tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17331772905884648442024-03-13T16:51:53.531-04:00the only thing worth walking towardLike most people, I am discovering that I don't know much...although I would love to think otherwise. I do know this, however:
He is the only thing worth walking toward.{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.comBlogger465125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-47126908953341505092012-03-26T08:59:00.001-04:002012-03-26T09:01:11.963-04:00The Internal Struggle of Homemaking<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">Okay. Don't pass out. Yes, I realize it has been since last September that I posted at this blog. Oh, I wish I could promise more, but alas, life is full ... and pulling me in new and beautiful directions.<br />
<br />
But, I just had to share this post with my WorthWalkingToward subscribers. It is a post I wrote over at my new and bustling-busy blog:<a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/" target="_blank"> Fieldstone Hill Design</a>. I really think it will bless you, if you have ever struggled with the balance between making a home, and helping others who don't even have a home!!!<br />
<br />
Here is just a part of the post. I invite you to <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/2012/03/overcoming-decorating-paralysis-what-i-really-think-about-decorating.html">click over to the actual post here,</a> and you might even want to subscribe so that you can follow along with the series.<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">********</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div></div>I am so excited to dive into my new series: "Overcoming Decorating Paralysis." You can read all about the concepts I will be tackling in <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/2012/03/lessons-in-design-how-to-overcome-decorating-paralysis.html">the intro post here</a>. I think we are going to learn a lot from each other!<br />
<br />
This one is wordy. Bear with me as I hash this out...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/2012/03/overcoming-decorating-paralysis-what-i-really-think-about-decorating.html/what-i-think-odp-button" rel="attachment wp-att-3680"><img alt="" class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-3680" height="315" src="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/what-I-think-odp-button.jpg" title="what I think odp button" width="315" /></a></div>Before I go on.<br />
<br />
I have something I want to share that I don't want to dance around:<br />
<h3>I want to tell you what I <span style="text-decoration: underline;">really</span> <span style="text-decoration: underline;">truly</span> think about decorating.</h3><strong>1. I love it with a passion. So much so that I write about it and work on it almost every day.</strong><br />
<br />
and, also:<br />
<br />
<strong>2. It is a totally unnecessary luxury, one with which me must strive to seek careful balance.</strong><br />
<br />
there.<br />
<br />
For two solid years I wrestled with God about even writing this blog and sharing my business with "the world" {*smile* that's you!}.<br />
<br />
Why the struggle?<br />
<br />
For one, I have seen desperate poverty with my own eyes. Fed people under bridges. Stared in the eyes of begging children. Heard from orphans. Seen small children walk through sewage and live in filth. And even here, in America. And through God's grace, He has not allowed me to forget a single one of these things. I know, from the depths of my being, how insignificant home decorating is in the grandest scheme of things.<br />
<br />
And secondly, I believe to my core, and daily hope to live, these things:<br />
<br />
<div style="padding-left: 30px;">"Better a meal of vegetables where there is love than a fattened calf with hatred." - {from the Bible, Proverbs 15:17}</div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><br />
</div><div style="padding-left: 30px;">"“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moth and rust do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." - {from the Bible, Matthew 6:19-21}</div><div style="padding-left: 30px;"><br />
</div>I don't believe we should live casually by these truths, but deeply and intentionally.<br />
<br />
Hence, my wrestle... Would Fieldstone Hill be glorifying the very things that moth and rust destroy? The answer is: it could. It certainly could. And on some days... it probably does. And worse. It has probably discouraged someone. Or frustrated someone. Or defeated someone.<br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">To read the rest of this post, <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/2012/03/overcoming-decorating-paralysis-what-i-really-think-about-decorating.html">please click HERE</a>.</span></strong><br />
