Freaked out by alerts

Posted by Arden Wallace
My friend told me that any time she gets an ADT Security Alert, she definitely freaks out a little. I am surprised that it has happened so much to be honest. I think it is because she lives in a rough neighborhood or something. She has had the system for a while and has been alerted a handful of times about potential intruders and things of that nature. I always think it is nice that she even gets the liberty of being alerted when someone is breaking in or could be breaking in. It definitely makes sense to freak out the way she does though. I guess I probably would freak out since it is your house and some expensive stuff people are trying to find. I really cannot afford to replace some things multiple times. I mean we have a laptop for each member of our family. That was a big investment that I definitely cannot go through again. Something like a home security system seems worth it if you can avoid something that. I would take the freak outs over having to replace four expensive laptops.

County Fair

Years ago, back when I was a youngin, we always looked forward to out county fair.  It seemed like it took forever for each year to roll around and the fair come to town.  Of course we were a family that didn't have much money so we didn't go every day that the fair was in town.  But...we did get to go one day each year!  The smell of the Elephant Ears that were so yummy and the sound of all the carnie music just got you in the spirit.  I didn't participate in any events either.  My dad worked a lot and my mom didn't drive, and this made it difficult for me or my sister to participate. The fair moved out of town one year and it didn't come back for many, many years.
Well times have changed and I am more excited now than when I was a kid.  The fair has come back to town!
I am now a participant!  Yeah! me!  The boys will be entering items in the fair and so will I.  I have a pair of socks that I knitted, an oil painting and I am thinking...maybe a decoupage.  Matthew (my youngest) is entering some of his art items also.  He has a knitted scarf and some crayon art to enter.
I will let you know how it all goes - so be sure to check back around the middle of April.

Here are a few pictures from last year at the fair.

If you guessed from the top of the Farris Wheel, you are correct.  Ok - so it's a little tiny thing.  Our town is a tiny town too but we get pretty good participation and maybe, just maybe the fair can come to town every year.

Whats on Your Deck

I am so excited this summer because I have a deck.  The only thing I have on it right now is a swing with a canopy that my mother in law gave us.  I really enjoy it but I need something else.  So...I am looking at some Adirondack chairs. I am looking at the ones from recycled plastic. You all know how I just love helping save the earth. Colors - oh my! So many beautiful colors to choose from. Casual living at it's best with a folding Adirondack chair. I love it!

Well I'm gonna need at least two Picnic Tables. One for the adults and one for the kids.  They are so easy to clean too!  Not the kids, the tables.  There is wood, concrete, powder coated steel and of course my very favorite is the recycled plastic.  I can even get them to match!  How awesome is that!

Ok - now for the shady parts of the yard.  I have some really huge oak trees and I really must have a few Park Benches. I know of at least one shady area that I want it to be mounted to a ground surface because I don't want it moved.  The others I get will be portable for ease of maintenance of the grass.

Gosh, I'm getting all excited now.  Ok - I gotta scoot outta here because I want to go and get some quotes.  I can hardly wait!  I will host a couple of homeschool events here once all these items arrive.
See ya in the yard!

Grade School to College

The end of the school year is just around the corner.  I can't believe how fast this year has buzzed by.  I know you're gonna tell me that it's only March.  Yeah - the end of March.  Spring break for some kids is already over and they are back in school thinking about what they will do after graduation.  I'm not sure what statistics say about how many graduates go on to college.  If you know, leave me a comment please.
Anyway...on to college.
WOW!
That really seems like a big step, I think just yesterday they were still in grade school.  Or so it seems to most of us moms.
Some will go to a 4 year college and some to a 2 year college and some to a trade school.  Maybe your graduate is thinking about college in California or Technical Schools in Miami. Well there is no doubt that they won't be disappointed.  No matter where your graduate decides to continue their education, have them do their homework and select a school that will give them exactly what they need.  And yes, moms and dads, you can do a little research also.  From coast to coast you are sure to find an excellent place to continue your education.

