Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

This recipe is so easy, inexpensive and delicious that, if you try it, you may find yourself wondering why you spend so much for processed salad dressings. I've been making this for a few years now, and it is my favorite salad dressing. Sometimes, I switch it up with different herbs, but this is my favorite way to make it.

Honey Mustard Vinaigrette

1/4 C apple cider vinegar

1/4 C extra virgin olive oil

1 t mustard (yellow or dijon both work well)

1-2  t honey (this depends on your personal taste)

1/4 t sea salt

Whisk all ingredients together or pour them into a carafe with a lid and shake. On a dinner salad, I use 2 T of this dressing. On a side salad, I use 1 T or less. If you're wanting a lower fat dressing, you can make it with slightly less oil and more vinegar. I've actually been doing so, and it still tastes great! Even if you don't, here is the nutritional breakdown for a 2 T serving of this delicious recipe:

Calories: 85

Fat: 9

Carbohydrates: 1.6

Other ideas: Replace the mustard with lemon or orange juice and use lemon flax oil for half of the EVOO. You can also replace the mustard with your favorite herbs. I've made this using garlic and dill, and it is also good.

Let me know if you try this, or if you create your own version using this as a basis!

The Simple Woman's Daybook #41

Outside my window...dandelions are taking over my lawn and strawberries are taking over my garden.

I am thinking...  that my relaxing rainy Monday of productive schooling is awash.

I am thankful for... rainy Mondays at home.
 
I am wearing... jeans that are too big and a brown, long-sleeved cotton t-shirt that suddenly has some mysterious substance on it.

I am remembering... 11 years ago this week when I took my last college finals and became the first college graduate in either the Ford or Hendricks families.

I am creating... this year's gardening plans for fresh veggies and herbs.

I am going... to go to the Y. I don't want to go to the Y, but I will go to the Y.

I am reading... Now Eat This! by Rocco Dispirito "150 of America's Favorite Comfort Foods All Under 350 Calories".

I am hoping...  to go with our co-op to the zoo tomorrow, for a specific phone call to come this week, and to meet my goal of losing 3 lbs this week for a total of 15.

On my mind... discovering the last reserves of motivation we need to make the last 6 weeks of school every bit as rewarding, educational, exciting and purposeful as the first 6 weeks.

From the learning rooms... telling time by the hour, estimating multiplication problems, Japan and oceans.

Noticing that... maybe my children have better school days when the sun is shining.

From the kitchen... dump and pour crock-pot veggie soup today. That's the official title. I'll be serving it with a multi-grain baquette from Kroger (which I will bake) on this rainy, cool spring evening.
 
Around the house... everything is a MESS!!! What happened to the maid?

One of my favorite things... movie nights with my family. Last night, we watched The Jungle Book (the live action version). GREAT movie!

Praying for...continued healing of my back and the ability to exercise more as it improves.

A Lyric or two... 
‘Cause I got a couple dents in my fender
Got a couple rips in my jeans
Try to fit the pieces together
But perfection is my enemy
On my own I'm so clumsy
But on Your shoulders I can see
I'm free to be me


 

A verse to share... Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. I Corinthians 13:4


A few plans for the week... zoo field trip, several different doctor/chiro appointments, a photo shoot, Regional Bible Quiz meet and a concert with the Grove City Church of the Nazarene  and New Salem Baptist choirs.

A Picture thought... 

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Date Night

I was blessed today to spend time alone with the man I love. I know many couples who make this a priority, but I know more couples who don't. I know that life is busy and hectic, and, from what I am told, the older your kids get, the busier life gets until they are grown and gone, which makes date nights more and more challenging, but never impossible. I have also been told by mature, wise couples that the best way to keep a marriage healthy is to make dating your spouse a priority. I've been to marriage conferences and seminars at which the same thing was said. Someone once went as far as to suggest we should have a weekly date night for which we should hire a sitter and go somewhere. I don't see that ever being realistic, but I also don't understand how couples can keep their marriages fresh when dates are not a part of their routine. In this business of being parents, we will one day find ourselves without our children in our home. When that day comes, I want to know my husband better than I did before we had children, better than I do today. How can I expect to be looking at anyone other than a stranger if I don't take the time to know him better?

