Do Something

Have you seen the website "Do Something"? I just found it the other day when I was searching for fundraisers for our Boy Scout troop. I was really surprised to see that they have a Grant List. I will get organized soon (yeah right) and apply for one of the grants for the troop.

Talk of Worst Recession

I have feared a Recession and a Depression for years. There is proof that history does repeat itself. It has been prooven over and over again. Recently I came across a blog that I just couldn't repeat sharing with you.

"The global economy appears set up for a serious crash." You can and will believe what you want to. And yes, I have my beliefs too. To put it mildly - I'm extremely concerned. I don't dwell on it - why? - because it would depress me beyond belief.

Christmas Boxes

About 2 weeks ago we went in search of some of our Christmas boxes. And as luck would have it - we found them. They aren't anything special or so I thought. We put the boxes in our little classroom. The boys wanted to open them then (2 weeks ago). Of course we didn't have time then but tonight was a different story. I gave each one of them a task. MJ had to get some paper and a pen. WW and JD had to fetch the boxes. Oh when I said get the Christmas boxes, I thought there was going to be a train wreck right there in the den. They all scattered as fast as they could to retrieve their task. Within about 5 seconds (or so it seemed) they were back.

Buried treasure! That's exactly how they acted - when the lids were taken off the boxes, they were like little octopuses with arms reaching in the boxes after the Christmas treasures. Teddy bears, handmade ornaments, a camouflage stocking (oh my), a beautiful crystal reindeer with silver glitter antlers, a tree skirt, a stocking cap, reindeer antlers to wear and a few more precious items. The ohhhhsss and awwwsss were something to hear. MJ found the angel for the top of the tree. They would have it no other way but for us to use her for our tree. We were going to buy whatever they wanted for the top of the tree, but I guess now that they have seen her, she will be on the tip top of our tree.

We are going to get a real tree this year. We are planning on taking the boys to a Christmas tree lot, walk through all of the trees and pick the one that is perfect for us. Then we will use a hand saw to cut down the tree, put it on top of the car and bring it home.

Within the next couple of days we will all go shopping for Christmas ornaments and decorations. I am also planning on getting the boys to make some decorations to hang up in the house. Something to get us all in the Christmas mood.

Some Free Stuff

The Values-Driven Family has some really neat downloads that can really help you around the house with the kids. Did I mention they are free!

Free Homeschooling Resources from NotebookingPages.

I hope you enjoy them as much as I have (and still am).

The Taste of Soap

I bet you know what I am about to say. Yeppers - your right. The taste of soap is bad. I have tried and tried to stop the sassy mouths of the boys. JD is the one that has the worst mouth when it comes to sassing. On Monday, I sat a bar of soap on the kitchen counter and I gathered all 3 boys around and explained exactly what the bar of soap was for. They have had to taste soap before, just not with me.

Today, Mr. JD had the sassy mouth to die for. Ok - that's it, let's go taste the soap. More sassing from him. Every time he sassed was one good lick of the soap. He got the bright idea to just barely touch the soap to his tongue. Didn't work!
"I'm not doing it!" Lick #1.
"But mom!" Lick #2.
"I hate school!" Lick #3.
Yeah - it went on. Lick #4. Sass! Lick #5.
A total of 5 licks. After 5 licks he had nothing else to say. Three minutes later, his words were as kind as can be.

For now it is working. I don't know what will happen next time. Only time will tell. I have got to get control now. The longer I wait and the longer I let it go will only make it worse. JD is 12 years old, 10 pounds lighter than me and as tall as me. In a year or 2 he will loom over me. I will look like a little drill sergeant, looking up at him, trying to get him under control. What if he gets it in his head then to challenge me? Somebodies gonna get hurt.

If it takes the taste of soap to get your child under control, then do it. Take time now to get control of what could later become a very bad situation.

School After Thanksgiving

Give em 4 days off for Thanksgiving and they forget how to read. What's up with that? I fear the summer if this is how it's gonna be. Speaking of summer - I think I will homeschool them through the summer, just not as many hours in the day. I'll think on it and figure it all out. Maybe! LOL

So now that the holiday is over, we are back to our normal routine of school work.

I am so thankful that Superman has returned to his line of work. Now he has more time off during the week to help with homeschool. It's not that he helps with the school work so much as helping with JD's attitude. I need help with that more than anything else.

