FF #2

1. I'm looking forward to more snow, hopefully!! next week. I know, I know. Everyone else wants spring, but I want more snow. I love it, and it still gets the kids out of the house for some outdoor play.
2. I don't handle when my husband is sick or emotional very well. or so he tells me.
3. Anything that is yummy is something I could eat every day. I'm a very repetitive person, and can eat or drink the same something'er'other for long periods of time before I will finally be ready for a change.
4. Warmth and sunlight make me smile, make me relaxed.
5. Kitchen, here I come! I can't believe how much time I spend in the kitchen. Cooking, cleaning up, that's where we do school, too. But most of the time it's cooking....and cleaning. Mostly cooking...but then, there's the cleaning.
6. I don't care about tattoo(s). Most of the time, it's the person, not the tattoo. Depends on the tattoo, though.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to going to bed early, tomorrow my plans include adding two kids with bronchitis to my usual long list of daily to-do's and Sunday, I want to go see a movie! whether I will or not...shall remain to be seen.

T13 #4

Thirteen Things quotes and statistics I love from the fascinating documentary, The Business of Being Born. 1. "...the rock and the hard place. Every single woman who has a natural birth feels like that at a certain point. The rock is - 'I'm not pushing because it hurts too much'. The hard place is -'Okay then, you're staying pregnant forever, and it's gonna hurt forever!' It's the most infuriating place to be." - The main midwife, her name escapes me... 2. "People in our country spend more time researching a car...a camera...(etc, etc)...than they do checking out what their choices for birth are!" - a midwife 3. Since 1996 the Cesarean section rate in the US has risen 46%. 4. In 2005 it was 1 in 3 births!! 5. "There's not a good history in obstetric practice of careful study of the long-term effects of all those interventions. This is why, if you really want a humanized birth, the best you can do is to get the hell out of the hospital!" - Marsden Wagener, M.D., Former Director of Women & Children's Health, World Health Organization 6. Midwives attend over 70% of births in Europe and Japan. 7. In the US, midwife attendance is less than 8%. 8. "The Netherlands loses fewer women than we do. The Netherlands loses fewer babies than we do. And one third of their births are planned home births!" - Marsden Wagener 9. The US has the second worst newborn death rate in the developed world. 10. The US has one of the highest maternal mortality rates among all industrialized countries (in the seven countries with at least 400,000 births, the US is seventh). 11. In 1900, 95% of births in the US took place at home. In 1938, it was 50%. In 1955, less than 1% of births in the US took place at home. It is still the same percentage today. 12. "We spend twice as much in this country per birth than any other country in the world. It is one of those very rare instances when cheaper [midwife attended non-hospital birth] is truly better." - Marsden Wagener 13. "The outcome we get versus the amount of money we spend - it sucks!" - an obstetrician

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday - Raspberries from Gumpa

Listen Well to Others

My new Sonlight catalogue came yesterday. I was just glancing through it quickly - it wasn't at a time that I could sit down and search the things I've been thinking of adding to our home schooling. But I perused an article titled 'What kind of people do I want my children to be?' The title stood out to me, so I read the bold-print points, and # 6 was great - Teach students to listen well to others. They explained they use 2 means by which they teach students to listen. The first is listening to Mom and/or Dad read to them. The second, well, I'll give the direct quote:

We seek to convey different sides to an argument. Many people - both children and adults - are afraid of what "the opposition" may say. Our minds become so filled with worry about our possible inability to reply appropriately that we never hear what the other person has to say.

So most of us are far more comfortable to remain ignorant of other people's claims than to first become familiar with what they have to say, and then to find quality answers or, possibly, to admit they have a point we had never thought about
before.

While I readily admit that I have been at fault in this many times, I have honestly tried to become more aware of the fact that:

1. I don't know everything. Shocker.
2. Christian teaching - no matter who the source - isn't always 100% accurate, since it comes from a 100% fallen human being; only the Word of God is 100% TRUTH.
3. I can be wrong, even when I don't know it yet.
4. When I won't listen to (not just hear) what the other side has to say, I cannot accurately defend my position, and I may be missing out on something really profound.

