Linda the Library Lady

Yes, that is what the Goons call her! She is one of the highligths of our week. I used to make the weekly library ritual on "Da Girws Day" as Princess calls it. However Magoo rebelled and stated emphatically that he LOVES library day! So now it is a friday treat before we plung into a home schooling day. Linda the Library Lady has made our library trips so much more meaningful and worthwhile. Over the past 3 years we have gotten into some great conversations about our beliefs, hopes and aspirations. Frequently she will put a book on hold for me when it comes in because she knows that I will enjoy it. Other times I will be looking at a "Christian Fiction" book and she will comment "oh, you won't like that one, it is more of a fluffy romance book" and thus saves me time wasted and discust! It is so nice to have her help in finding good books. She also has learnt by watching what we do and do not allow the chilren to look at and read that we are very picky when it comes to childrens books as well. She even keeps an eye on them and helps them to find a book that "Mummy would like".

Though usually we spend a good hour in there, reading, playing the history DK computer game, working at the interactive center and finding Mummy a book....today with Sprout bringing in 3 teeth at once (yup, she is an over-achiever) we lasted barely 15 minutes.

So Homemade chicken noodle soup is bubbling on the stove and whole wheat bread is sliced and ready to be toasted with cheese....lunch time! and then into the Home schooling day.

Usually there are some worksheets sent home, but this week there wasn't so we will be spending about 20 mintues on math. Magoo is struggling with his "teen" and "twenty" families. Last night we went through the kid drawer (must do a post on that) and found some "Joshua and Jericho" cards to use for math today to make it fun. The house has been scored for pennies as well! Then afterwards we will work on "Learning about the Bible" by Lois Rock and Maureen Galvani. I picked up a copy in the bargin basement of a book shop for $4.99! I tried to show a picture of it but blogger isn't letting me...argh~!

The Tale of Two Funerals

What a week. Tuesday morning within 15 minutes of each other we received 2 telephone calls to let us know that 2 very special men in our lives had died. The first was a wonderful and inspirational elder in the ecclesia who was instrumental in helping me grow to love the Truth as a young person. He was so full of life and energy and always willing to answer what I thought were silly questions that I had. The second was my grandfather, he had been sick for a while so in a way it was humane.

Thursday was Uncle Colin's funeral. Though my heart ached and tears ran down my cheeks, I left with a feeling of hope and comfort in the Resurrection. I know with assurance that he is merely sleeping, awaiting our Lord's return.

Friday was the visitation for Grandpa, I was overjoyed (as you can imagine) that Hubby was able to come home a day early from his work trip to Delaware so that he could be with me. Since my parents are divorced, I was a ball of nerves not knowing how it would go with my father and mother in the same room. Overall it went well though. Saturday we left the children at home with a wonderful young lady from the ecclesia and drove over an hour to the funeral.

WOW talk about opposites. Uncle Colin's was so nice, interspersed with hymns and readings. Funny and thoughtful memories from his life often involved family. At Grandpa's all they talked about was his military service, hardly anything about his family life. It was a lot shorter, but I found less meaningful. I had never experienced a military funeral before, it was an experience.

Perhaps that is why I left feeling empty. Grandpa and I did not share a common belief or hope, there is no hope there. It is heart breaking really. The Grandpa I knew never talked about his time in the army, never mentioned anything past the fact that he was a captain. He didn't place that much importance on it at all, and yet that is all they focused on.

My memories of Grandpa are of a kind man who always had a free lap for the grand kids. One who wasn't afraid to get down on the ground and play with us. He always had chocolate in the house and shared often! He was so pleased with his great-grandchildren too.

So today we start a new week. All the jobs that didn't get done last week are calling to me. But after last week I'm going to take the time and hug the children, share a cuppa with Hubby, read stories and play games, and show the kids how much I love them.

For you never know what tomorrow may bring.

Outside my window...
The sun is shining and the snow is glittering

I am thinking...
It is too cold outside for the Goons to play out there (-20C)

I am thankful for...
God's Word & my new "Oy Vey" Mug Hubby got me yesterday

From the kitchen...
Lamb Roast

I am wearing...
A stained orange t-shirt and warm cords, going to change before company arrives! (into a skirt
and CLEAN top)

I am creating...
Dishclothes

I am going...
to prepare for SS

I am reading...
Haven by Ruth Gruber

I am hoping...
For some quiet time before bed with hubby

I am hearing...
The Goons "cleaning" wink wink the play room

Around the house...
Many, many books (one of these days I should count them!)

One of my favorite things...
Quiet Prayer Time

Deep Freeze

Just listening to the weather report made me want to cuddle deeper into our flannelet sheets and pull the duvet up over my head. It is giant beautiful flakes of pure whiteness this morning. The Goons have already been bundled up and sent outside for a good hour of play. Hot chocolate has been consumed, and all the wet dirt encrusted clothes are in the washing machine being coaxed back to their original colours.

