Why We Don't "Do" Santa Claus

Christmas will be here before we know it! As of today, there are 72 days left until Christmas! :o

With Christmas being so close, people have started saying to my boys, "Better behave, Santa's watching!" I know they mean well, but I have to correct them: "We don't really do Santa."

But why? Why have we taken this beloved childhood icon away from our children? For two reasons.

1. I felt bad lying to them. I really try to tell my kids the truth. I expect honesty from them, so I try to present honesty to them as much as possible. By telling them Santa was coming and they'd better behave because Santa was watching, and making up reasons why he could get in our house when we have no fireplace, I was lying to them. And God was convicting me. Big time. I felt horrible every time Santa was mentioned in this house.

2. It took the focus off of Christ. I'm not saying you can't believe in Santa and know the real meaning of Christmas at the same time. You most certainly can. But I didn't want my kids to behave because Santa was watching and if they weren't good they'd get coal in their stockings. I want them to behave because it honors God. Because the bible says to obey their parents (Ephesians 6:1). Because God is watching, not Santa.

Some moms I know refuse to "do" Santa because they are afraid that once their kids found out they were lying about Santa, they'd think their parents were also lying about God. I don't hold this same view. One only mentions Santa around the last 1/4 of the year. We don't go to church every Sunday and praise Santa. There are not whole radio stations and television stations based on Santa's teachings. People don't dedicate their lives to loving and serving Santa.

If you're afraid of your kids dumping God because they found out Santa isn't real, try making God real to them. How do we make Santa real? We leave milk and cookies for him, then we show them the empty plate and glass in the morning. We tell them Santa left presents for them. We take them to see Santa in malls and stores. We try to have an answer for every question they ask about him.

So let's make God as real to them as we've made Santa. Every time something good happens, point out that God had a hand in it and have them thank him. If they want or need something, have them pray about it. Then, when the prayer is answered (whether it's in their favor or not), point out the fact to them. Take them to a good, bible-believing church. Research questions kids might ask about God and Christianity so you're ready with real answers when they ask. (This book is a good place to start.)

So, what happens when other kids start talking about Santa? I realize that not everyone shares my view about Santa Claus and that their kids still believe in him. And that's fine. I don't think he's evil or that believing in him is bad. If Santa works for you and your family, by all means, do it. My kids are instructed not to tell other kids that Santa isn't real. That's up to their parents and/or other family members. My kids are instructed to sit quietly while the discussion of Santa is happening. It's worked so far. :)

What about you? Do you let your kids believe in Santa?

My Newest Love

I have super long, super duper thick hair.

It's messy today (I haven't done anything with it yet), but you get the idea.

My hair tends to get in the way when I'm cooking or cleaning. I've tried those plastic claw clip thingies, but even the extra large ones wouldn't hold all my hair up. I don't know how to do a proper bun, and elastics get caught in my hair and have to be cut out, so i was forced to pull it all back with a scrunchie. Not very attractive. Plus, it gave me headaches and was very uncomfortable. I could cut my hair, but my husband likes it long. (And, truth be told, so do I.)

I was walking through Great Homeschool Conventions - Cincinnati and I saw a display for these really pretty hair clips. I stopped to look, wishing one would hold all my hair up. The woman working the booth asked if I'd ever heard of Lilla Rose before. I said no, but they were lovely. And I lamented how I'd wished one could hold up my hair. She looked at all my long hair, and held it in a ponytail with her hand to feel the thickness. "You'll need an extra large for a french twist, and a medium for a ponytail or a half-up." Then she directed me to the clips she had available in those sizes. Skeptical, I bought the extra large one. I took it home, and this is what happened:

It held my hair up! All of it! I couldn't believe it! Not only that, but this clip was comfortable, it didn't pull my hair, and I didn't get a headache even after wearing it all day!

After that, I was hooked. I tried the medium like she suggested for a ponytail and half-up:

It worked also! I can't express enough how much I love these Lilla Rose Flexi 8 hair clips!