I am grateful for our times alone. With everything that is pressing down upon us right now, we made it a priority to not talk about anything stressful while we were on our date. We talked about our hopes, dreams and priorities. We talked about loving each other. Yes, we talked about the kids. Don't all parents talk about the kids when they're away from them? We held hands. We sat close to each other. We didn't want the evening to end. It's been too long since we've had such an opportunity. We would love to have a full weekend to ourselves sometime, but I know that won't be happening at least until the end of June with soccer season in full swing. For now, the occasional date is going to have to work for us. 

If you haven't made dating your spouse a priority, surprise them by planning a special night just for the two of you. If you don't think you can afford it (We can't financially swing it right now, so, in our case, we were blessed with a restaurant.com gift certificate which friends gave to us. Check out their website for great deals on local restaurants!), here are some inexpensive or free ideas for dates with the most important man or woman in your life!

• Take the kids to Grandma's and stay home. Rent your favorite movies. Cook a meal together from scratch, and make something neither of you has ever made. Eat by candlelight. Play "your song" and dance. Sleep-in together the next morning. Whoever is awake first can bring the other spouse breakfast in bed.
• Go someplace that has a "Happy Hour" special like Sonic. Every day from 2-4, drinks are half price. Leave your kids with a neighbor or friend for an hour and head to "Happy Hour." Count pennies if you have to. It'll cost you a buck or two to sip a vanilla coke or cherry limeade with your spouse, but you'll have a whole hour to remember why you love him or her so much. Want to make it a longer date? Take a drive in the country while sipping your favorite drink.
• Visit a local park and take a picnic lunch. Sit on a blanket under a tree and enjoy some uninterrupted time with your spouse and nature. Note: Find a tree that is nowhere near the playground. ;)
• Do you like to play games? Head to a coffee shop or McDonalds if you prefer soda and spend a couple hours playing a game of cards while sipping an inexpensive beverage. Who says dating your spouse has to be expensive?
• Check local museums for free admission days and plan a date during that time.
• Gallery hop. Here in Columbus, you can go gallery hopping in the Short North for free. There are several art galleries in the Short North as well as many interesting shops that you won't find anywhere else in the city. If you don't live in Columbus, look for the same kind of thing where you live. Most cities have somewhere interesting to window shop.
• Free summer concert series are all over the place. Check your local library or your city's website to find one in your area.
• Go hiking or biking or boating or roller skating or whatever you like! Getting fit with the one you love is a great way to form a bond with each other!

I don't really see any reason not to do something to make dating your spouse a priority. If you don't like my ideas, share your own ideas in the comments. Eric and I ideally like to go on a date once a month, but it has been more like every-other month lately. We're working on getting back to our regular once a month schedule. Maybe I'll blog each month so that you can hear about our dates. Maybe that'll encourage us to get more creative! 

This month, as I previously mentioned, we used a restaurant.com certificate to go to a great restaurant which we had never visited. O'Shaughnessy's Public House in the Arena District is fantastic!!! Everything in the restaurant was crafted in Ireland so that the restaurant would be authentically Irish. Apparently, the Arena District was once the Irish District of Columbus, something neither of us knew. We learned a lot about the history of that part of town while enjoying a great meal alone at a fantastic local restaurant. I say "alone" because we were the only ones there when we first arrived, but that didn't last long. On event nights, the place is packed. We went before the evening rush, and there was no event at the arena tonight. It was a great, early evening to enjoy the atmosphere without the crowd in our own little corner booth. If you want to try O'Shaughnessy's, use a restaurant.com certificate to save yourself money. Ours was given to us, but now that we've discovered this website, it's going to be a go-to site for us from now on!

Please share your date ideas! We like to do new things and see new places when we go out. Help us keep our marriage a priority!

Assessment 2010

I have always blogged about our annual homeschooling assessment and realized the other day that I missed writing about it this year. I say "our" assessment because, let's be real! A homeschool mom feels like she is really the one being assessed (at least, many of the homeschooling moms I know feel that way). If the assessor says that something is lacking, whose fault is that in the long-run? The teacher. The mom! I'm not talking about a child struggling in a specific subject. That happens no matter what. I'm talking about a child having some vital information completely missing from their curriculum. Science? Am I supposed to teach that? Of course, I don't know any homeschooling moms who do that type of thing. All of the homeschooling moms that I know go above and beyond the call of duty. I know that I generally do more than is ever necessary when preparing for our assessment. I take too much stuff with me. I make lists of anything I think she might want to look at like reading lists, extra-curricular activities and field trips. This year, I took a gimungous (it's a word if I say it is) tote bag with two 3-ring notebooks, a math book, a chapter book, my plan book and the reading curriculum that I was using for Ava. She wasn't even being assessed, but, when you're going to see 'The Reading Doctor" for a homeschooling assessment, then you take the opportunity to get her advice on things like reading.