JD can come up answers that are so out in left field. Example: How do humans get their energy? His answer was, "They get their energy from drinking soda". There is no way that was in his Science book. He just wrote something down to get to go outside. He just writes things down without reading or looking back in his lesson.
Because of answers like that, he must write the page number where he found his answer. We have tried taking all of his privileges away from him and giving him a few of them back at a time. He whines and complains and just sasses me so darn bad. Since Superman is home today and there were some issues, we have decided that JD will be sitting on his bed when he is not doing his lessons. That will remain in affect until he gets it in his head that he must read the lesson, answer the questions correctly and write the page number where he found the answer.
That is all I know to do right now. I really am about to pull my hair out when it comes to him getting his lessons done.

Stop Working So Darn Hard

If you run an online business, you know what it’s like to be busy, busy, busy...sometimes with no end in sight. We all have our own reasons to start a business, but most of us didn't start for the opportunity to work around the clock. Yet somehow, that's exactly what happened.
The good news is, there is definitely a way out and you may have heard of "outsourcing" before. Outsourcing allows you to find virtual helpers from around the country or around the world to simplify and reduce the day-to-day tasks in your business.
BUT...
How do you make that happen without sacrificing the quality you and your clients expect from your business?
How do you find reliable and qualified help?
What if you're on a budget?
What if you just don't have TIME to train people to help?

Thankfully, it's all easier than you think and Alice Seba, the "Outsourcing Sweetie" can show you exactly how. As a busy mom of 2 young boys, she knew it was do or die when it came to keeping everything in her life and business afloat. Now, she's sharing how she went from overworked business mama to thriving business woman enjoy family and life.

To share her experience and time-tested strategies, Alice has created a unique opportunity to receive ongoing training and personal help with your business. If you act now, you can get in on a FULL sneak peak for WAY LESS than morning cup of gourmet coffee.
Grab your spot at Step-by-Step Success Guide

If it's time to stop slaving endlessly for your business, I'll see you on the inside.

Black Friday

Were you out shopping on Black Friday? I wasn't! No way - no how! I refuse to subject myself to all the pushing and shoving, crowds and waiting in line. I generally don't even leave my property on Black Friday. However, there were a few things that we preplanned and we attended. Ha - and I didn't have to spend any money. With the exception of gas that was already in my car.

We went to the Hart Springs Pow Wow. It was free to get in. This was our first Pow Wow and it was my scouts first adventure. It was fun and a learning adventure. I am impressed that the scout leader arranged this for his troop.
After the Pow Wow we went to a birthday party for one of our friends from our homeschool group. We really enjoyed that too. Wow - our friendship is growing in our homeschool group.

Now...the reason I don't usually leave my property on Black Friday is because people seem to act stupider than they usually act. They pay absolutely no attention to stop signs, traffic lights, people walking or any darn thing else. It's dangerous enough to be out on the roads when everything is pretty much normal - but darn - throw in stores opening early, sales and gotta get it before anyone else does - and then it's just one big circus.
One thing about it - I am certainly not part of anyone's circus.

Country at heart

Are you country at heart? I am. I live the country life. I love it and wouldn't have it any other way. Ok - that's country by heart and choice. LOL


I mean are you really country in your heart. You can live in the city and be country at heart.

Would you like to join the "Country at heart" blogroll?

To add a badge to your site, save the image to your computer, upload the image to your blog or website, cut and paste the corresponding html code to link to this page.

Once you've added the image to your site, comment on this post or email me altak9ATgmailDOTcom to be added to the blogroll below.

Amazing Art

This mural was forwarded to me in an email. I found it so amazing that I thought I would send it on to you.

For those not living in the WEST, Cochrane is NW of Calgary and east of Banff, in the foothills of the Rockies. This mural was unveiled last week at the Cochrane Ranche House.

Each tile is 1 foot square, is it's own individual picture and each is by a different artist. All of them together form this huge mural. You can click on each of the tiles to see them in detail.

Check out the horse's eye.

Cochrane Mural

Thankful For Eggs

A few days before Thanksgiving I made up some little slips of paper for all of us to write what we are thankful for on. On Thanksgiving day Superman, the 3 boys and myself sat around our empty dinning table. Yes, empty. It was empty because we were going to my father in law's house for our Thanksgiving feast. Superman started the conversation about being thankful and the meaning of Thanksgiving.

Then came the slips of paper that we had all wrote on. Here are a few things that we all wrote.

I am thankful for...my wife, my husband who is my best friend, Christmas, God, my outlaws inlaws, my mom, food, the soldiers that protect my family and friends, communication, my family, my 3 wonderful boys, the morals that my parents taught me, my parents, the way my parents raised me, eggs.