And they're not just for people with long and thick hair.
Here's someone wearing a mini:

They also have bobbi pins and u-pins (the stars in the above pic). And headbands.

So, if you want pretty jewelry for your hair, just click here for my Lilla Rose website. You will not be disappointed! :)

First Day of School Traditions

It's nearing the end of July. For those that don't homeschool year round, that means it's back to school time! We try to make this special day fun so that it's easier to say goodbye to summer. Here are some of our traditions for back to school time:

New school supplies - How could one not take advantage of the Back to School sales many stores have after the 4th of July? You can get everything you need for the whole year at a super low price! So, we like to go early (as in, the July 5th - lol!) to get our supplies. That way we know everything will be in stock. Then, I separate everything into 3 boxes (one for each kid), and put the boxes up. Out of sight, out of mind. Then, when the first day of school arrives, I get the boxes out and let each boy organize his supplies as he wants. They get so excited over new school supplies! It's like Christmas! lol!

Special Breakfast - I usually fix something special for the first day of school breakfast, something we don't normally have. Like Smiley-Face pancakes, Monkey Bread, or something similar. It's just a special treat to let them know that this is a very special day.

Half-Day - Actually, the first week of school is filled with half days. We've found that it's easier to get back into schooling from a long summer break if we only homeschool half days the first week. I also let them sleep in if they want to, and they can homeschool in their jammies. :)

Best Part of Summer Discussion - My boys get to relive their summer on the first day of school by describing their favorite moments from the summer. Then I let them draw pictures of their favorite moments and display their drawings all over the schoolroom. Dad likes to come into the room and admire their artwork. My boys beam with pride as they explain their pictures to their dad.

First Day of School Picture - Who hasn't seen these? You take a picture on the first day, then one again on the last day. This way you can appreciate how much your little blessings have changed in just a few short months. Here's our most recent one:

 

And, for good measure, the one I took in May. The matching Last Day of School pic:

EDIT: Our first day of school pic for this year:

 Look how big they've gotten. <3

What are some of your back to school traditions?

An Opportunity Almost Missed

My oldest son (age 10) and I went to the grocery store. We went through the whole store, buying everything necessary to sustain a family of five for the week. Upon completion of our long list, we headed for the dreaded checkout. We got our groceries scanned and paid for them. YES! Another trip to the grocery store, DONE! :)

But what's this? Oh, it seemed I'd forgotten to pick up something my husband asked for. Bummer. Josh (my oldest) was tired and asked if he could sit on a bench at the front of the store by the checkouts. Not being a "helicopter" parent, I said yes, he could sit in the a/c and watch our newly purchased food. I'd only be a minute.

I walked quickly to the correct aisle, grabbed the previously forgotten item, and headed back to the checkout. As I waited for my turn, I glanced in the direction that my son was sitting. I saw him talking with an older man. He looked to be in his sixties. They seemed to be having a pleasant conversation.

I paid for my item and went to my son. "Time to go," I said.

"Ok," Josh said to me. Then he got up and turned to the man with whom he was conversing and said, "bye. It was nice talking to you." I beamed with pride at his manners.

The the older gentleman got up, turned to me with tears in his eyes and said, "Thank you for that moment. My youngest grandson, also 10, died last year from a brain tumor. Tomorrow would've been his 11th birthday. I've been having a hard time dealing with his death. I miss him. I miss talking to him. Your young man brought back so many happy memories. I felt like I was talking with my grandson again. I thank you for that."

I thanked him for sharing his heart, told him I would pray for him and gave him a hug. And I couldn't help but feel that if I had been a proponent of "worst-first thinking," afraid of child molesters everywhere, afraid of letting my tired son sit on a bench, this poor old soul never would've found comfort, even if only for a moment. I'm glad I could do that for him.

This is why we don't really do "stranger danger." Sure, I tell my kids not to go anywhere with people they don't know, and I tell them not to accept gifts from strangers without permission, but I don't teach them not to talk to strangers. I teach them to be polite and reply when an adult (or anyone else) addresses them.

To the man in the store: I am praying for you. You will find comfort in God's hands.I'm glad a short conversation with my son brought you such peace.