Sure enough, the first thing about which Dr. Holinga asked was Ava and reading. I love this about Dr. Holinga. Yes, this is her chosen career, but she genuinely loves doing this and is always interested in my children beyond what she is required to do in our brief 60 minutes of time together. We always sip cups of tea together, and it feels like a cozy chat between two old friends even though she sees hundreds of others and barely remembers me from year to year. Since I was hoping she would ask about reading, I showed her what we were using. While what we were using was working as far as teaching Ava how to decode what was on the page, it wasn't the right fit for Ava the way it was for Lukas. She wasn't transferring her knowledge or reading past her daily reading lesson. Somewhere around March (I think) I introduced a Dick and Jane book that someone had given to me this past fall. Ava loves Dick and Jane. Dr. Holinga also loves Dick and Jane, which I was glad to hear. I trust her. She has a PhD in reading, after all! Because she is "The Reading Doctor", we got the unfortunate inside scoop on Dick and Jane. Only the kindergarten level of the Dick and Jane readers has been re-published. Thankfully, she offered Pathway readers as a solution to this problem, and I am so excited about it! They are very similar. We don't have them in hand yet, but we will soon. Ava is thrilled to be done with our old reading program and loving reading from Dick and Jane each day. Reading lessons are something to look forward to now!

Of course, the focus of the assessment was supposed to be on Lukas, so we moved onto his schoolwork quickly after our reading discussion. I showed her an unedited writing sample, we discussed math and his reading skills. I told her we didn't use a spelling curriculum, which she actually recommended last year when she saw Lukas' spelling skills which have developed solely from copy work, dictation and reading great books (all things Charlotte Mason). I was a little nervous that maybe we should start including a spelling curriculum(because I second guess myself even when I know it's supposed to work), but she didn't think we needed to do so. Shoo! I was relieved. After that, Lukas came into the room and read to her from Ben and Me, the current chapter book that he is reading. If you haven't read this book, it's adorable. Read it! That was about it. She signed our required form for the school district, and we were done!

I find that I actually  look forward to our assessment each year. I like that I have a professional who can answer my questions and offer encouragement. I know that I don't need that, but it does feel nice to know that someone thinks my child is doing as well as I do. 

Now my charge is to stay focused until we complete our school year at the end of May. This time of year, we all want to be outside. Lately, it seems like we have a lot of appointments on top of wanting to be in the back yard or at the park. School on the patio has been quite a treat the past couple of weeks! I've made the pleasant discovery that Lukas will read for twice as long independently if he does it under the maple tree. I'm all for that idea! Yesterday, I asked him to read from the book basket (books that go with our current unit in My Father's World). He took a book outside and read for 45 minutes! I was ready to move onto something else after 15, but he who is going to make their child stop reading when that child usually doesn't want to read at all??? That is not the point of this post, however, so I'll wrap this up. 

Assessment 2010 accomplished! I didn't need most of the contents of my gimungous tote, but, you know, there's something to be said for being well prepared (I hope). 

I'd love to hear about your assessment. Do you test or see an assessor? If you're in another state, what are your requirements? Leave me a comment and let me know. I love learning about these kinds of things!

The Sugar Doll Award

My dear friend, Mindy, has tagged me for this blog post. As a recipient of the "Sugar Doll Award," my quest is to share seven things about myself and then tag seven other people at the end who will ideally do the same thing. I'm thinking on the fly here and have no idea what my seven things are going to be. My focus is going to be making this about me and not about my kids. This could take me a little while!

1. 10 years ago, I believed all people who chose to homeschool their children were odd. What was wrong with the way we were educated? I was a teacher, after all, and did they not think I could do a good job with their children? I thought the very idea of homeschooling was ludicrous and those who chose it were inhibiting their children from success forever. 10 years later, I don't believe that all people who homeschool their children are odd, but, I have to admit, odd might be a good description of me sometimes.