Eggs? Yes eggs. I fixed breakfast for everyone because I knew it would be late when we ate. While the boys were eating breakfast, I gave them their slip of paper to fill out. JD couldn't think of anything else to say so he wrote that he is thankful for eggs. When that slip of paper was read, WW and MJ broke out into laughter. It kinda embarrassed JD. It is fine to be thankful for eggs. There is nothing wrong with that at all. Without eggs we couldn't have scrambled eggs, fried eggs, chicken, bbq chicken, chicken and dumplings, chicken and rice and the list goes on. I think it is wonderful that JD is thankful for eggs.

If you are thankful that is wonderful. No matter what you are thankful for - yes, even if you are thankful for eggs.

The afternoon was spent with family and we are all thankful for that.

In The News Again

Remember I told you that there was a reporter at our last home school meeting. The newspaper is published once a week. I waited and waited and hoped and hoped that our story would be there. Finally, I saw it last night. Not just our story - yes - pictures too.

Our picture is on the front page! That's where the article starts. You can read the article here.

Scouts

Yesterday afternoon I finally had a few minutes that I could actually make a phone call without any interruption. Imagine that! The phone call was to a Boy Scout leader. Yes - my boys are gonna join the scouts. Actually WW and JD are in the process of signing up right now. I am really excited about them joining the scouts. MJ will join the Cub Scouts.

WW and JD were handed their scout handbook this morning. They had their heads stuck in the books on the drive back home. WoooHooo on the heads stuck in the books! The scout leader told them that they would be learning all kinds of really neat things. He showed them how to tie a square knot. He gave them a piece of rope and told them that they could work on the square knot over the weekend. They will meet every Monday evening for about 2 hours. He told them that they would be learning gun safety and how to use a rifle and a shotgun. Archery, camping, skiing, and fishing were mentioned too.

This Friday they will go to their first Pow Wow. Now how cool is that?!

Why Mothers Eat Their Young

I figured out today why mothers eat their young. I mean the animal mothers of course. And of course this is a funny and not a serious.

Today my kids have driven me slap up the wall. I think that my head may have actually spun around and flew off.

This is what I have heard today...

Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?Mom?

I tried to pretend I didn't hear them. But it only got worse.
I tried listening to them. But it only got worse.
I tried talking to them. But it only got worse.
I tried and I tried. But it only got worse.

I finally hid escaped in my bedroom. I think they know that when I hide disappear into my bedroom that I need some momma time. They were quiet at little mice for the rest of the afternoon. How come I couldn't figure it out before I climbed the wall and my head spun around and flew off? I don't know. I think moms are supposed to do that every now and then. That way they don't eat their young.

Peed My Pants

Oh MY! I did! I really peed my pants when I read some of the stories from Fun Monday. If you want to read some of them, go over to Karisma and Kids Fun Monday .
I read about one lady that ate a Roly Poly when she was a kid. Another one buttered her dad while he was sleeping. And the list goes on and on!

Go on over and check some of them out.

I'm In The News

Yep - that's right! I'm in the news. I talked to a reporter on Sunday when me and the boys were at the Family Fun Day. And today - my words are there.

I'm In The News

Some Dangers I've Met

I've always been a tom boy. That's just the way I am. I've always been that way and I have no intention of changing. I think because I have been and always will be a tom boy that I have learned many things from it.

I said in the Fun Monday that I was always a daddy's girl. I was! I hung out with my dad from as far back as I can remember. As a matter of fact it was my dad that taught me my first words. I would stand up in my crib when I heard my dad's work truck pull in the yard. I waited for him to walk into the house. He would walk into the house and say "Hey there". Yes, those were my first words.

Because I was a tom boy, I played outside the majority of the time. When we moved into the house that my dad (and us) built in 1970, I discovered thousands of acres that I could play in. And play in I did. I came home with cuts and scrapes, sand spurs and bug bites. I didn't care. I was building character. Back then I didn't know that's what it was called. To me, it was just plain fun.
In those thousands of acres of woods were cows. They never bothered me and I never bothered them. As a matter of fact - it was my woods and my cows. There was a beautiful Brahma bull that I loved. He was much taller than me and out weighed me by a bunch. He became my pet - no joke, he really did. He and I were like 2 peas in a pod. I rode him. I was brave that one day and while he was laying down, I just had this bright idea that I would sit on him. It was as if he knew something about me. As if he knew that I would never hurt him. That's how I started riding him. I named him Junior, after my dad.

Ok, I'll get to the point. The point is...

STOP!!! Hold on a minute. If you get scared and can't handle the issue of serial killers, then stop now.