Essential Oil Test: Update #2

I have been using Lavender, Vetiver, and Cedarwood on CJ for almost 20 days now. And I have noticed a marked improvement. He is definitely less hyperactive. He can sit and concentrate on one thing longer than before.

But it's more than that. He seems calmer. Before, he'd get all wild and crazy over every little instance. Now he gets excited as any little kid would, but in a more controlled way.

He still seems to have trouble controlling his impulses, but now that we're getting his hyperactivity under control, that should (hopefully) begin to improve soon also. :)

Essential Oil Test: Update #1

The Veitver and the Cedarwood arrived on May 8 (which happened to be my oldest's birthday, Happy Birthday Josh!). I have already noticed a small difference. Very, very small, but a difference nonetheless. He behaved really well at Bob Evan's when we went for lunch today (Mother's Day).

Stay tuned for more updates! :)

The Ultimate Test for Essential Oils

K, as some of you may know, I've recently fallen in love with Young Living Essential Oils. And they've helped me and my family immensely. My oldest hasn't taken his allergy medicine since we got the oils (and his allergies were really bad!), I don't have heartburn anymore, and we just feel better on the whole.

So I've come up with the ultimate test for how well these amazing oils work.
(Well, my husband came up with it.)

My youngest ("unofficially") has Impulse Control Disorder. He is unable to keep himself from hitting, kicking, breaking, throwing, etc.

Now. Some of you might be saying, "Well, he's 4. That's what 4-year-olds do." No. Not to this extreme. I've babysat, I've worked in daycare, and I have 2 kids older than him. Trust me, I know what 4-year-old behavior is. This is not it. I took him to the doctor, and he said it looks like Impulse Control Disorder. I am supposed to take him to the psychiatrist  get an official diagnosis, but they want to wait until the school does their testing. So, while I'm waiting for the school to stop twiddling their thumbs, I thought I'd give essential oils a try.

Also, I do not want to medicate him. So even after we get the "official" diagnosis, I will need to rely on oils for treatment.

These are the oils I'm using:

Vetiver – This musky, smoky essential oil is not well-known, but in a few years it might be. Just the smell of vetiver has an almost magical ability to calm over-energized kids and help them to connect and relate to people in more patient and agreeable ways. Children, teenagers, and adults can apply the oil on their big toes which is the brain reflex point. Vetiver is especially helpful for those ADD adults and teens who also suffer from depression.

Lavender – Known as the “universal oil,” lavender is good for almost everything. One of its most well-known properties is as a sedative and for calming the body and mind. Rubbing a few drops on a child’s feet, shoulders, or chest can help them relax and sleep more easily. But be aware: lavender is one of the most commonly adulterated oils and difficult to find pure (labels can be misleading on this one). That's why we've chosen Young Living.

Cedarwood – Considered one of the holy healing oils, cedarwood is often referred to in Christian scriptures. It is high in sesquiterpenes, the chemical compounds which stimulate brain function and mental synergy, and help the body to rewrite old genetic patterns into healthier new ones (useful for kids with ADHD because it's considered an inherited disorder). This oil can be applied on the forehead and neck, inhaled, and massaged on the brain stem at the base of the skull.

So... I'll be posting how things are going with him. I've just ordered the Vetiver and Cedarwood today, so it'll be about a week before I can fully implement this course of treatment. Prayers are appreciated! :)

Most Common Homeschool Questions I Get Asked... and My Answers

Everyone has something to say when they hear that I'm homeschooling my kids. Most of it is positive:
"Oh! That's awesome!"
"I wish I'd homeschooled mine."
"We homeschool too! We love it!"

Then there are usual questions such as:
"What kind of curriculum do you use?"
"We were thinking of homeschooling. Can you go over some state laws with me?"
"Do you like it?"

You also get some pretty strange questions. (Well... that's mean. I shouldn't say "strange." Please change that to "unusual." Thanks.) These are the most common questions I get asked and how I answer them.