<strong><br />
</strong><br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><strong>*********</strong></div></div>{darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-49289889459951105662011-09-25T21:42:00.000-04:002011-09-25T21:42:14.681-04:00just one second can save her. really.<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/K-4YWFJFO4Q" width="560"></iframe></div>{darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-15470220032162736692011-08-08T13:50:00.001-04:002011-08-08T13:51:05.936-04:00our daily scheduleToday we started First grade and Prek4!!!!!!!<br />
I started early so that I could take more breaks :)<br />
<br />
Here is a pic of the boys in front of our new black board. First Day!:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsCZxKftNdpEP0x1YsJG0ABcc1CZGfj-zAIbmDSH-ed2P6aeUks0zXElwKzkGQQmjYVLDlerjvnlwuSqcpWtf5EVGymXvMSGtM2sgrqKpr4M2Eu23MWlXPL9y8zpKe7bY4noYlDSxj7A/s1600/IMG_5032.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHsCZxKftNdpEP0x1YsJG0ABcc1CZGfj-zAIbmDSH-ed2P6aeUks0zXElwKzkGQQmjYVLDlerjvnlwuSqcpWtf5EVGymXvMSGtM2sgrqKpr4M2Eu23MWlXPL9y8zpKe7bY4noYlDSxj7A/s640/IMG_5032.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
I have been so anxious about starting this year, mostly because I am now balancing home-schooling AND a home based business. I am happy to report that our first day went SO well! And I can attribute that to two things:<br />
<br />
<b>1. God laid it on my heart that I needed to buckle down, and respond to His call to have more Self-Control and Self-Discipline, and</b><br />
<b>2. Sticking like a stickler to our schedule:</b><br />
<br />
I wanted to share a pic of our daily schedule that we are following, and that I have posted everywhere. In the places where you see play time and/or quiet time, that is when I work on <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/p/design.html">my Interior Design Business</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qOtu9EuJJr0KSw5foSJCcKEo7B1PMD_aFYlMey8V0ps_ibMreCOMzTF5JvbG2Tekap-N0wK8lAW4LWdGwfOgIGP7SpYm0PfcOX817WxdAnH41DZnPe3s4vUXbDBJy9YKur60e2Sz10s/s1600/daily+schedule.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh5qOtu9EuJJr0KSw5foSJCcKEo7B1PMD_aFYlMey8V0ps_ibMreCOMzTF5JvbG2Tekap-N0wK8lAW4LWdGwfOgIGP7SpYm0PfcOX817WxdAnH41DZnPe3s4vUXbDBJy9YKur60e2Sz10s/s640/daily+schedule.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Can you tell that I had a little too much fun making this schedule??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now you see why I need a schedule! I tend to get carried away!! :)</div>{darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-40815857241298227082011-08-06T08:18:00.000-04:002011-08-06T08:18:54.578-04:00Why I {still} homeschoolMy dear friend Edie has written <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2011/08/why-i-still-homeschool.html">THE. MOST. BEAUTIFUL. post</a> about why she still home-schools.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiOwItCOhFdjFAvFZo88LhbeFMoA2mpM6D962MMLM6HwySRpk7Shyphenhyphen8mlCCQL3nX-21IXkhqSJTmolkHl1Rm3URSD340RodhCcA7KvNxOQZC55S01MeQ8WF3wL581q2sNrzIkE78vxaPo/s1600/biopic1_1286141813.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaiOwItCOhFdjFAvFZo88LhbeFMoA2mpM6D962MMLM6HwySRpk7Shyphenhyphen8mlCCQL3nX-21IXkhqSJTmolkHl1Rm3URSD340RodhCcA7KvNxOQZC55S01MeQ8WF3wL581q2sNrzIkE78vxaPo/s1600/biopic1_1286141813.jpg" /></a></div><div style="font: 12.0px Helvetica; margin: 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px 0.0px;"><br />
</div><br />
after reading her words, I shared this story with her, and wanted to share it here as well.<br />
<br />
All of us who scoop up our children in this way are home-schooling!<br />
<br />
<table cellpadding="0" class="Bs nH iY" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: white; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-collapse: collapse; font-family: arial, sans-serif; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; position: relative; width: 1088px;"><tbody>
