can be repaired. Bob replaced a belt that broke again within days, so I am not exceedingly hopeful. However it worked however briefly, so at least we know it's possible.

Love: days with no expectations

Plans: Working 4 hours T-F, field trip to Caseville, a Tomboy Tools party here, a meeting

Pic: This sign always cracks me up.

Animal Sanctuary Field Trip

Wonderful day!

Just look at that sky - sapphire blue and puffy white clouds. Sun was beating down hot and warm.

An hour's tour through the animal sanctuary acquainted our group with lions, tigers, and bears - oh my! Plus tortoises, buffalo, lemurs, macaques, and more. For all the photos, click HERE.

Suzy's Soccer

James's Soccer

Lisa's Logbook - May 23

Outside: Going to be in the 80's today and sunny! All week, this is the forecast!

Sounds: my stomach growling

Home: Finally putting away winter coats and such

Projects: Entering 250 soccer registrations; Bob is fixing a couple things on my van (hopefully the A/C!)

Pondering: Eight years and 4 days ago, my youngest child was born. Eight years ago today a wall fell on my husband. Both events were life-changing.

Teaching: Decided that I don't have the sort of self-motivated independent learners that some home educating families seem to have. Therefore, we are back to the checklists and mom-directed learning. This week is my dry run for summer learning. Summer weather means attention deficit. This summer is their last chance. If they don't buckle down and work hard during the summer learning program (which will last through June and some of July & August), they will have to be in traditional school in the fall. No one seems to believe I will do it, but I MUST work or we cannot make ends meet. If they can't accomplish lessons and (especially) chores with a minimum of mom-input, then they are not going to be able to remain at home.

Gratitude: thankful for the promise of Heaven

Recipes: made some taco meat yesterday - that's about as good as it gets 'round here.

Duds: khaki shorts, my brown NaNo tee, brown flip-flops, hair in pony

Reads: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott for book club, about 2/3 through Echo in the Bone audio (and it's overdue again); skimming through lots of magazines

Vids: Eli Stone TV series on DVD (finished Season 1), The Spy Next Door (only had moments of enjoyability; otherwise predictable and violent) - wow, I think that's all!

Hopes: that I survive the teenage years.....

Love: my new smiley face coffee mug

Plans: Teaching Spanish (this is the last week PERIOD), Working 4-5 hours M-F, J soccer, field trip, Bob's birthday!, an open house, and book club!

Pic: James making a goal on a penalty kick. (An opposing player had touched the ball with his hand while standing RIGHT in front of the goal.)

How the City Works

Our field trip to a nearby Department of Public Works was a hit once again. Two years ago we had our first opportunity to participate in this hands-on informative open house. When the chance came around again, I jumped at it! The kids were divided into age groups of 6-10 kids and taken to 12 different stations where they could touch, try, and learn about the way a city works. From the sewer to the parks, each public works department was represented and cheerful helpful city workers explained their duties with patience and smiles. The biggest hit was, of course, the ride in the "cherry picker" truck, but so many other interesting exhibits made the field trip memorable for all.



Lots more photos HERE

Lisa's Logbook - May 16

Outside: Sunny and 63! yeah!

Sounds: Bob talking to David about drywall

Home: several projects underway

Projects: Now it's time to start thinking about fall co-op classes; also I am organizing a field trip this week.

Pondering: my shortcomings

Teaching: Educational movies this week include Grizzlies, Nature's Fury!, Drive-Through History (thanks, Dar!). David has his last dissection class (and I didn't have to teach it), Spanish evaluations are this week and next, and Emily is doing Life of Fred math.

Gratitude: that Bob was actually able to fix the fridges - yes, both of them. He really is very talented with fix-it stuff.

Recipes: Not cooking.

Duds: jeans (too tight! argh!), hot pink tee with Bible verse, white socks (my feet are cold)

Reads: Little Women by Louisa May Alcott for book club, about halfway through Echo in the Bone audio; skimming through lots of magazines

Vids: Eli Stone TV series on DVD (enjoying it still, but it has a very liberal slant), The Young Victoria (yes, again), The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus (This one is on my TEN WORST MOVIES EVER list), An Education (liked it a lot), and some of North and South, a tiny bit of Avatar & of Lars and the Real Girl

Hopes: that Bob can find a full time job, because otherwise I will probably have to. Can't go on like this.