1. Do you have a teaching degree/What kind of training do you have?
No, I don't have a teaching degree. Nor do I need one. Degrees are for other people to be allowed to teach my children. Degrees are proof that they know what they're talking about. I know how my children learn, and I know how best to teach them. I don't need a degree for that.
My response:
"I don't have a degree. I don't need one." And I smile. :)

2. Aren't you worried about them falling behind?
Behind who? We don't follow any state curriculum, and our state doesn't require testing. There's no one to compare them to, so who are they going to fall behind? But I don't say this.
My actual response:
"No. Our curriculum is pretty extensive."

3. Do you get dressed?
I get asked these questions outside of my home. In public places. Where we are very obviously dressed. So to look at us will answer this question. However, I'm going to assume they mean do we get dressed at home when we're not going anywhere. In which case, I shall answer thusly:
"Yes."

4. How can you stand your kids being home all day? I'd go crazy!
I so badly want to say "I actually enjoy my kids. Just because your kids are crazy doesn't mean mine are." But that would be so rude, and since I'm representing Jesus in my every word and deed, I hold my tongue and say this:
"It's challenging at times. But the rewards are immeasurable."
There. That's much better. :)

And... the biggie:

5. What about socialization?
Ugh, I hate this one! Public school is not the only place to socialize your kids! I teach them social graces and manners at home, and we have Cub Scouts, homeschool co-op, and baseball practice. Plus, I take them to the grocery store, to the bank, to the library, to the Creation Museum, to the zoo...
There are plenty of opportunities to get my kids around kids their own age.
Plus... I was bullied in school as a kid. Mercilessly. There were several pregnant teens in my high school. Several. Cliques are very common, smoking, drugs and alcohol are a huge problem, not to mention cheating and stress and competition over grades.
So to answer this question, I look them in the eye and say:
"My kids don't need the kind of socialization public school has to offer."

Young Living Essential Oils

Ok, so... I've kind of fallen in love with essential oils. But not just any essential oils, Young Living essential oils.

Why these oils? Well, these oils are 100% pure essential oils. The ones you get from the store nowadays are only required by the government to be 5% pure. The rest are fillers and additives. So while you're trying to be healthy, you're actually putting more junk into your body. Young Living is all natural, pure essential oil. These are the only oils on the market today that can actually be ingested.

They're also safe for use around your kids and your pets.

They're great! My family has seen some really amazing results from using them.

Click here to go to my website to learn more.

My Favorite Disney Songs

So... Ever since I was a kid, I've been in love with the magic Disney can create onscreen. The stories are intoxicating, the artwork is mesmerizing... but it's the songs that truly make a Disney movie. So this is a list of my personal favorite Disney songs. This is by no means a complete list of all the best songs Disney has given to us, just a few of my favorites I can't help but play over and over again.


I have to start this list with "Let it Go" from Frozen. This song is incredible. It means so much to so many people! I know in my life, I've tried so hard to please everyone else, and I often make a mess of things. But my living to please God instead of others, I've kind of "Let it Go," their expectations of who and what I should be. And I'm much happier.


Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi do such a beautiful job on this song! Love, love, love it!!!


My favorite part:
Now's your moment
Floating in a blue lagoon
Love it! :)


Talk about your motivational songs! And... is that Donnie Osmond I hear? Sure is. I just learned that. ;)


There are so many good lyrics in this song!
You think the only people who are people
Are the people who look and think like you
But if you walk the footsteps of a stranger
You'll learn things you never knew you never knew
Respect for others right there. Good stuff. Also,
Come run the hidden pine trails of the forest
Come taste the sunsweet berries of the Earth
Come roll in all the riches all around you
And for once, never wonder what they're worth
Appreciation of simple pleasures. Love it. And this:
How high does the sycamore grow?
If you cut it down, then you'll never know
......
You can own the Earth and still
All you'll own is Earth until
Respect the creation God has given us.

These are my favorite Disney songs. What are yours?

Songs I was Scared of as a Kid

I did a blog post a few months ago about characters that scared me as a kid. So that got me thinking about other things that scared me. I believe I might've been a scardey cat as a kid. Lol!