I have met many dangers in my life. Not the first one, but one that I remember to this day. The one that could have cost me my life. The one that gives me chills every time I think about or talk about it. It terrifies me to think how close I came.

I was walking with my aunt from her house to our house. We used to do this all the time. It was about a 1/4 mile through my grandfathers pasture between our houses. It was about a 1/2 mile if we walked the road. This one day, we decided to walk on the road. Not a good idea!
We were about 1/8 mile from our house. A white van pulled over. A man with a cast on his arm ask us if we needed a ride. We both looked at each other...
And ran!!!
We both jumped my grandfathers 4 foot cattle fence. We were scared. Why? In our minds, we had seen him somewhere before and our brains had alarmed us.
We ran all the way to our house. For years we kept this a secret. We didn't tell anyone. I don't know why. Maybe because we were scared. Maybe because we knew what we had just dealt with and we were lucky to be alive. I don't know how my aunt felt afterwards, because we didn't talk about it much.

Years later...We started talking about this incident. We knew what and why! We knew that we had avoided being the victims of a serial killer, Ted Bundy.

I can't tell you anymore at this point. I am extremely sick to my stomach!

Fun Monday? LOL

Ok, I'm supposed to be participating in something called Fun Monday. I haven't done anything like this before and I'm kinda stumped. But I'm gonna give it a try. Here goes my attempt. HaHaHahahaha

Today I am so frazzled, I just can't remember my name. Karisma is hosting the Fun Monday this week. Her theme is "A trip down memory lane."

I have thought and thought about one thing that really sticks out from my past. I have so darn many that I can't remember just one. I think it just came to me.

I was always daddy's little girl. I remember so many wonderful things that happened when I hung out with dad. And I hung out with dad A LOT.

There were the times when we walked in the garden that my dad was so extremely proud of.

This one year (I was about 4 years old), he had planted green onions (scallions) and I loved green onions. I walked in every footstep that daddy made. About every 5th or 6th foot step, I would reach down and crop off the green onions and eat them. Now if daddy hadn't of looked back and saw me doing it, he would have certainly thought that the rabbits had gnawed them off even with the ground. It's all daddy's fault for introducing them to me.

Cuss! Oh I could cuss with the best of them. Com'on, I hung out with my dad. ps - and i still can!

I'm tellin you, I used to walk right in his foot steps. Or...his lawn mower tracks. Oh yeah, he was mowing my grannies grass one day (out of many days) and of course I was walking behind the lawn mower. Not close of course but I was there. I was walking and watching...A part fell off of the mower, I reached down and picked it up. I remember the thoughts in my head at the time. I was going to take it to daddy. Oh it was hot, so, so very hot. Hot enough that it stuck to my hands and I couldn't throw it down. I didn't know it then but I certainly know it now - A muffler off of a mower is hot. Yes indeed I screamed. I screamed loud enough that my dad heard me over the noise of the mower. I remember him jumping off of the mower and coming to my rescue. I don't remember if he stopped the mower, I'm sure he did, but I just don't remember that part. As far as I know that darn mower is still driving around somewhere. LOL

When I was 3 years old, my sister was born. I sure didn't like her very much. I remember sitting on my brand new swing set, just a swinging away and having the time of my life. The garbage men came to collect the garbage and I politely ask them to take my sister with them. Of course, they declined. Sometimes, I almost wish they would have taken her instead of the garbage. Hahahahahahaha

I don't have any real old photos of myself. Certainly not from when I was 3 years old. My mom has all of those pictures. However, I do have the photos below. The one on the right is my mom and dad on their wedding day. My mom was and is beautiful. My dad was handsome. Because he is only with us in our hearts I won't say that he is handsome. However, he was always my hero.

Back row - Mom and Dad

Front row - My sister that the garbage man

wouldn't take, Aunt Rosie, Granny Eddie, my

cousin Shirley, and last but not least - Me at

10 years old.

My handsome dad and my beautiful mom in August of 1960.

Superman's Career

Yes your right. Superman's career is being faster than a locomotive, leaping tall buildings in a single bound and so on.
Well, I have a little different view on his career. He really isn't the mild mannered reporter. He doesn't step into a telephone booth or a janitors closet to slip into his tights.

Here is the truth.

He recently retired from Law Enforcement. He worked as a mechanic for almost a year and decided that Law Enforcement is what he wants to do. As of tomorrow he will be back in full uniform and on patrol. I generally keep this to myself because of society.

