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."

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.

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.

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.

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!

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!

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.

It has been a busy 2 weeks. We had achievement night for the 4-H. The Oldest got county champion for one of his project books, a bronze level award for his achievement record and reporter of the year. The Youngest is not old enough for the competition level yet. He did a great job on his project record.

The 4-H hosted a talent show for the home school group. The Oldest got second place for a comedy routine he did. The Youngest played the piano and enter a photo in the photography contest. I was very proud of him playing the piano in front of people. It wasn't long ago that I had to force him to lead the Pledge of Allegiance in front of his friends at a 4-H meeting. He has come a long way.

The Husband's Grandma worked for God even in her funeral. One of her great-nieces talked to The Husband there. She is recently moved to Greenville. He invited her to call us if she needed anything and invited her to church with us. She came yesterday and seemed to be effected by God's presence. God worked through Grandma to reach The Husband and hopefully the niece. God's Glory is showing through her legacy as it did in her life.

The Husband's grandmother is a wonderful woman. She is 89 years old. She still has a garden, chickens, and cows. She takes food to many older people, most of whom are younger than she is. She still drives, but only in the day time and never on the highway. She visits people in nursing homes and the hospital every week. She is sometimes called the chewing gum lady because every letter she sends has a stick of chewing gum in it, usually Juicy Fruit. She sends many cards and letters. Most people call her Aunt Mary. She is the oldest of 12 children, so she is aunt, great aunt or great-great aunt to many people. Before the driving restrictions, she was at every church event at her church and many at other churches. Among the few possessions I have that I truly treasure are the quilts she has made for me and my family.
The Husband's Grandmother died on Monday. She is celebrating with Jesus, but many, many people are going to miss her.

We went to a meeting last weekend to start to organize volunteers at the church. One of the opportunities presented was a missions trip to Ecuador. The Oldest wants to go, and would probably prefer to go without a parent. I am the more lenient parent. The Husband is still uncomfortable with him crossing the street by himself. But even I am not letting him go to Ecuador without a parent. Luckily, you have to be a rising 9th grader to go.
I talked with the leader of the Ecuador trip and we decided to "train" him to be ready to go in a few years. The Oldest and the Ecuador leader are organizing a missions trip to downtown Greenville. They met about it last night. The trip to Ecuador is a medical missions trip, so they are going to mimic that here. They are going to sponsor a dental health training class for the students at the Third Street School. I'm much more comfortable with him going on this missions trip.

It's time to get ready to do the taxes. Gathering the information is not so bad, except for one part... the inventory. We have to take inventory of the jewelry. Counting all those earrings and beads is just not fun. The rest of the information is not so bad, just collect the statements as they come in.

The Husband met with someone last night to do wedding jewelry. We need to advertise more that he can make custom wedding jewelry, but advertising at wedding shows is too expensive. They charge a lot for the booths.

I've given both boys a goal for the rest of the school year. The Youngest needs to remember things he hears, reads, or does. I read something to him and ask him a question and his answer is always "I don't know. I can't remember." The Oldest's goal is similar. His is to remember the details. I give him and assignment and tell him to skip this part or to write in cursive or something like that. He just does the assignment. He wants to buy a tape recorder to tape me and prove I didn't say what I said. It could never be him!

In Cincinnati we had a lot of wedding preparations. The Boys needed to get fitted for their tuxedos. I got my nails done with The Mom and The Sisters. We had to put table favors together. There was a hospitality room that we had to stock with drinks and snacks. We had the rehearsal and the rehearsal dinner. Then, hair, makeup and the wedding.

The church was a Catholic Church. It is beautiful with stain glass everywhere. The ceremony was about an hour and 15 minutes. That is something I haven't been able to get used to. The weddings I have been to in NC (except for my own) have all been maybe 15 minutes. It almost doesn't seem worth the trouble of getting all dressed up. I thought it was a beautiful ceremony in a beautiful setting. The Oldest read the first reading. I was very proud of him. He did a great job. He and I got compliments all night. The Youngest would not do anything like that. He handed out the noise makers and New Year's Eve hats at the reception.