But I have come to find that I love TRUTH much more than I love comfort. As an open-theist, I often come across this with other believers. They are comfortable with their view of God, even though it is reeking of pagan Greek philosophy. Christian teaching has been muddled up for so long that most believers don't even know the difference. It was true of me as well, until I decided to actually listen to what open theology had to say and to compare it to the Bible, just the Bible. What a light-bulb moment!!

This listening to others, though; it goes for more than just theology. I will save the discussion on theology for another post. I know I need to explain it for many of my readers, and I will. I can think of many other areas of life in which to apply good listening skills - the proper approach to politics, the proper approach to ending legalized abortion in America, the way to rear children, the way to school children, reasons for not attending a mega-church (gasp, did I say that out loud?!), the list goes on.

~Lindsay

Friday Fill-ins...not on friday.

Well, I came accross this meme. I am not a meme-y blogger. You know, those blogs that do a bazillion memes every week. I like reading some of them, but it's just not my style. But this one, I thought, looked kinda fun, and I haven't seen it on everyone-and-their-brother's blogs, IYKWIM!!

1. Discovery is the best thing about traveling.

2. I love a good cup of hot cocoa, with marshmallow's, when I'm cold.

3. I often use no deoderant. (gasp, did I just make that public? actually, if you keep your pits freshly shaven, you don't really need it! - atleast, *I* don't.)

4. I'm reading The Plot right now; I dig it.

5. Mucous is something I dislike talking about.

6. When I visited Australia I most looked forward to seeing the outback.

7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to (last night - friday) watching law & order on my laptop, tomorrow my plans include Same ol', same ol' - DH works Saturdays and Sunday, I want to enjoy the celebratory activities for my dad's 53rd birthday!

~Lindsay

T13 #3

Thirteen things I hear on a daily basis: 1. "What are we having for lunch??" yes, lunch. I know most hear 'what's for dinner', but we are strange, and have our main meal in the middle of the day. Because, well, it's healthier. And, easier for yours truly. So, I get 'what's for lunch'! 2. "Mommy, I need to go poop." May not seem odd to you, until I add that it is A, my 7-year-old that says this everyday when duty calls. Yes, that's right, my 7-year-old. One day, a couple months ago, it occured to me to ask why he tells me this. His answer, so that if I needed him to do something for me, I would know where he was. Hmm...that's actually a pretty good answer; very considerate of my needs. So from that point on, I looked at this lovely announcement in a completely different light! 3. "AAAAAAAAAEEEEEEEEEEEEEEHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!" That would be my 2-year-old, N, screaming. And that would me thanks to my almost-four-year-old teaching him to scream a year ago. She thought it was really cute and funny that he would immitate any-and-everything she said or did. Yea, cute and funny. Thank you, R. Not-so-cute-and-funny for mommy's sanity!! 4. "bbbpppthththpppbbbpppththtpppbbb". (G, raspberries) ;o) 5. "Here's my hair-pretty, mommy!" M & R. Every morning, after their chores, they bring their decided 'hair-pretty' to me so that I can do their hair while they eat breakfast. (healthcode violation? - maybe. But, it works for us!) 6. "I'm DOOOOONE!!" Another bodily-function-related phrase. That would be R, needing a wipe after her daily duty. 7. "I have (insert color) underwear on today!" R. She's the color coordinated girl, right down to the underwear. And she feels I simply must know the color of the day. 8. "I can't find my (insert any and every clothing item) !!" What every SAHM wants to hear. Translation: you're a laundry failure!! No, that's not what the kids mean, I know, but there it is. Ofcourse, I have a bigger (notice I don't say better) excuse than lots of other moms, what with N alone creating three times as much laundry in a day (even more in socks and towels) than the average two year old, and that's when his skin is at maintenance level. 9. "Can you get the toothpaste down?" Whoever gets to the tooth-brushing first in the morning, will be the one to ask this. We have to keep the toothpaste out of reach because, like most 2-year-olds, ours likes to eat the toothpaste. However, unlike most other 2-year-olds, ours will have violent reactions to said (toxin-free) toothpaste if he does ingest it. 10. "Can I have a picture to color from the computer?" Usually the girls. We have oodles upon oodles of coloring books, but for whatever reason, the coloring pages I can print from the computer are the ones to be desired! 11. "So." That's right, just "so". That's N, again. He is really making big strides in language, and he has picked up this little word. He hears us saying, "So, I was talking with my mom today....so, anyway.....so, I heard this thing on the radio...." etc. And he's trying to use it but just doesn't quite know how. He will walk into the room and say "so". And I'll say, "So, What?" and he'll smile his crooked, mischievous smile at me and try again - "so". Such a cutie! 12. "Can I get the carrots out?" This could be any of the older four. In our house, if it's between meal times and you're hungry, there is but one snack readily available. Carrots. They are healthy, they don't require any preparation and they kids can get them out and put them away themselves. Perfect! 13. "mmmm.....mmmmm.....mmmaaaaammmmmmaaaaaa!!!" G. He just started saying "mama" about a week ago. It is so precious, and with every child it's just like the first time our oldest said mama. It just melts me all over again!