Ok, have you ever heard of a movie called The Electric Grandmother? Few have. But this movie is essential to understanding why I was afraid of the songs below.

The movie is about a family that lost their wife/mother. They are all very upset and woebegone. That is, until the children (I won't go over every detail of the movie) come to build themselves an Electric Grandmother. The boys take to her, but the daughter holds out. Near the end, their android Grandmother (SPOILER ALERT!) gets hit by a car.

It was at this point that my dad turned off the show and told my brothers and I that it was bedtime.

But... Wha...

Now, the movie first debuted on television in 1982, but since I was 4 at that time, I doubt this is when we watched it. It was probably more like 1986 or 1987. Making me 8 or 9. I was older, but it was still traumatizing!

Ok, on to the songs.

The Mr. Ed Theme Song


Now. When my dad turned off the movie, he didn't turn the t.v. off. He switched the channel to Mr. Ed. So right after I was aware that someone was hit by a car, I hear, "Hello. I'm Mr. Ed." So for a long time, I associated this theme song with being scared because someone was hit by a car.

These Dreams by Heart


When my dad said it was bedtime, my brothers and I were to go into the kitchen to say goodnight to our mom. She was cleaning up after dinner. And listening to the radio. And this is the song that was playing. So, I became afraid of this song as well.

Now, a few years later, we eventually saw the end of the movie. Being a robot, the Electric Grandmother was fixed, and all the children loved her. Awww.

But I was afraid of these songs for years. And years. And years.

Moral of the story: be careful what's on tv before telling your kids to go to bed. Lol!

REVIEW: Eat Like Jesus

At first, I thought this was going to be like all the other scores of diet/whole/natural/organic food books out there. I was wrong. I has to do with clearing up some biblical misinterpretations regarding food and eating. Some of the concepts covered are:
Clean vs unclean, eating with sinners, carnivorous vs vegan animals for food, etc.

It is very dry and hard to read. I hate to sound like a child, but there long sentences and big words. Lol! I told you I was going to sound like a child. Not that I'm unintelligent or incapable of reading, but these things make it very disagreeable for casual reading. It's more of an academic study than a book to read for enjoyment. I read for enjoyment.

I also didn't agree with some of the points made (for example, the author's interpretations of Adam's and Eve's diets).

I'm making it sound like it's not a good book. I'm sure it is. It's very well researched and it's presentation is very easy to follow. It's just not my cup of tea. If you're looking for an in-depth study on what the bible says about kosher diets, this is definitely the book for you.

I received a free .pdf of this book in exchange for an honest review.

REVIEW: Every Waking Moment

Every Waking Moment by Chris Fabry follows the story of Treha (tray-uh), a worker at Desert Gardens retirement home. She had no family, no memories of her past. But she had a remarkable gift she used to awaken the elderly residents at the retirement home. Residents with dementia and such, and Treha helped "awaken" them so they could talk and function, if even for a short while.

A small team of (two) documentary filmers discover her gift as they are working on a documentary about the elderly. And they help Treha find clues about her past.

I really enjoyed this book. I had trouble putting it down. each chapter follows a different person, meaning chapter 1 follows person A, chapter 2 follows person B, chapter 3 goes back to person A, etc. This was kind of frustrating, as each chapter ended with a small cliffhanger of sorts. So it was hard to put down and get things done. lol!

However, this book really helps you appreciate 2 specific types of people: the elderly and the handicapped. The elderly have been around. They are not a burden on society to be cast off and ignored. They have lived. It's incredible to hear where their feet have walked, what their eyes have seen, what their ears have heard. They have stories of survival, enlightenment, and love.

The handicapped are not to be treated as a burden, either. One has no idea what amazing things they are capable of. Ms. Millstone (in the book) learned this lesson. :P

I will have to admit, though, I was a little upset about the ending. It didn't end the way I was hoping it would. But, I guess I'm a little selfish that way. This is definitely a page-turner. A very good book.

For more info about this book, please check Tyndale's Media Page.