Spring has Sprung

By now you probably know that Spring has sprung.  Well actually, not officially for 3 more days.  I am counting down the days until I can say Spring is here!  I love Spring and that reminds me of what I love to do this time of year...Gardening!  My youngest son and I have been digging in the dirt and watering our young tender plants.  Nursing them along and giving them the nutrients that they need to not only survive but to develop into wonderful producing plants.
With plants that produce comes work.  Yes, I know...that's a 4 letter word.  But it doesn't have to be!  One thing that I am researching right now is a drip irrigation system. I don't have to worry about forgetting to water the plants.  I'm not tied to the garden (so to say).  I don't have to hurry home or worry about getting back home because something in the garden needs to be done.  Irrigation Supply Outlet has been in business for 23 years and I certainly like to put my money into a sure thing.  I have discovered that they carry "professional grade" irrigation supplies.  That is a good thing!  Did I mention that I can save water too?!  Now how cool is that!
So you say that you don't have a garden.  That's ok, because you can find lawn sprinklers that will have you saving water while you get that grass green and lush!
Now get out there and get some dirt under those nails. 

Winter in the Spring

Do you remember me saying that we were going to have to take a road trip to see Winter?  Well guess what we did yesterday?  Yes!  We took that road trip and we saw the Famous Dolphin named Winter.
Oh my gosh!!!  What a heartwarming story!
If you haven't saw the movie, check this out.

 

See Winter

Double Glazing

Put your recipes away because I'm not talking about glazing cakes or donuts.  Even though it would be yummy to have Double Glazing on them.
I'm talking about windows.  Yes, you read that right.  Double Glazing windows is such a great thing.  It's 2 panes of glass with air between them.  The air between acts as insulation.  I have 15 windows in my house and just this winter, we were talking about the possibility of doing something different with our windows.  We figured that we loose about 60% of our heat through our windows.  Yeah!  That's a lot of money flying out the window.  I'm not sure about you but I can afford to heat my house but not the whole yard.
So...
We will be getting some All Double Glazing on all of our windows.

Gotta run and measure windows, see you in a bit.

Planting

You better get outside and get those gardens ready.  It's time to get planting and growing.  We started ours yesterday.  Ok - if you count the day we actually bought seeds and some starter plants, then we started it on Tuesday.  But...wait a minute!  It was actually February 27th because that's when Matthew and I started some seeds in a seedbed inside.
We should have planted potatoes on Valentine day.  But you guessed it!  We were way too stinkin busy and I forgot.  Can you believe that I forgot?!  I started saying last year that this year I would plant my potatoes on Valentine day.  Next year!  I will plant my potatoes on Valentine day!

Did you know

Hey you!  Yes, I'm talking to you...I have a new blog or maybe I should say another blog.  It's called...

Dust on the Counter

A place where I tell you all the reasons why there is Dust On The Counter.

I really do enjoy blogging and I want to be here more.  Now I am here and there.  So...you will certainly be able to know what's up in my life if you check out both the blogs.

Hope to see ya there!

Spring Green

There are so many HOT, I mean really HOT colors and products that are either out or coming out this spring.  Colors!  I just love all the HOT colors!  Yes, I'm a country girl by heart but I have to say that Lime Green is a a country color.  Yes, I said Lime Green!  How about this...a Lime Green Coverlet that will just knock your socks right off because it's just so beautiful and what else could say country garden like Lime Green!

There's just something about the color of green this spring.  If you haven't then you should...Oh yeah!  I guess I should tell you what you should...Look at these green glasses frames and you will fall in love with spring and green.  Try it...don't be shy!

Recipes

Posted by Hyman Weeks
I love to cook, and I do my best to change up my meals as often as possible. I’m lucky to have some fairly adventuresome eaters as children, and I take full advantage of that to make as many “grown-up” meals as I can! I have so many friends whose children will only eat chicken fingers, and the only way they’ll eat their vegetables is if they’re covered in Ranch dressing. I don’t know what I’d do with eaters like that, because my kids are basically forced to eat what I put in front of them. That being said, I do know my limits. I only make recipes that have been well received—either by my own children, or by reviewers’ children on one of my favorite recipe sites. I try to plan my meals and do all of my grocery shopping at once to make things easier. I’ll bookmark all the recipes for a week and then make lists off of that. I used to spend hours sitting at my desk at home planning all this out, but after doing a quick Google search for high speed internet provider High Point one day, I discovered that I could sign up for Clear internet, and make my lists on the go! I now bookmark my sites, open my laptop in the grocery store parking lot to jot down whatever items I need, and off I go! It’s such a huge time saver and makes my meal planning that much easier.