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday - Valentine's Day gifts, With love, from Aunty!!

~Lindsay

T13 #2

A Valentine's edition: Thirteen Things I l-o-v-e!! (besides all the obvious ones -- my hubby, kiddos, best friends, family, etc, etc) Here they are, in no particular order. 1. Ice cream. More specifically, HomeMade brand Mint Chocolate Chip. Can we say YUM?? 2. A nice, *hot* bath. Bubbles optional. 3. Dancing. Especially swing dancing. Not saying I'm good, but it's fun, to do and to watch. 4. Bloopers, or gag reels from movies or tv shows. So funny. 5. I love that when I'm not home my husband runs the house like a good captain of a submarine. Everything is in complete order, he knows just what to do to get the job done, and the kids have a blast helping him. 6. *And* I love that when I am home, my dear sweet husband needs my guidance for everything regarding the kids. Like if I ask him, would you get this child ready this morning? He'll say 'well, what do you want me to do with him/her?' 7. Snow. Really, I do. Even if I have to drive in it, I absolutely love the snow. I wish we lived in the northeast, I'd have so much fun!! 8. Snowmen. Sure, logical, I guess - it goes with snow. But I love snowmen, they are my favorite Christmas decor. 9. A good massage. But I'm picky!! 10. Hats!!!!! 11. Blogging. ;o) 12. The Spring. Even though I love snow, I love springtime, too. I love the smells, seeing everything come to life again, planting a garden again. It is a wonderful time of year. 13. I *love* that the house can be completely peaceful and quiet and as soon as I sit down at the computer or get on the phone it is like the Cat in the Hat just walked in with Thing One and Thing Two.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

Wordless Wednesday - Oh, that tongue!

~Lindsay

Remember Terri Schiavo? Here we go again...

Not that this is the first innocent person outside the womb, since Schiavo, to be starved to death because they were unable to defend themselves...it's not!! But, here it is, happening again.

I don't know if this is recieving much coverage in the news or not...I'm guessing not, as this is the first I've heard of it (although, we have a TV-free home, so I am sometimes behind on the news; depeding on the amount of time I spend on the 'puter or listening to the radio).

For those who don't know right from wrong...let me spell it out for you. It is OKAY to let a dying person die. It is NOT OKAY to starve a person to death.

Help Lauren!! Help her father beat our culture of death, and save his daughter from its choke-hold. Do whatever you can!!