2. I like to watch daytime talk shows, not the crazy ones like Jerry Springer, but the ones that have real people on them. Tyra is my current fave, but I also like Ellen and I used to watch Rosie faithfully when she was on t.v. I don't have much time to watch shows like this now, but I DVR Rachel Ray's talk show each day and watch the episodes that interest me while I fold laundry and delete the episodes that don't interest me. At this very moment, I'm watching Tyra, and Rosie is her guest for the day. Perfect daytime talk show day (I promise Rosie is not acting like her crazy self).

3. I have a freaky weird memory. I can remember the basic floor plan of the house from which I moved when I was 3 years old. If I walked through the front door today, I could take you directly to the kitchen, or I could head up the stairs and tell you which bedroom belonged to me. I also remember details about people with whom I grew up and places where I've been. I don't need a map at the Magic Kingdom, for instance, because I have the park memorized in my head. This benefits me when it comes to academics, though I am not the smartest whip you'll ever meet. Sometimes, Eric looks at me when I tell him something that I can remember, and I get the distinct feeling that he thinks I'm nuts. I very well may be.

4. I am a terrible artist, but I love to create art. When I teach my kids an art lesson, I do my own project just like their projects saying that I need to give them an example, but the truth is that I just love doing it. I love experimenting with paint, pastels, glue, craft supplies, paper, and on and on the list goes. I try to give myself outlets for this artistic bent. I don't make exceptional cakes, but I love to create them. I don't have the most creative scrapbooks you'll ever see, but I have a blast doing it. Almost everything I have crocheted has several imperfections, but I love the process.

5. I dream of being a gourmet cook whose creations are enjoyed by everyone. I don't want to work in a restaurant. It's just a hobby. I love to read cookbooks and magazines like Everyday with Rachael Ray or Healthy Cooking, and I believe that healthy cooking can be done so that it is delicious. I love recreating a dish from a restaurant. I've recreated Olive Garden's alfredo sauce, Applebee's smothered chicken, IHOP's buttermilk and harvest grain and nut pancakes, and Chipotle's  fajita bowls. If I can't find it on-line, I just guess. A recipe is an outline, after all, not a rule. I rarely follow any recipe perfectly.

6. I love to watch movies. Romances are my favorite, but I like a little bit of everything. Drama, biography, historical drama, action (with no gore), animated films and more interest me. My list of favorites is very eclectic. On the list...The Sound of Music, Sleepless in Seattle, Sense and Sensibility, August Rush, It's a Wonderful Life, The Others, Little Women (with Winona Ryder) and, my newest fave, The Blind Side.

7.I've dreamed of being a writer since I was a child. In 3rd grade, we were challenged to write stories about Stuart Little, and the best stories were published into a book. I was so proud that my story was included in the book. In fourth grade, I joined 4-H and started doing a Creative Writing project every year until I graduated from high school. I took a class every spring taught by Nancy Lonsinger who was a local author. I wrote for my high school year book and took Honors Composition in high school. These days,  I blog and write poetry and short stories and dream of writing a novel or having a column in a magazine, but I'm not so sure I could accomplish something like that with my meager talent or that anyone would really be interested in what I have to say.

Now to tag a few people. If you don't have a blog, Facebook is a great place to post something like this. I'm sure your friends would love to read it whether you blog or not! I'm going to tag people who I don't think have been tagged yet. So...Amy Murphy, Cassie, Melissa, Kim, Tanya, Cathy, and Sarah, you're the next Sugar Dolls!!!

The Simple Woman's Daybook #40

Outside my window...the kids are enjoying this beautiful spring day!

I am thinking...  that this has been a good school year.

I am thankful for... health care coverage for my children.
I am wearing... chocolate brown yoga pants, peach cotton shirt.

I am remembering... how great it feels to do a full workout.

I am creating... flyers. Anyone know of more places I can post flyers for music lessons, photo sessions, cake decorating, or summer tutoring? Anyone want music lessons, photo sessions, cakes or summer tutoring?

I am going... crazy. I wish I wasn't, but I fear I might have surpassed the end of my rope this time.

I am reading... Who Owns the Sun? by Stacy Chbosky, and I shed a few tears.
 
I am hoping... for a peaceful afternoon and evening.

On my mind... my attitude problems, Lukas' sinus infection, Eric's new temporary job that starts next week, Eric getting his dream job that will not be temporary, failure, getting everything done during the next couple of very busy weeks, the fact that I feel like I need a vacation but know that I really just want one because none of us really need to get away like that, buying spring clothes and shoes for my kids, catching up the laundry and cleaning the house when I can barely stand long enough to cook a meal, making ends meet with an impossible budget...to say that I'm a little overwhelmed right now would be an understatement.