Love: Garage sales! LOVE THEM!

Plans: Teaching Spanish (this is the last week for one of my classes), Working 4-5 hours M-F, J & S soccer, field trip, Suzy's birthday! and she has a party to attend as well.

Pic: We stopped by and there was no Jackman, no Dancy, no Grant, not even Laurie. Nor was it hugE. So much for truth in advertising.

Lisa's Logbook - May 9&10

I tried to do this meme yesterday, but yesterday was not a good day for introspection so I postponed it.

Outside: Sunny but windy and cold (this was Sunday)

Sounds: Kids outside hanging up laundry (Mon)

Home: Same old half-done projects

Projects: Soccer registration preparation - it's this week!

Pondering: the sacrifice of praise

Teaching: Lots of thank you notes being written this week and documentary videos on topics like: Sharks, Australian animals, and Israel.

Gratitude: that spring is here - now maybe the weather can reflect that?

Recipes: Ever walked up the frozen dinner aisle at Walmart? Who needs recipes?

Duds: jeans, red long sleeved tee, slippers (Sun)

Reads: Emma by Jane Austen for book club (still trying to finish), also Echo in the Bone audio - barely time to pick up a book, so not much reading happening except magazines.

Vids: The Back Up Plan (enjoyed it), Eli Stone TV series (on DVD), The Young Victoria (LOVED IT), Ladies in Lavender (rather creepy), Up in the Air (depressing), Old Dogs (just dumb)

Hopes: that I can figure out this thing called life

Love: Dove chocolate (it got me through the week)

Plans: Teaching Spanish, Working 4 hours M-F, J & S soccer, Kickball game, Nature classes (S,J) SOCCER REGISTRATION WEEK

Pic: Apparently I don't take photos anymore.

Lisa's Logbook - May 2

Outside: Overcast and drippy but almost 70!

Sounds: Steven Curtis Chapman "Dive"
I’m diving in, I’m going deep in over
my head, I want to be
Caught in the rush, lost in the flow,
in over my head, I want to go
The river’s deep, the river’s wide,
the river’s water is alive
So sink or swim, I’m diving in

Home: Bob is redoing the backyard path. We keep saying we need to finish the exterior painting job, but we never seem to begin. I need Denise's gumption!

Projects: Soccer registration preparation - the dates are May 12 and 15 but there is much to do beforehand

Pondering: being the image bearer of Christ (read the article I posted yesterday - To Kill or To Love)

Teaching: David has dissection class this week. I am very thankful he has that opportunity to do dissection with someone who loves science and encourages him to be studious.

Gratitude: Thankful also that Maryann has talked David into doing soccer again this fall.

Recipes: Emily and her friend Leah made Chocolate Banana Bread (Taste of Home recipe) - YUM! David made brownies that were very good too.

Duds: Navy tee, red/navy checked capris, hair and makeup done (went to church - can you believe it?)

Reads: Emma by Jane Austen for book club (still trying to finish), also got Echo in the Bone audio back from the library - barely time to pick up a book, so not much reading happening except magazines.

Vids: Kate & Leopold, Eli Stone TV series (on DVD), He Loves Me He Loves Me Not (in French, no less), The Blind Side

Hopes: that starting the kids back on allowances will be motivational for them

Love: GARAGE SALE SEASON! I WILL go to garage sales this week. I WILL.

Plans: Teaching Spanish, Working 4 hours M-F, J & S soccer, Keepers party, Cinco de Mayo party, Rollicking Readers Movie Night (it's party week! LOL)

Pic: Suzy's soccer injury - She crashed heads at Saturday's noon game with a hard-headed larger opponent. The first pic was Saturday night; the second pic was Sunday morning before church. (The date is wrong, for some reason!)

To Kill or To Love

To Kill or to Love—That Was the Question

Rethinking the image of God helped me to decide.

Interesting article at Christianity Today by Brandon O'Brien.

Excerpt:

"Stewart, just answer number four." I repeat the question for clarification: "What is a noun?"

"A comma. No, wait—it modifies something. No, I don't know … running. Is running a noun?"

My left eye begins to spasm.