This afternoon we are entering a deep freeze. The high for tomorrow is -14 C (6 F) that is the HIGH!!! the lows are going to be around -25C (-18.5F). With Magoo's ashma he cannot play outside when it is that cold so I wanted to make sure they got some good play time in.

Today's big chore is finding the larger baby girl clothes for Sprout and washing and sorting them into her drawers. We need to air out the wool blankets and fill containers with water in case the power goes out. When the power goes out we can't get water from the well!!!

I've been struggling with something this past bit Luke 21:34 And take heed to yourselves, lest at any time your hearts be overcharged with surfeiting, and drunkenness, and cares of this life, and so that day come upon you unawares.

yep, the cares of this life are really making me depressed. Actually I'm wondering if Post Partumm Depression can start around the 7th month (that's when I noticed it). I just feel so weepy and on the verge of screaming at the littlest tinniest things.

Well time to make lunch. We were going to have lamb stew that I had made a big batch of yesterday, but I left it out all night and had to threw it out. 3 days worth of stew in the garbage, now THAT almost made me burst into tears!

Till next time!

Sorry the Posts have been lacking, to put it mildly! I am working on a sister's class on Leviticus 19.....in my "spare time" for next month.

Today is going so well! (of course that means Sprout is asleep!) we woke up to an ice frost. No, i don't really know how that happens but it does. Everything look so dazzling bright, it was as if God had covered the landscape with silver craft sparkles!

I've decided to slow down and make warm breakfasts more often, instead of eating so much Shredded Wheat (the good ole fashioned no sugar kind) the kids love it since it was Grandpa George's fav. but really, they need some variety! So this morning we made egg, ham & cheese sandwiches and sent Hubby off to work with one and a fresh Mochaichino! The Goons and I then played "dry cleaners" which is an ingenious way to get your kids to LOVE and BEG to help you sort and put away the laundry. We were behind (yep, we are always behind) in putting it away so each kid found and put away the clothing out of the pile. We started with undies & socks and worked our way through the rest. Magoo even hung up his meeting shirts with the help of a stool borrowed from the bathroom! Needless to say I was MOST impressed and thrilled!

Then we headed off to the lovely lil library and yes, we drove instead of walking as Sprout is such a wimp in the cold and I knew that if we walked (fun though it would have been in the winter wonderland) the whole town would have known we were on our way for Sprouts screams! I allowed myself a few books to try out some new authors (it is so hard nowadays to find good clean books) while Hubby is in Delaware next week.

After lunch and "nap" of 20 minutes during which I ended up in giggles listening to the pitter patter of Magoo & Princess's' footsteps...we had a nice long cuddle and story time on the couch and then dove into homeschooling. Magoo missed a day at CHC because he was sick, so we have a lot to catch up on.

Magoo read the first 3 pages of his first ever reader, so thrilling! 4 pages of printing, and 10 pages of blends done....now if only he could do the math work. It is obvious to me doing the flip cards that he is struggling with the 11-20 & 30s (the 21-29 seems fine) and I wish they had told me......we will be working on these a lot now!

Well Sprout is up, she will not nap for longer then 20 min at a time....therefore is miserable...teeth?

Oh dear is it 3 already, time to put the roast in and get the bags ready for little disciples tonight (hmmmm I wonder where their indoor shoes are?!?).

I hope that your day has been as fun as ours has. Magoo just announced he is done his last page (#5) of printing work so we will now celebrate with a pot of local popcorn and milk and sit down to read another chapter of "Little House in the Big Woods".

Today we thank God for bringing us together in marriage 8 years ago!

"And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him. And the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon Adam, and he slept: and he took one of his ribs, and closed up the flesh instead thereof; And the rib, which the LORD God had taken from man, made he a woman, and brought her unto the man" Genesis 2:18,21-22

Well today was going to be a day filled with fun as Hubby and I were to head into Toronto to visit the Jewish shops and eat lots of Falafel.

Sprout had other ideas! She was up screaming nearly all night, so instead Hubby is at work today, and I am at home full of cold and exhaustion. We will save our trip (which is to celebrate our upcoming wedding anniversery) for another day when we are awake enough to enjoy it. Also no one in their right mind should attempt the drive into Toronto half asleep!!!Oiy!

But as they say, there is always a silver lining and I have found it! While Magoo was off school for 2 & 1/2 weeks for the holidays I fell behind. It wasn't a concious act, but almost no laundry or housework got done, just the bare necessities.

So today it is a "girl day" as Magoo is at CHC today, so we are going to get to work and clean this house! I'm hoping to have most of it done by 2 pm when I need to leave to go into town to pick Magoo up.

Before I sign off I wanted to share a book with you, "Mother" by Kathleen Norris (http://www.amazon.com/Mother-Kathleen-Norris/dp/1929241178/ref=pd_bbs_sr_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1231169123&sr=8-9) a dear friend left it here and after writing her a note saying it was here I enjoyed the luxtury of a quick bath and started to read it. It is such a wonderful book! After the hour it took to read it I felt inspired to continue with the blessed job given my by God to be a mother to our three olive plants. It is written in story form and I garrenty that you will not be able to put it down!