From the learning rooms... multi-digit multiplication for Lukas, telling time for Ava and catching up on Geography and Science since last week wasn't very productive.

Noticing that... when I forget to rely on the Lord to meet my needs, I become a very different person.

From the kitchen... pork fried rice using a recipe given to me by my Uncle Darren's wife, Marilou, who is from the Philippines. It's a pretty healthy recipe that is going to make an easy dinner tonight since the pork is leftover from a crockpot meal we had the other day!
Around the house... not much. I'm cooking this week. I'm not ready to do much more than that, but I'm trying to do a little more each day. Wow, does my floor need to be visited by the vacuum cleaner!!!

One of my favorite things... feeling loved.

Praying for...my attitude and all the things that are overwhelming me right now (see "On my Mind" above), for the antibiotic Lukas is starting this evening to knock this sinus infection out of him so that he can get back to feeling normal and energetic again, for my friend's shoulder to heal so that she can be without pain and get back to feeling normal again.

A Lyric or two... I know I've posted this before, but here it is again. It's what I need to be singing today...

I have unanswered prayers
I have trouble I wish wasn't there
And I have asked a thousand ways
That You would take my pain away
That You would take my pain away

I am trying to understand
How to walk this weary land
Make straight the paths that crookedly lie
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine
Oh Lord, before these feet of mine

When my world is shaking
Heaven stands
When my heart is breaking
I never leave Your hands

A verse to share... Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go. Joshua 1:9


A few plans for the week... loving my children, teaching school, reading, taking Lukas to Barnes and Noble at the Lennox on Saturday for the poetry fest where he will get to read his poems which he entered into their contest, and a skating party for one of Ava's friends on Sunday afternoon.

A Picture thought...

                 Loving on my sweet niece, Maia.

For more info or to get involved by writing your own Simple Woman's Daybook, CLICK HERE.

Sometimes...It's Hard

I want to blog. I don't know if I'll post the finished product or not (if you're reading this, you can assume that I posted it). This is how I think best. I write it. It sounds ridiculous. I delete three paragraphs. I write 4 more. I delete 2. I write another and realize that maybe what I'm writing doesn't make any sense to anyone other than me. Sometimes, that's okay. Sometimes it doesn't matter if it makes sense to someone else. Writers may often claim that they write for an audience, and we truly do, but when our hearts are hurting or we just can't decipher the tangled details of our lives, we write for ourselves. Thinking is easier when I force myself to take the time to write my thoughts. So here I am, writing my thoughts and considering whether or not I should share them with the world. Does anyone really want to read about what I think when those thoughts are raw, uncomfortable and intimate? Does anyone really want to hear more dismal, humdrum ramblings from the girl with all the problems? Haven't I written this before? Am I just re-writing old blog posts because I want to rant about whatever is on my mind at the time? Maybe. Maybe not. I don't know. It is what it is. I need to think, and so I write.

Maybe I don't have lots of problems. I just have a few. My life is blessed. I have said that many times during my blogging years. I see the blessings. I notice them every day. I'm not one who habitually overlooks my blessings. My husband and children know the Lord. I serve in an amazing church where people are loved and return that love to others. I can see God's handiwork in my own backyard as spring bursts forth from the trees and grass and even in the dandelions which seem to be much more present in my yard than the surrounding yards. My kids are healthy other than what appears to have turned into a sinus infection for Lukas. My kids are spoiled with attention. Schooling them is a daily dose of joy throughout the week. I could go on and on about the blessings in my life. I've mentioned them before, but that's not why I want to blog today.

I want to whine. I want to scream. I want to complain. I want to stomp my feet and shake a fist or two and throw another tantrum. I talked to God today about all of this. I talked more pointedly than some probably believe that I should. Don't you think that God can handle that? I told the Creator of the universe that I want an escape hatch. These circumstances aren't making me happy. I don't care if it's what I need anymore. I want to run. I want to hide. I want to avoid reality for a few days. I want a vacation to nowhere. I told him how I was feeling and why I felt that way. I asked Him a few questions that started in why and mostly included the word "me" in them.

And then...

