That's what my dad always used to say when he thought one of his kids did something ridiculous. If he were here right now, he'd be saying it while he picked up and snuggled this guy:



We picked him up yesterday. His name is Spotty. Please never accuse us of creativity around here. He's ours for one month, then we give him back. Our friends who live on a farm and have all sorts of animals are letting us "borrow" him.

Truthfully, I'll be glad when the month is over. He poops ALL THE TIME, and his pee stinks pretty badly. Bud is building a hutch right now and should be done by about lunchtime today, so Spotty's living in a cardboard box for now, which really isn't ideal. Have I said recently how wonderful Bud is? Bud does not like pets much. But, he's spending a day off building a hutch for our temporary rabbit. What a guy.

Luke is not too impressed with him either. The fact that the rabbit is jumpy makes Luke jumpy. Frankly, I'd be taking him back today if it wasn't for this:



She loves him. So he stays for the month. Good times.

I've always loved the poetry of Ogden Nash. And, as I plan not one, but two birthday parties to be held before I leave for China, this poem speaks to me (I especially like the line about the Hottentots). Enjoy!

Children's Party
by Ogden Nash

May I join you in the doghouse, Rover?
I wish to retire till the party's over.
Since three o'clock I've done my best
To entertain each tiny guest.

My conscience now I've left behind me,
And if they want me, let them find me.
I blew their bubbles, I sailed their boats,
I kept them from each other's throats.

I told them tales of magic lands,
I took them out to wash their hands.
I sorted their rubbers and tied their laces,
I wiped their noses and dried their faces.

Of similarities there's lots
Twixt tiny tots and Hottentots.
I've earned repose to heal the ravages
Of these angelic-looking savages.

Oh, progeny playing by itself
Is a lonely little elf,
But progeny in roistering batches
Would drive St. Francis from here to Natchez.

Shunned are the games a parent proposes,
They prefer to squirt each other with hoses,
Their playmates are their natural foemen
And they like to poke each other's abdomen.

Their joy needs another's woes to cushion it,
Say a puddle, and someone littler to push in it.
They observe with glee the ballistic results
Of ice cream with spoons for catapults,

And inform the assembly with tears and glares
That everyone's presents are better than theirs.
Oh, little women and little men,
Someday I hope to love you again,

But not till after the party's over,
So give me the key to the doghouse, Rover


Do you have a favorite Ogden Nash poem? You can read some other fun ones here.

Socks that is. It's my least favorite chore, matching the socks out of the dryer. First, it's just a real pain, and then there are always about three socks that have no partner. It's one of the world's great mysteries.

I got up one morning and couldn't find my socks, so I called Information. She said, "Hello, Information." I said, "I can't find my socks." She said, "They're behind the couch." And they were! Steven Wright

Peyton has just grown accustomed to wearing socks that don't match. Usually they are the same color, but one is longer than the other, or something like that. The boys are only allowed to have one kind of sport sock so that they all match, so it's not as big of a problem for them, although I have to take special care when I wash Luke's few "dress" socks.

Well, folks, I've found the answer to the problem. It's just too bad I didn't think of it myself because it's a stroke of genius! Click on the photo for the brilliant solution:



You'll notice the socks are supposed to be mismatched! How brilliant is that? They even have a little sock combiner wizard to see how different socks look together. It's brilliant I tell you.

And since we are in the summer months and, here in Texas at least, won't be wearing socks for a while, you can also shop for mismatched flip flops and swimsuits as well as pajamas!

Enjoy!

I love my husband.

He shoulders the responsibility of providing for our family without ever mentioning it to me, even when he's worried.

He is a man of integrity in his business, where it could be quite lucrative not to be so.

He knows how to grill a mean steak.

He leads our family in worship.

He wears his heart on his sleeve when it comes to our children.

He clears the table after we eat dinner.

He makes ridiculous jokes.

He takes me on romantic getaways.

He mows the grass.

He eats whatever I cook, including all things experimental.

He loves his neighbors.

He takes care of his mom.

He's really good-looking.

He makes the bed when he's the last one up.

He's a fanatic for the safety of our children.

He plays beautiful music on his guitar and banjo.

His Jersey accent becomes stronger after he's been around his family.

He is a big fan of homeschooling.

He seeks to live his life as Jesus Christ would want him to.

I Love Bud.

They've grown a lot in two weeks, huh? Here they are before:



If you're looking for something very fun to grow with your kids, with the side benefit that it produces something delicious, I recommend Kentucky Pole Beans.

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So, the trip is on. I'll be working in a general clinic, but there will also be about 100 cleft lip/palate surgeries performed, as well as some pediatric open-heart cases. The truth of the matter is that I am quite nervous about the whole thing. But this is such a great opportunity for Bud and me to share our many blessings. Bud also feels like it is a good chance for me to check the lay of the land, so to speak, since he is seriously thinking of moving us over to China at a later date, because his business will be providing increasing opportunities for that.