Here's a trailer:

watch on tyndale.com

I definitely recommend this book! :)

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Making Paper

K, the first time we made paper was Wednesday, but I forgot to take pics.

I know. How could I? lol!

Anyways, so today we made it again. The boys were excited.

K, here's the materials you need:

 

• bath towels (or a workspace you don't mind getting all wet and messy - like a sidewalk outside)
•  a sponge (we didn't have one, so we used hand towels)
• a blender
• old newspaper
• a screen
• HOT water
• optional: a frame (an old photo frame will do)

Oh, and you'll need some helpers.

These are mine. :)

K, what you want to do first is tear up your newspaper and stuff it in the blender. Then add HOT water till it's a little more than halfway full.

Then blend it all up till it looks all nasty and feels kind of like that slime stuff they had in the late 80's and early 90's. (Remember that stuff? lol!)

 This is about what it should look like. Nice, huh? lol! This is called pulp. It's a lumpy, watery, gooey mess. :)
K, then you need to lay your towels down on your work area and lay the screen on top of the towels. This is when you'd lay your frame on top of your screen, if you want perfectly square paper. We didn't care about perfectly square paper. So we just poured our pulp on top of the screen.

Then we smoothed it out. This is a bit easier said than done. Little ones might need some help.

K, if you have sponges, now's the time to use them. If not, grab your hand towels, lay them on top of your paper, and press as hard as you and your little ones can! Paper is held together by pressure (which is why it falls apart so easily when it gets wet), so it's important you press hard. This also helps absorb excess water.

Push, push, push! My boys like this part. :)

Once you've pressed as hard as you can and have absorbed as much excess water as you can, carefully remove the towel.

Then let your paper dry. It needs several hours. I recommend doing this activity after dinner so the paper can dry overnight. You could put it in the sun, but it will dry too quickly and might warp.

When it's dry, they can write on it or draw on it. We're going to frame ours. :)

Thanks for reading! Have fun! :)

Day 21 Starts Tomorrow...

K, so, we've been using Easy Peasy as our homeschool curriculum this year. And I have to say, it's just amazing! There is no planning for me (which is good because I tend to be very unorganized) because everything is all laid out on the site. I just go thru and print any necessary .pdf files. Once printed, I write the day # on top of the page and stick it in a 3-ring binder. All set! There's even a daily progress chart that you can print, and you cross off the day you just finished so you know where you are. EASY! :D

Because I can, here's a screenshot of Easy Peasy's Homepage:

 

The grades are all linked on the right, and the content is on the left. 

I do have to warn you, though, though this is a Christian, bible-based, young-earth-believing curriculum, there is a bit of evolution taught. And that's ok with me for 2 reasons:

1. It's out there. They will be exposed to it at some point. And I'd rather it be in our home with my husband and I present than somewhere else when we have no control or knowledge of what they're learning and what the biblical rebuttal is.

2. I believe that if you're going to combat something, you should know something about it. You know the saying "know your enemy?" Well, I believe our children should know their enemy. If they are to learn how to answer questions against evolution, they should know something about evolution. Once they learn what it is, they can learn why it's faulty.

Anywho, back to how great this curriculum is. Matty (my 5-year-old) is really doing well learning his letters! He'll be reading in no time! I'm so excited for him. He wants to learn how to read so badly! lol!

And Josh (my 9-year-old) was so excited about the digestive system, that he rehashed everything he learned for his younger brothers. 

It's exciting to see them learning. And thanks to Easy Peasy, it's very, well, easy! :)

Review: The 21 Toughest Questions Your Kids Will Ask about Christianity

Ok, so, I meant to have this review up ages ago, but life has been so hectic around here since we started homeschooling for the year. I have 2 kids I'm homeschooling now, and we've had some trouble getting into a routine. However, I think we've gotten most of the bugs worked out, and things should start to run more smoothly from now on.

Oh, plus I've been sick. I had a really bad ear infection and a sinus infection. And the antibiotic the doctor gave me knocked me out! lol! It's a good thing a friend of mine was available to take care of the boys. Otherwise I don't know what I would've done! I'm so thankful to God for her willingness to help.