The reception also lasted a long time (it seems receptions in NC last maybe 2 hours at the longest). It was a full dinner, dancing, and ringing in the New Year. We had a great time. At the rehearsal and the reception, I was nominated to make the toasts from our side of the family. The Youngest Sister and I talked a few times and worried about what to say and who would say it. I finally got an inspiration while I was still in bed that morning. I think it turned out all right.

So The Middle Sister is married and now on her honeymoon. I'm very proud of the woman she has become. May God bless her, her husband, and their marriage.

ECU lost. They were up the first half, then fell apart for the second half.

So, to continue with our travels. We left from the museum and headed to Gatlinburg. Along the way we saw a small truck flip over. It veered off the side of the road and there was a 8 to 10 foot drop off that side. Both passengers walked away. It was very scary. The Youngest cried some, until with tears in his eyes he said "Punch buggy yellow" and we laughed at him.

We got to Gatlinburg, checked into the hotel and went out to dinner. When we got back to the hotel, the kids wanted to go swimming, so I took them. It was an outdoor pool and hot tub. They both swam in both pools, quickly in the regular pool. The next day we went into Gatlinburg and saw the aquarium and the Guinness Book of Records museum. Both gave us a discount with our home school card. Otherwise, we may not have gone to either. The aquarium was nice. The Guinness museum was a bit cheesy, but The Oldest loved it. They had a display of the oldest living man. He was alive when both Lincoln and Kennedy were killed. I found that interesting. Then we went shopping. Dinner was bbq, then back to the hotel. The next day, we went to The Great Smoky Mountain National Park and hiked to a water fall. It was a paved trail, but it was still raining when we got there and we didn't want to get too muddy. The Husband kept pointing out all the plants, lichen, and mushrooms we saw. I pointed out all the stunning views of the mountains. It was good to have both views. God makes beautiful, interesting things both big and small. Then we went to the art trail. It is an eight mile loop that has over 100 local made art and craft stores. Things from jewelry and leather to paintings and sculptures. Many were closed because it was Sunday, but by the time we were done, we had seen enough. Dinner was bbq again, then we went to The Comedy Barn for a show. It started slow, but parts were very funny. The next day was time to head to Cincinnati for the wedding preparations. But on the way we stopped at the Smoky Mountain Knife Works which they claim is the biggest knife store in the world. I would have never thought we could spend three hours there and not see it all. They had all kinds of knives, swords, pocket knives and kitchen knives. The Husband and The Boys are talking about a trip next Thanksgiving so they can do all their Christmas Shopping there.

I have to stop again. Tomorrow... Cincinnati.

Almost a month since I've blogged! I guess that's December. Even though we stop school for the month, we still have things to do. 4-H project records, achievement records, community service project record and officer recommendations are all due by December 31. Then there's Christmas to get ready for. Again, even though we had Christmas with my family at Thanksgiving, there was still plenty left to be done. Then, there was a wedding to get ready for. The Middle Sister is married!! She had a beautiful ceremony on New Year's Eve. More about that later.

We have not been home for what seems like a long time. It started before Christmas. We went on the 23rd to see the Nutcracker with 4-H. It was just the second act, but it was free. We had a good time. Christmas Eve was spent with the in-laws. We had lunch together and then opened presents. A trip to Great-Grandma's house isn't finished without a walk to the field to see the cows.

We had Christmas morning at home with presents and breakfast. It was nice, but a little rushed. We usually don't go anywhere Christmas day and we like it that way. This year we went to my Mom's house. It was her first Christmas without my Dad, and no one wanted her to be alone. My other sisters both had other obligations, so we went. I wouldn't have had it any other way. We probably won't make it a yearly tradition. It was a nice evening with her. Quiet since we had all ready had the major Christmas party. We went with her to The Mint Museum of Craft and Design the day after Christmas to see an exhibit on art-jewelry. It was very interesting.

I'll have to finish our Christmas-New Year's travels later. ECU is in the Liberty Bowl starting in about ten minutes.