We will be in Xi'an, the home of these guys:



I will be traveling with a medical team of about 40, and we will be in a large city. Many of the folks that I will see will be coming in from villages and have never seen a doctor in their lives.

Please pray for the success of this trip.

Have a great day!

It's Fine Art Friday, and I really had to look for a "J" artist I liked. Jasper Johns has some cool stuff, especially his flags, but it wasn't what I was looking for. And it seemed like cheating to use someone with a first name that started with "J", though I was tempted to use Vermeer. Then I came across Claude Jousset.



Isn't it gorgeous? It makes me want to go to Venice. Here's a bit about him, if you'd like to know.

Carol's the one who started Fine Art Friday, so go visit hers and follow the links to others who have their Fine Art posted. And let me know if you post one!

Yes, I'm reading The Princess Bride. It's good. The dry humor is a real treat.

I finished The Wedding Ring, our book club book, and it was just fine. I liked the mother and grandmother and especially enjoyed the flashbacks to their young lives. It was such a good reminder that we really don't know everything that makes a person who they are, and a little grace is always a good thing. The daughter got on my nerves. Maybe too close to home, I don't know.

Greek has gone well, I'm actually reading some. But it's going on the shelf right now. Looks like I'm going to do a quick and dirty medical/travel Chinese study. Everything appears to be falling into place for this trip, but I'll know for sure by Monday and update then.

That's my reading challenge update. How are you keeping up with your summer reading?

P.S. My niece, Sarah, left today to go to Uganda to spend the summer doing mission work. Please pray that she is safe and that God would use her to accomplish his will in Uganda. Thanks!

This is a homeschooling blog, after all.

We're switching to Veritas Press and using their history cards this year. I love the beautiful picures, and the built in organization and review makes it so much better for us.



Actually, I'm just in love with all things Veritas Press right now. I've always hesitated to order from them because their catalog doesn't really show you how their materials work very well, imo. But once I got Phonics Museum from the used curriculum sale, I was hooked. I love everything about it. So this year we'll be using more of their materials.

I'm interested in all the Latin-Centered Hoo-Ha right now, but I don't think it's us. I get it, but I know me and I know my kids, and that's not a road we'll be taking any time in the near future. That said, all the discussion has been really helpful as I've tried to nail down the why's and wherefore's of what we're doing. I'm pleased with the results and feel like we have real direction for the first time in a while.

Of course, for so long, I was concentrating on getting reading and math done because of the businesses. Now with the luxury of time, I feel like I'm trying to make it to the bed right after I turn out the bathroom lights - just feeling my way blindly with my hands flailing around in front of me and an occasional stubbed toe. All this discussion that's been going on is like my own handy-dandy little flashlight.

What big changes are you making in your homeschool this year, if any?

Garden fabric that is. I've been working on a quilt lately, trying to carry on a little of what my mom did. Yesterday, I was bebopping around some websites and found this fabric:



Now you know I just have to have it. I will be making a garden quilt at some point in my future. I just can't not do it.

If you'd like to see the other fabric in the line, just click hereto see it.

Do you have any old quilts in your house? I have a double wedding ring that my grandmother made, a hand appliqueed one that my mom made, and my sweet sister-in-law made one for Peyton from blocks she found in my mom's stash after my mom died. That is a real treasure.

I'll probably have the top done on the one I'm working on by this weekend and I'll share a picture with you then.

Have a great Tuesday!

I was thinking yesterday that Donna always posts a Friday Five, but how lucky that she picked up the Fine Art idea from Magistramater! Perfect. I posted my Friday Five in Donna's comments because it's always such a fun thing to read, but I'll share the fine art here.



This is "Mount Fuji with Flowers" by David Hockney. Seeing it like this doesn't do it justice. I saw it at the Metropolitan Museum of Art when I was in college. You come around the corner, and there it is, hanging solo. It truly feels like you are looking out a window at Mount Fuji. Absolutely breathtaking. It left a lasting impression on me.

Here's a bit about David Hockney.

If you post your fine art, let me know in the comments!

We've been using the Veritas Press First Favorites this summer to practice our comprehension and retention. Luke reads at a higher level, but his narrations are lacking, so I thought this would be a good place to help him focus on identifying and retelling the important points. Peyton, well, she can find a theological thread in "Caps for Sale," so reading and discussing anything is always fun with her.

Yesterday we read "If You Give a Mouse a Cookie," and the First Favorites Guide gave instructions for Mouse Cookies. They are Edible of course.







Happy Thursday!

Some of you may remember that in our house we are fortunate to have mostly wood floors on the main floor. We are unfortunate to have "frisee" upstairs. This is a fancy word for shag that is literally as deep as my second knuckle.





Well, when we moved in, our good Kenmore would basically suck up the pile and stop. It would not move on that carpet. So, we had an old, crummy vacuum that we've been using, simply because the height can be adjusted up enough to clear the pile.