Did I tell ya

I am working on a new blog.  Yeah!!!!  LOL as if I don't have enough to do already.  Anyway...like I said, I am working on a new blog and I am excited about it.  One thing that I need to remember is this - It is very important to SAVE my backup until I am POSITIVE that I like the changes.  Very, very important!  You would think that something happened and I lost something.  Ahmmm...I did!

So now I'm off to my other blog to get it set up and going.  See ya later!

Hippity Hoppity Easter's on it's Way

Today as me and my youngest child were browsing around in one of our favorite stores, he turns to me and says; "They already have Easter stuff out".  He had a really bright look in his eyes as he said it.  I could just see all the wheels turning inside his head.  It was kinda like mixing all the colors to decorate the eggs with.  So in the back of my mind, I stored the info and home we went.

Once we arrived at home, he started talking about all the Easter things that he saw.  He talked about getting Easter gifts and how he thought he was getting too old for them.  I explained that we never get too old for Easter Gift Baskets.  You can do so much with them, I explained how his dad loves the Smoked Apple-Cured Half Boneless Ham and he would never out grow it.   We went on and on talking about all the things that we love about Easter and the yummy chocolate goodies that are like buried treasure in an Easter basket.

So I ask you...Are you ready for Easter?

Intarsia Shawl

Lately, I've been burning the candle at both ends and according to a very AWESOME lady, in the middle too.  I have something that many of you may know as...too many irons in the fire.  Yeah, imagine that.  I mean I do have 3 teenage boys, 3 dogs, 3 horses, 3 cats, try to maintain a house and a tiny little piece of dirt, not to mention a major hub in a great homeschool group.  Even if my candle weren't being burned from both ends and the middle, the fire would still be hot enough to at least make the wax soft. 

Here is one of my latest projects. 
Intarsia is a knitting technique used to create patterns with multiple colors.
My friend Jennifer (who is a knitting queen) hand died the yarn and gave it to me for this project.  How totally awesome is that?!

Kids Marathon

Date: Saturday, February 18, 2012
Time: 9:00 am

I was there. I started. I finished!

I ran the first 50 feet. I walked. I ran the last 50 feet.

I was there. I started. I finished.

I can hardly wait til next year. Here's a link for you to go check out Five Points of Life Marathon.
Maybe you can participate too!

Gardening isn't just for veggies

I know it's only February but I gotta tell ya...Gardening season is right around the corner.  I have several things growing in my garden now but soon it will be way too hot for them.  I have to plan ahead, if I don't then it is too hot for me. 
In planning and preparing my garden I include my family and that in turn includes my homeschool group.  What better way to teach our children about gardening with using our senses.  See, touch, smell, taste and hear.  Yes, all of the senses are involved in gardening. 
I think it is very important to teach our children that gardening isn't just for veggies.  I think it's important to teach our children that there are careers in gardening.  How about selling flowers over the internet for a career.  And...you can find lots of info about ornamental plants, flowers, foliage, fruits and herbs.  Be educated about the garden that you want to have.

A gardener is someone who practices gardening.

NoMoreRack Bargains

Finding bargains isn't easy.  But with everything that is thrown in our faces, I think I finally found a great place for lots and lots of bargains.  So here I was the other day just zipping around the internet like I do most days and wha la - NoMoreRack is what I found.  Don't worry about shipping fees either because they offer $2 flat rate shipping on every item anywhere in the USA.  How awesome is that?!

Now if we all could have found nomorerack.com before we did all of our Christmas shopping, we could have a great little savings for our summer vacation already.  But don't worry, it's never to late to start saving for summer vacation.  You can start your Christmas shopping now and save and get this...be done just in time for summer vacation.

I invite you to go over and join and begin the savings now!