Tuesday, May 12, 2009

More Things Kids Say

The Oldest (to The Youngest): "Would you shave your head for me?"

The Youngest: "No!"

The Oldest: "I want to rub the stubble as it grows in."

Friday, May 1, 2009

The boys had testing the beginning of the week. For the most part, they do well with testing. We test with the homeschool group, so they see their friends and get to eat a variety of snacks. Testing is secondary to them. I asked The Youngest how he did after the math part of the test. He said he didn't finish them. I said that was ok, and asked if he just didn't get to a few at the end. No, he said he didn't finish many of them. I asked what the problem was and he said he couldn't get the answer and went on and then couldn't get the answer and went on and couldn't get the answer. I told him how the test may not give him the answer as one of his choices and he should have chosen the last answer which was that the answer was not given. He said that wasn't it. He couldn't keep up with the numbers in his head and didn't want to use the scrap paper!!! I was quite irritated with him. I got a chance to look at his answer sheet, he attempted 8 out of 27 problems. It's a good thing the state doesn't require him to preform at a given level in order for me to continue homeschooling him.

They are having triples at Harris Teeter again this week. This is what I got in one of my trips:
Tetley tea bags
2x Hormel Completes meals
Ortaga taco seasoning
Ortaga refried beans
2x Lipton noodles
McCormick chili powder
Uncle Ben's rice
Texas Toast croutons
2x Snyder pretzels
Eat Smart crisps

Total paid: $2.50
Total saved with sale prices and coupons: $26.74
It was a good trip.

Monday, April 20, 2009

So, our church had a Block Party on Easter Sunday. I think it was very successful. We estimate that there was around 200 people throughout the day and we served lunch to about 100. There was a nice mix of people there. We had college students and Indy Rockers along with the local people from the neighborhood. There was a story about it on the local 11:00 news and a front page article in the paper. The article in the paper mentioned God or Jesus 7 times and beer once. The beer mention got the debate. It was a long day, but worth it.

God has a good sense of humor. Yesterday, we, the existing Harmony Church members, were hoping and praying for new people to come to church. We had at least 3 new people. There were two others I didn't recognize so maybe 5 new people. We average about 20-30 people in worship each Sunday. So 3 to 5 new people is a good thing. God answered our prayers. The thing is, none of the new people were there because of the Block Party or the coverage of the Block Party. I guess God wants to make sure we know that He will provide for our growth. We need to remember to give thanks and glory to God, even when He does things His way and not ours.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Saturday was the Youth Arts Festival. It is run by the university students as part of a class on promoting art in the community. It is a very well run event. We had a table with the Heart Art jewelry and another for kids to make bracelets, pins, refrigerator magnets, or paper airplanes. The weather was beautiful and everyone had a great time. The table for the kids to make things was a community service project for our home group. We will be doing more at the Umbrella Market.

Next Sunday our church is having a Block Party. We spent all last evening on the final plans. We will have free food, prizes and music. There will be a clothing swap and games. It should be fun if our advertising does its job.

Last week My Mother came back for the glazing of the pottery. It went well. We had one bowl that had a hole in it. The boy who made it was hoping for a cereal bowl, but now he has a flower pot. We go tomorrow to pick up the finished pieces.

Thursday, March 19, 2009

My mother and The Husband's mother were here this week. The Husband's Mother came Sunday. She went with us to our home group and then spent the night. On Monday, I took her to visit her aunt who was in the hospital in Chapel Hill. It was a lot of driving, but The Husband's Mother was pleased with the visit. I thought she would visit longer, so I brought my crochet to work on. I didn't get much done. She left that evening.

About an hour after she left, My Mother came. She did a pottery project with the boy's 4-H club. She has done something with them every year, sometimes at her house, sometimes here. This year we went to the Parks and Rec building to use their pottery studio. The younger children made coil bowls. It was a good project for them because it was really something they did by themselves. The older kids worked on the wheel. That was very exciting for them. They each made a bowl/cylinder type thing with varying degrees of help from her. She was very patient with them and worked with each one. She had to work throwing pots bent over the wheel or kneeling down beside it with her hands over the kids' hands. A few of the moms were able to try it also. It was a great day. Every year after we are done, she tells me how much fun she had. She asks multiple times if I thought the kids had fun. She makes sure to have me tell everyone thank you for letting her come. She makes it sound like we are doing her a favor, when really, we are so grateful she comes.

While working on the wheel, she told the moms we should come to her house for a Moms' Weekend and we could spend the day working on the wheel by ourselves. I wasn't sure if she was joking or not until later when we were talking at Starbucks. She started telling me plans for the Mom's weekend. She said she can probably borrow a few wheels and she could take us to Seagrove and show us around and if she gets a new boat before then, we can eat dinner drifting down the lake. Even if no one else can go I think I'll take her up on the offer.

After all the work she did with the kids, I asked her to take mine home for me. I had a social to go to with the organization that runs the Umbrella Market where we sell jewelry. She agreed and The Oldest was going to make dinner when they got home. I forgot to send the key with them. They made the best of it and went to Wendy's for dinner. They tried to call me, but there was live music at the social and I couldn't hear the phone. I felt so badly. I hope she still comes back to do the glazing on the pottery!

Wednesday, March 11, 2009

Praise the Lord, The Healer of Goats (see http://www.121689.blogspot.com/ ) and The Provider of Timers!

The Oldest and I went out yesterday to visit dentist offices to request donations for his project at Third Street School. Just about every place we went gave him something. He was excited to see God working to provide what he needed. But, not many of the offices supplied patients with sand timers to help younger children know how long to brush. The Health Department Person suggested timers would be a very good thing for 3 and 4 year olds to have. So, we were concerned about getting the timers and we weren't receiving many. About 5:00 we stopped because the offices were closed. We went to Walgreens and Target and The Dollar Store looking for timers. We couldn't find any. I told the oldest we would have to trust God to provide the 25 we had left to get.

This morning, during prayer time, I said "Thank you Lord for the timers you have provided us". The Oldest got excited and asked when someone had called and how many timers did we get. I told him we hadn't received the call yet, but I knew we would. I talked to Brad (he is helping with the project) about the timers, and told him what we needed and asked if he could check one more dentist office. He did and we got 25 timers!! God is good!

Monday, March 2, 2009

I think the last time I washed dishes was Friday and I still don't have a pile to do!! Saturday was my birthday and I always ask my family to make it so I don't have to was dishes on my birthday. Sunday we were out all day. My family really makes me feel loved sometimes.

Last week the 4-H went to Give 2 the Troops to pack 100 boxes of supplies to send to troops overseas. You can see a report here: http://www.wnct.com/nct/news/local/article/celebrating_a_birthday_by_giving_to_others/32393/

I am involved in organizing three "events" this month. First, the church is helping out at Third Street School. I am the coordinator between the school and the church. I have arranged to take coffee and doughnuts this Friday during the teacher workday. I hope to get the volunteers matched with a teacher and started in a classroom.

Next Friday, The Oldest has his oral hygiene program at the school. It is his project, but I have to help. I really hope it goes well for him.

In a few weeks, my mom comes to do a pottery project with the 4-H group. This is an annual event, but we have stepped it up this year. We are taking the kids to the pottery studio at the parks and rec department to do pottery on the wheel with the older kids, the younger kids get to do a hand building project. It should be an all day thing for us. If you've never done it before, pottery on the wheel is much harder than it appears.