Anyways, on to the book review. I was excited about this one. My biggest problem with people asking me questions (not just about the bible, but pretty much anything) is that I have trouble putting what I want to say into words. I might know the answer they're looking for, I just can't get it from my brain to my mouth. lol!

That's why I was excited about this book. It lists the most commonly asked Christianity questions from kids, and then it tells you how to answer them. That was a big problem for me growing up, I had questions and was told by adults "because the bible said so." Well... um... that's not an answer to my question. At all. I just assumed the adults didn't know. And I certainly don't want this to be true of my kids.

I did have an issue with this book. Sometimes I felt that the author was adding in unnecessary details and thereby skirting the actual question. Then at the end I felt that the particular question didn't receive a fair answer. But there was only once or twice when this happened.

All-in-all I was happy with this book. I feel much more prepared to defend my faith not only to my own children, but to any other children that may ask.

I especially loved one point of this book... one that I was afraid of. That it's ok to say you don't know. As long as you're willing to work to find the answer. This made me feel a bit better about my own imperfect knowledge of the bible. There's so much to learn and glean from the bible, that knowing everything contained in those pages is a lifelong process that will ultimately end when we come face-to-face with it's author.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I Just Love Caroline Ingalls!

Darlene at Time-Warp Wife posted this beautiful article about Caroline Ingalls. She is the embodiment of the Proverbs 31 woman. And she's everything I'd love to emulate. Please take a moment and read her brilliant post. Click the image below to read it.

May you be as blessed as I was by this amazing piece, and by this amazing woman. :)

10 Things You Should Know About Homeschool Moms

Kris at Weird, Unsocialized Homeschoolers has put together a great list of things you should know about homeschool moms! Check it out! :)
Click the image to view the post.

Is the Search Finally Over?

UGH! I had no idea choosing a printer would be so difficult! I feel like I'm buying a new car! (Only... not nearly as expensive. lol)

See, we have a printer. We have an HP Inkjet printer. My husband uses it to print out his sermons for church, and I ask him to print things from time to time. And we go thru ink cartridges like crazy! So, I thought I'd look around to see what other options there are.

Laserjet seems to be the best option for us, considering Easy Peasy is heavy on printed pages. Ok, so, there are about a million and one laserjet printers out there! All I want is a printer that doesn't go thru ink (or in this case, toner) super fast.

Anyone that knows me knows how indecisive I can be. lol!

I'm leaning toward this one. Now I just need to save for it. :/

What about you? Do you have any printer suggestions?

Characters that Scared Me as a Kid

K, so, the KLove Morning Show asked their Facebook fans what characters scared them as children. And that got me thinking. Sure there were quite a few that were a little weird, but there are only 2 that I can really remember being actually scared of:

This is the Swedish Chef from the Muppets. (I've come to learn his name is Tom. Who knew? lol) I don't know what it was, the fact that he has no eyes, or that he spoke gibberish, or that he had human hands. I dunno, but this guy creeped me out. Every time he came on I had to change the channel. Or leave the room. I even remember crying at one point.

The Swedish Chef: a beloved Muppets character to some, terror in a toque to little me. :)

This terrifying character is Gmork. Now. The Neverending Story was made in 1984 (I was 6). But I didn't see it until... um... I dunno, but we rented it on VHS. (Back in the day. When people still did that.)

Now, I cried like a baby when Atreyu's horse Artax (lovingly renamed Kleenex by my dad) died (sorry if I spoiled anything for you), but I was scared to death of Gmork. I mean, come on! LOOK at him! That's enough to give any little kid nightmares! And I had to look away at the end of Gmork's last scene (I won't ruin that for you). That was just too much.

But all this didn't stop me from watching the movie a million and one times. lol!

So there you have it. The two scariest characters I can remember from my childhood.

If you check out the KLove Morning Show's Facebook page (linked above), many people cited the flying monkeys from the Wizard of Oz as scary. But I don't ever remember being afraid of them. :/