I stopped. I wrote down my thoughts in a blog(as you can see). I saw how I was acting in this mirror to my soul which the computer screen provides for me as I type. I took a deep breath and released the kind of sigh you offer yourself when you realize that you are the one in the wrong, that you are the one who needs to make something happen, that you are the one that needs to give up, to confess, to trust, to remain faithful to all the things that you know are just and good and righteous. And what shall I write next?

I give up. I raise my hands in praise to the Lord because this is right. I offer all I have. I choose this path because it is the one which he laid out before me whether or not I want an escape hatch, a vacation, a reality escape. It is what it is. It's the path I have been given, and I will follow it to the very end because I love my Father. Because He loves me. Because he suffered for me more than I can ever imagine suffering for Him. Because I made this promise to serve, to trust, to be faithful, to choose righteousness and pursue Christ. I choose to do what is right even when it is everything I can do to calm the shouting in my head that urges me...to run.

Father, forgive me for my attitude. Forgive me for the audacity to question You, the creator of my very soul. Forgive me for not trusting you, for not having even the faith of a mustard seed at times, for lacking in so many ways. Thank you for my blessings. Thank you for your provision. I have seen you work in mighty ways in my life, and I will forever remain grateful for those acts. Daddy, please hold me tonight. I need YOU, Jehovah Shalom, to hold me in your loving arms and give me peace. I will put my trust in you even when I don't see where this is going. I believe that you know what is best for me, your child. I know that you will not harm me because your word says so. I know that you have hopeful plans for my future, for the future of my husband and my children. I trust you. I need you. I love you, Father. May your path be my path. I will follow wherever you lead, and if this is where you leave me for one more day, one more month, one more year, then I know there is a reason for that. Teach me what I need to know. Show me what I am missing. Make my desires your desires. Your will, not mine, Lord, is what I want. Don't take me from this place before I have learned the lessons you desire to teach me here. Oh, Father, that is a hard prayer for me to offer, but I give myself to you to do with me what you will. Show me that path, and I will praise you for it. Whatever you give me, Lord, I will praise you for it. Thank you for all the blessings in my life. You are awesome and wonderful, and I will remember that. In Jesus Name I pray all these things...Amen

A Sleepover, Soccer and a Surprise

We began our day early for a Saturday by picking up Lukas from a sleepover. I knew that he would not sleep very much. It's a sleepover, and that's what kids do at sleepovers. They stay up late. They eat junk food and sugary treats. They laugh and shout and make strange noises. They watch movies and tell stories. But sleep? It's at the bottom of the "sleep"over priority list, isn't it? At the same time, I thought he would sleep a little.

He didn't. Since he was born, he has never slept very well when he is elsewhere, but he is 8 and old enough for this kind of adventure, so we let him go knowing that he would be exhausted today. One day of exhaustion isn't the end of the world. I'm glad he went. I only hope that the parents of the child who stayed awake with him aren't upset as well as our friends with whom he was staying.

According to Lukas, he slept for 15 minutes. He looked the watch that Papa gave him for Easter (he is extremely proud of this watch) at 6:15 and went to sleep. The other boys who had been sleeping awoke shortly after, and Lukas was awake with them by 6:30. He was apparently quiet during the night at some point because, according to my friend, Amy, she thought he slept about 4 hours. Either way, the boy is exhausted! He managed to make it through his 10:00 soccer game today, but he was dragging by the end. He played half of the game, and by the last period, he was kind of trudging across the field like a weighted camel as if each foot weighed about 50 pounds.

The funniest part of the day happened during Ava's game. Lukas resolved to sit in Ava's tiny chair because we forgot to put a larger chair in the van for him. He covered himself with his sleeping bag (it was cold and exceptionally windy in spite of the beautiful sunshine this morning), and about 10 minutes later, I caught him as he started to fall over asleep. He eventually ended up in Eric's chair sound asleep outside on a cold, windy day at a noisy soccer game. Heehee! We took a picture.