Because of his job, we have to be extra careful in public. We will only visit certain places to eat, we sit in a certain spot, we go to some places in separate vehicles. I bet you think this is really silly. You have to remember that his job is serious. You have to remember that there are people that want to hurt him. They could follow us home and you can only imagine the rest. It happens. It isn't easy but most of it is common sense.

And now you know the real Superman's career.

Family Fun Day

I think that every day should be family fun day. I bet you think the same thing. And then again, being moms, we're both saying..."How in the world can it be family fun day when there are piles mountains of laundry." And what about the dishes that someone left? And the muddy tracks in the laundry room? Yeah - family fun day isn't so fun when you think about all those things. I know, I'm a mom too.

Whoa! Hold the phone! Everyday can be family fun day. I promise. Yes, even with the little stacks of laundry and the muddy footprints, the dishes and the rooms that haven't been cleaned since who knows when.
How? Focus on the little things. Whisper in one of your children's ears that you love them. Call your mom or your dad on the phone and say something like this..."I was just thinking about how much I love you". What about your spouse...Put a note in their lunch box or pin it to their shirt. Family fun doesn't have to be going to Disney World and spending thousands of dollars.

Relax and relieve the stress. I did that today for the Family Fun Day at Partnership For Strong Families. The boys had a blast - as usual. I think they may even be in our local newspaper. We left Superman at home because he needed some time to prepare for his new job starting tomorrow. I'll update you on that in a little bit.

We have told the boys that the closer we get to all of these holidays, that the parties will be many. I love all the kids parties! Even us old fogies get to be kids! Isn't that wonderful?

Some Free Stuff

I found some really neat free stuff that you may want to take a look at. All of these are really neat and well worth your time to check them out.

The Mayflower: Journey to a New Life

Learning Through the Holiday Series: Thanksgiving Day

In Living Color: Fall Leaves

FlyLady's Holiday Control Journal

News Sickens Me

Please read with caution. If you have a squeamish stomach, please stop here.

I almost want to stop reading the news online. Why? Because the news sickens me. How and why people do things so horrible and think that they can get away with it? Where do they get these wild outlandish ideas that they can do the things they do?

In our local newspaper today, I opened an article about an abuse case. No big deal, abuse happens every day. That's not what I was thinking. But some of you may be thinking that. It's ok and your right, abuse does happen every day. I have an abuse history, I was the abused. Never, ever again!
Family charged in bizarre abuse case
More than bizarre! A horrible story!

Woman Dead In Despicable Home. Another horrible story!

Former sheriff sentenced in corruption case. What in the heck could he be thinking? Did he think that he was smart enough not to get caught? If anyone should know better, it should be a former sheriff.

36 Million Drivers Would Flunk Drivers Tests. I've been saying this all along. And I think I have to drive with about 50% of them every time we have to go into the city. Even if you think you are a safe driver, please take a look at National Road Safety Foundation. They are offering free programs to the public. What have you got to loose by not looking? Nothing but your life!

Some of Our Upcoming Events

It's always busy time around here. One of our wonderful homeschool group members just posted some local events and I am ready to sign up the boys for all of them. Hmmm...and just where will I find the time? Oh yeah - I know. The time tree grows right next to the money tree.

Funny thing is, I sit here planning all this while the family is in dream land. I love it like this.


Taylor Fit For Kids will be having a Reindeer Run a Tot Trot and a Diaper Dash. Now to me, this sounds like an absolute blast.

November is National Adoption Month and National Family Week is November 18-24, 2007

On December 1st I have a trip planned for all of us to Dudley Farm. I thought the boys would really enjoy seeing how things were done way back when.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this park demonstrates the evolution of Florida farming from the 1850s to the mid-1940s-through three generations of the Dudley family. An authentic working farm, the homestead consists of eighteen buildings, including the family farmhouse with original furnishings, an 1880s kitchen outbuilding, a general store and post office, and a functional cane syrup complex. Park staff in period clothing perform daily chores, raising crops, and tending to livestock. The farm features seasonal cane grindings, corn shuckings, and heritage varieties of livestock and plants. Deer, wild turkeys, gopher tortoises, and bluebirds are still seen in the fields.

I think it would be an awesome experience for the boys to see some of these things actually happening. When I was growing up we still made cane syrup, canned and butchered our own beef and pork. I spent many of my days during the summer vacation shelling peas and shucking corn.

There are lots and lots of events happening at Dudley Farm.
Fall Harvest Days, Heirloom Livestock Auction, Farm Plow Days.
We will certainly be checking them out in the near future.

Look Out Cause We're Back