This week, we got a Dyson. I cannot begin to tell you what came out of that carpet. And even if I could, I wouldn't because it would ruin your day. Let's just say it's surprising that we're not all four on longterm steroids and albuterol inhalers. It was disgusting, but a little bit fascinating at the same time.

We're keeping the Dyson, but the carpet's gotta go.

As a homeschooler, I do summer-cleaning, not spring-cleaning. Having those schooling hours freed up allows for lots of decluttering, rearranging, sprucing up. I'm doing a methodical, room-by-room declutter right now. It feels good.

I'm getting a little sneaky with the kids in my decluttering. I'm doing their rooms without them, and packing up a good many of their toys that I think they have outgrown or don't need anymore. I'm putting the boxes in the attic, and after a month, anything that hasn't been specifically requested is out of here.

I kind of wish someone would do that for me - come in with an unsentimental eye and clean the place out. Then if I notice it missing and want it back within a certain amount of time, I could have it back, but everything else goes. Wouldn't that be great! But I'll do it myself and keep way more than I should.

I look forward to having the house completely decluttered, organized and spruced up with fresh paint and such where needed before we start our new school year. I may even take a week to do what Bud thinks I do all day anyway - read books and eat bon bons!



"One box will make a happy home" indeed!

Squash blossom, that is. I got my garden in a bit late this year, so my first squash blossom just opened this morning.




Isn't it gorgeous?

The kids helped plant this time, and they are thrilled every morning to find the green beans have grown another few inches, the sunflowers are taller, and there are more blossoms on the tomatoes, a promise of much delicious food to come.



This is my tiny garden. In the fall, a branch from one of our wax myrtle trees snapped off, so Bud and Luke built the little garden hut that the green beans are growing on. I need to get some hay under it so the kids can sit in there.

Sunflowers are growing along the fence, but there is a foot-wide strip along the fence that gets blocked from sun most of the day, and they just aren't taking off. And now with the squash, tomatoes and beans getting so big, they are missing even more sunshine. I don't know how tall they will grow, so next year I'll try to come up with something different to camouflage our ugly gray fence!

My morning pleasure is to sit on the back patio next to my garden and read my Bible. Lots of birds come by on the way to the feeder to rest on the edge of the pool. A certain angry squirrel jabbers at me sometimes when I'm reading. And somedays, like today, I get to see our little friend Templeton, the rat, scurry across our back fence. Shudder.



There is no glory in star or blossom till looked upon by a loving eye; There is no fragrance in April breezes till breathed with joy as they wander by.
William C. Bryant

Since I'm having a rough time thinking of anything to blog lately, I thought I'd make it easy on myself and blog the alphabet. Beginning with A, we have Avocado:



We love avocadoes in the summertime. Well, we love them all the time, but they are much more affordable in the summertime, and they go so well with vine-ripened tomatoes!

I've shared our favorite way to eat avocadoes before - quick, easy and delicious.

They are also delicious on a BLT. Then it's a BLAT.

And of course guacomole is always a huge treat, especially if you have fresh peppers and tomatoes in your garden. I usually just buy my favorite pico de gallo at the grocery store and mix up the avocadoes with it for my guac, though. We especially love El Galindo chips with it. They are very thin and very crispy.

So, please share your favorite uses for avocadoes in the comments section and "B" here tomorrow!

Well, I finished To Kill a Mockingbird. I can't believe I have lived my entire life with absolutely no knowledge of the characters or plot of this book, but I'm glad I have. Each page was like a special treat as I read it, wondering what would happen next. I adored the characters, to the point of really wanting to know them. And I have to admit a twinge of jealousy as Scout got to walk Mr. Arthur home, with her hand in the crook of his arm. I just wanted to sit him down at my kitchen table and take care of him, cook for him, let my kids love him and draw pictures for him. It was a great book. One of my all time favorites.

Now I'm reading Wedding Ring by Emilie Richards. It's not on my list, but my book club chose it (it's a contemporary fiction month). I'm on chapter three and not too moved yet. We'll see.

I've mastered the Greek alphabet, how to write the letters and the sounds they make. It's time to get down to it.

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We will be starting a Sunday night fellowship/Bible study with our neighborhood friends this week. This has sprung from our visit about starting a "house church" here in the neighborhood. While no one is ready to give up their traditional church at this point, everyone is excited about the possibilities of strengthening our neighborhood fellowship, as we are.

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Our homeschool group had our end of year celebration on Friday at this place. We had a rubber chicken catapult contest, field day races, a barbecue dinner, a bake sale, horsedrawn carriage rides, and a square dance. We had a ton of fun. Some pictures of the event for your enjoyment:



Luke and I take the lead in the 3-legged race. We actually came in 5th, but we were wearing flip-flops. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.




Luke and Peyton cool off in the town jail.




An evening view of the town hotel.

Unfortunately my photography was lacking and my pictures didn't turn out so well. It was great, though. Take my word for it.