Ava's soccer game was at 11:00. I wasn't sure what to expect when Ava announced that she wanted to play soccer. Ava dances. She tried cheerleading and enjoyed it. But a sport like soccer? This was the first time for her to do something like this, and I half expected her to be doing cartwheels in the middle of the field. Not so. Not at all. At every practice, she is focused on the ball (unfortunately at times when she should be focused on the coach). During the game, she was focused on the ball as well, and her smile? Oh my gosh...I don't know if I've ever seen my girl so happy. She was grinning from ear to ear as she raced after the ball and giggling and cheering for her team when she was on the sideline. She loves soccer. I mean, of course I could be wrong, by the end of the season, she may not like it as well, but I don't think I'm wrong. She had a blast on that field. She practices in the back yard. She looks forward to practice each Thursday evening. I think she is really going to excel at this, and, if she doesn't, she's going to have a blast trying! And that grin? I'll look forward to seeing that each week. Every parent wants to see that kind of happiness beaming from the face of their child.

After the soccer games, we came home and napped. Ava was the only one of us who slept enough last night since Eric was clearing space on our video camera and I stayed up to finish reading The Glass Castle (maybe I'll write a review this week...such a great book), so she watched a Sagwa video from the library (we're studying China) while the rest of us slept. Lukas could barely be awakened from his nap. He's in the tub enjoying a hot bath right now and will be going to bed early.

I'm going to wrap up my great day with the winner of the official "Husband of the Day" award watching a movie. He had to buy a tire because his spare blew this week. When he left, he took a pair of scissors with him so that he could return with a surprise bouquet of lilacs which he cut from a huge lilac bush that grows in a vacant lot near-by. I was very happily surprised. They are beautiful sitting on top of my entertainment center, and my house smells fantastic! He also cooked dinner. Grilled pork chops, grilled potatoes and green beans. He wins the award today.

A Saturday like this one is one of my favorite kinds of days. The sunshine was beautiful. The soccer games were a blast (though they might have been a little bit better if I could have felt my fingers and toes more by the end). My afternoon nap felt great. Dinner was delicious. There's still a little daylight to enjoy, and the kids are heading to bed in 15 minutes. I love days like today. I hope that each of you have your favorite kind of day soon too!

The Simple Woman's Daybook #39

Outside my window...the children play hide-and-go-seek at the neighbors...sort of. The boys thought it would be really funny to hide at our house while Ava is it and thinks they are hiding over there. I admit that I giggled a little when they told me.

I am thinking... that I shouldn't have asked my kids to "name something that looks better than it actually is" when trying to teach a moral lesson. The answer I got from Lukas was "lasagna," which I make from scratch. My ego might be a little wounded. ;)

I am thankful for... the compassion of my children. They would do anything to take care of me if they could. Their many hugs and kisses in the past day and a half since my back went out are much appreciated.

I am wearing... black sweats and a green cotton shirt.

I am remembering... how long it has taken in the past for my back to heal.

I am creating... a plan to finish this school year by Memorial Day.

I am going... to help my family live a healthy lifestyle.

I am reading... The Story About Ping. Lots of great lessons in this book!.

I am hoping... to heal quickly so that I can get back to my workout regimen ASAP!!!

On my mind... how frustrating it is for me to have to rely on my husband to pick up my slack when I'm not feeling well. He doesn't have time for it, and it makes me feel awful.

From the learning rooms... China, mountains and a volcano experiment.

Noticing that... my sliding glass doors need to be washed.

From the kitchen... lentils and brown rice with a quick vegetable, most likely peas and carrots. We tried a lower-cal version of Disco fries and a new fish recipe last night. Disco fries = success. Fish = failure. I spit it out. The fish was that bad.

Around the house... blogging, researching, ebay posting, coupon clipping and sorting, reading and anything else I can do off my feet while my back is out. I'm managing to cook dinner and teach school. That's a big day when my back is out.

One of my favorite things... being held by my husband.

Praying for...my back to heal. Please join me friends. I need to get back in the game!

A Lyric or two...

I will be an open door that you can count on
Anywhere you are, anywhere you’ve been
I will be an honest heart you can depend on
I will be a faithful friend.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rbU3ePP0Pps

A verse to share... Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ. For he chose us in him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in his sight. In love he predestined us to be adopted as his sons through Jesus Christ, in accordance with his pleasure and will- to the praise of his glorious grace, which he has freely given us in the One he loves. Ephesians 1: 3-6

Pondering these words... Slow and steady wins the race.

A few plans for the week... soccer pics, soccer practices, fun at World of Bounce for a Bible quizzing wrap-up, a field trip to Al's Delicious Popcorn, a sleepover for Lukas and the first soccer games of the season. Busy week!

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Who We Are

This post has been swirling in my head for a week or so. Don't get the idea that it's going to be brilliantly written or more captivating than my usual posts(I never make such lofty promises). It probably won't be, but it is something from my heart that has really been on my mind.