~Lindsay

T13 #1

Thirteen Things about the need for salt in your diet. (And I don't mean trashed, white, embalmed American table salt...I mean a high quality, air dried, sea salt). 1. Salt is most effective in stabilizing irregular heartbeats. Contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure - in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical. 2. Contrary to the misconception that it causes high blood pressure, it is actually essential for the regulation of blood pressure - in conjunction with water. Naturally the proportions are critical. 3. Salt is vital to the extraction of excess acidity from the cells in the body, particularly the brain cells. 4. Salt is vital for balancing the sugar levels in the blood; a needed element for diabetics. 5. Salt is vital for the generation of hydroelectric energy in cells of the body. It is used for local power generation at the sites where energy is needed. 6. Salt is vital to the nerve cells' communication and information processing all the time that the brain cells work, from the moment of conception to death. 7. Salt is vital for absorption of food particles through the intestinal tract. 8. Salt is vital for the clearance of the lungs of mucus plugs and sticky phlegm, particularly in asthma and cystic fibrosis. 9. Salt is vital for clearing up catarrh and congestion of the sinuses. 10. Salt is a strong natural antihistamine. 11. Salt is essential for the prevention of muscle cramps. 12. Salt is rich in enzymes and trace minerals.13. Salt increases HCL in the stomach, there by aiding in proper digestion of foods.

Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!


The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! If you participate, leave the link to your Thirteen in others' comments. It’s easy, and fun! Trackbacks, pings, comment links accepted!

View More Thursday Thirteen Participants

The next Survivor Series

The following was an email forward that a friend sent to me. I thought it was funny, and sent it to my hubby. He is an amazing daddy to our kids, and does many things that 'typical' fathers don't do. Case in point - yesterday, while most other men were getting ready to watch the super bowl, my dear sweet husband took the four older kids to the children's museum for the day!

Anyway, he actually responded to each of the requirements and sent it back to me. He's so funny, I just wanted to share:

THE NEXT SURVIVOR SERIES

Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.

Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes

No

There is no fast food

No problem

Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and pay a list of "pretend" bills with not enough money.

No problem, is refinancing an option?

In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.

No Problem – Hot Dogs and Beans…

Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time.

Eliminate the friendships and the family ties and this requirement becomes easier

Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.

No problem

He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.

No problem

He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.

Sound like fun, the kids can help

Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.

No problem, neutral colors, no window dressings, blow-up furniture

The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.

This is new?

The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn himself with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed.

Ouch, a bit weird, but, no problem

During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.

No problem

They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.

No problem

They will need to read a book and then pray with the children each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.

No problem

A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information: each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name.

No problem – Should be able to do that in six weeks

Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song, favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.

No problem

The kids vote them off the island based on performance. The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.

This, I can assure you would not be a problem!

I think I could do it, sign me up! J

If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years.

No problem – Every day's a party!

I don't particularly like the idea of shaving my legs or wearing makeup, but if you like a smooth legged man, that is okay. . . .

Do you think that we would also be able to opt of the sports, school, emergency room (probably wasn't really needed anyway).

By "eyebrows groomed" does that mean that I have to start plucking out my eyebrow hair, I really don't want to do that. I hear that it becomes obsessive and seeing as how I am an addictive type personality, I don't think that it is wise to start! J

Love you,

Thanks,

B

Snow Day

We did get some fun time out in the snow yesterday! I pulled N and R around on sleds, which I think is great exercise, and I'm not sure what they think is more fun - the ride, or watching mommy run! LOL They all had some great laughs going down the slides in the backyard. With their legs covered in slick material. They really flew down!
It was really wet out, and the snow was still coming down a bit, which made me a little paranoid about having my camera out there. I'm still becoming familiar with it! But here are a few captured moments...

(Okay, well, G didn't actually go out with us, we played during his nap... But isn't he just the cutest little bear? )

~Lindsay

I truly do love snow! It just makes me happy. When I look out my window to a world covered in a soft white blanket, it just makes all the noise of life seem so very quiet. It is such a peaceful site.
All this week our local weather crews have been forecasting a 'winter storm', estimating 7-10 inches where I live!
After dealing with a, well, just plain selfish and mean person last night, I was all set to wake up this morning and see that lovely blanket.
Well, we have maybe an inch and a half!
My dad made the comment yesterday that the news/weather people were probably exaggerating to improve their ratings. I never really thought about that, but I suppose that's true. It is sad, and a bit frustrating that they can, and will, do that.
Oh, well. It still is pretty, even though it isn't as much as I was hoping for. And it should be warm enough outside to play in it today! Maybe I'll even try to practice some snow pics with my new camera!

~Lindsay