Have you noticed how much we compare ourselves to other people? I think that everyone, even those with the highest self-esteem, has fallen into this trap at some point in his or her life. It's a difficult pitfall to miss. We see someone who is smarter, prettier, stronger, wealthier, healthier, more talented, etc...and we want what they have. It's similar to the reason Eve grabbed the fruit in the garden. She wanted what wasn't hers, what God never intended for her to have, and she was harmed because of her choice to give into that desire. We, also, are harmed by our desire for characteristics and talents that we do not possess. Girls long to be beautiful, and if they feel they are not, they believe they are worth less than the girls who they view as beautiful when the truth is that God sees each of His creations as gorgeous, flawless and perfect. So why do we want what others have, or, if we don't necessarily want it, why do we view ourselves as less than someone else because we don't want it but feel the pressure of society causing us to think we should want it?

Women are terrible about this. We forget that we are all created in the image of the same God, and that He blesses us each with different talents, gifts and abilities because we are designed to complement each other. Our unique personalities are designed by the Creator for a specific purpose. For example, I have a friend who lives in the middle of a forest, raises goats for milk, chickens for eggs, homeschools her children and desires to be nothing short of the center of God's will for her life. This is God's will for her. I have no doubt about this because she thrives in this environment and so do her husband and children. I have another friend whose life couldn't be more opposite in that she lives in a somewhat urban area, you couldn't pay her to raise chickens, and her children go to a public school, but, she also desires to be at the center of God's will for her life. I don't doubt her choices or the fact that her life is centered in God's will for her either. If God wanted us all to be the same, then one of these two very godly women would have to be wrong. Neither of them is wrong. God designed them differently on purpose. He put them exactly where they are because he knew they would thrive there or learn to be content. He knew that the gifts he gave to each one had a perfect purpose.

Mothering is different for me than it is for you because I am different than you are. I enjoy traveling and experiencing new things with my kids. I love to cook healthy, from scratch meals for my family. I like to do crafts with my kids, though I'm not the most creative crafter out there. Homeschooling is a blast for me, and being up-to-speed on things like curriculum and homeschooling philosophies is interesting to me. I love throwing parties for my kids complete with cakes decorated by me and fun party themes and games. However...my house is usually a little cluttered; sometimes it's a lot cluttered. My floor doesn't get mopped as often as it should. I can't sew anything more than a button or hem. I purchase costumes for my kids because I can't make them and don't really want to learn to do so. I don't make anything special for breakfast most days of the week. Cereal and yogurt are what's served most of the time with the occasional dish of hot cream of wheat or scrambled eggs and toast. I consider some of these things to be shortcomings, especially when I look with envy at other moms who do all of those things that I wrote after the "however" in this paragraph. Those moms, however, don't do all of the things I posted before the "however." We can't all do it all. That's not the way we were designed. God designed me to love and enjoy certain tasks and not others. He made you to love those things. Thanks for filling my gaps when I need you to. There's the key. We're designed to help each other.

I may falter on what I'm about to say in the near future, but I am committing to being content with the way God made me. I don't need to create fantastic costumes for my children to wear or mop my floor everyday to know that I am the center of God's will for my life, and neither do you. You don't like to decorate cakes? Purchase one or bake the cake, slather on some frosting, stick in a candle and sing Happy Birthday. Your kid is going to love being the center of attention either way. You don't like to travel? Make special memories at home with game nights, movie nights and walks to the park. You don't like to cook? Well, you can't get out of that completely, but so what? Keep it simple and quick. That's what Rachael Ray is all about, and she seems to be doing pretty well.

However God designed you, be grateful for what he gave you to use, and use it to serve Him with your whole heart wherever He has planted you no matter what your circumstances are. You are designed uniquely by a perfect heavenly Father. He doesn't make mistakes.

Moving

I'm moving to this new blog location. It's going to take me forever to move all my old posts, but that is important to me, so I'll be working on it here and there. I have enjoyed blogging on homeschoolblogger, but I'm looking for something with a few more bells and whistles so that I can possibly do some things that I've not been able to do on homeschoolblogger. I'm excited about the possibilities, but a little overwhelmed about moving all my old posts. I've been blogging since 2006, so it is not a small task. One thing at a time. I'll start with a couple new posts to get this blog rolling!