<tr><td class="Bu" style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; vertical-align: top;"><div class="nH if" style="padding-bottom: 1px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="nH"><div class="nH hx" style="color: black; padding-bottom: 4px; padding-left: 8px; padding-right: 8px; padding-top: 4px;"><div class="nH"><div class="h7 ie nH oy8Mbf" style="clear: both; padding-bottom: 0px;"><div class="Bk" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(226, 226, 226); border-bottom-left-radius: 7px 7px; border-bottom-right-radius: 7px 7px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(239, 239, 239); border-top-left-radius: 7px 7px; border-top-right-radius: 7px 7px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 10px; position: relative; width: 839px;"><div class="G3 G2" style="background-color: white; border-bottom-color: rgb(188, 188, 188); border-bottom-left-radius: 7px 7px; border-bottom-right-radius: 7px 7px; border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 1px; border-left-color: rgb(188, 188, 188); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 1px; border-right-color: rgb(188, 188, 188); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 1px; border-top-color: rgb(188, 188, 188); border-top-left-radius: 7px 7px; border-top-right-radius: 7px 7px; border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 1px; padding-top: 3px;"><div><div id=":8q"><div class="HprMsc"><div class="gs"><div class="ii gt" id=":8o" style="font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 15px; margin-right: 15px; margin-top: 5px; padding-bottom: 20px; position: relative; z-index: 2;"><div id=":8p"><div style="color: #444444; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><table cellspacing="0" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="font-family: arial, sans-serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;" width="600"><div style="width: 600px;"><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px;"><div style="background-color: #eeeeee; font-family: 'Helvetica Neue', helvetica, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 25px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 10px; padding-right: 10px; padding-top: 10px;">oh, love! I am bawling. Just last night at VBS, I scooped up some kids who were in their pj's at church, and I told their mom, half-jokingly, "THIS is why I homeschool. It is all about PJ's and Snuggling!!"... then a moment after I said it, I realized, it was not a joke at all. It is in the PJ's and in the snuggling that we share our love and pass on our heritage from the Lord. The truest learning. The only kind that matters...How I loved this post, my sweet friend.</div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></td></tr>
</tbody></table><br />
How blessed and privileged I am to get to do it every day!<br />
<br />
I hope that you will <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/2011/08/why-i-still-homeschool.html">read Edie's post</a>. Not only will you love her words, you will love her heart.{darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-72697819159597752432011-07-31T12:06:00.001-04:002011-07-31T12:07:10.148-04:00Kickin it old schoolWe have VBS this week, and I could not resist sharing the awesome lyrics to our theme song, by Go Fish.<br />
I wonder.... are you kickin' it old school??????<br />
<br />
(We kick it old school)<br />
(5x)<br />
<br />
Come on, come on<br />
Don't miss the latest craze<br />
Hit it for a minute<br />
Then it's on to the next phase<br />
<br />
Easy come, easy go<br />
The markers will mark it<br />
The only change that comes<br />
Winds up in a pocket<br />
<br />
Hop on the wagon<br />
Drive the heavy thing<br />
All the while we're missing<br />
All the joy that God can bring<br />
<br />
You can take the new stuff<br />
You can keep the fluff<br />
The Bible is our tool<br />
And we're here to kick it old school<br />
<br />
Here we go<br />
You know we're going retro<br />
We're cool as a rule<br />
Yeah, we kick it old school<br />
<br />
We kick it old school<br />
<br />
(We kick it old school)<br />
<br />
Brother, we're emerging<br />
Like a moldy piece of bread<br />
We have to see if<br />
The holy word of God is all but dead<br />
<br />
All we need to know<br />
Is right there on the pages<br />
Why are we obsessed<br />
With who the guy on stage is?<br />
<br />
Dance the hottest dance<br />
Get the latest buzzy<br />
We're gonna find out<br />
Jesus wasn't very fuzzy<br />
Was He?<br />
<br />
You can take the new stuff<br />
You can keep the fluff<br />
The Bible is our tool<br />
And we're here to kick it old school<br />
<br />
Here we go<br />
You know we're going retro<br />
We're cool as a rule<br />
Yeah, we kick it old school<br />
<br />
We kick it old school<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 5px;"><br />
</span><br />
(We kick it old school)<br />
<br />
(We kick it old school)<br />
(2x)<br />
<br />
If you believe the Bible's true<br />
(You're kicking it old school)<br />
And life's not all about You<br />
(You're kicking it old school)<br />
If you know you're in a bad spot<br />
(You're kicking it old school)<br />
And you need the grace that God's got<br />
(You're kicking it old school)<br />
<br />
You pray to God on your knees<br />
(You're kicking it old school)<br />
You're making no apologies<br />
(For kicking it old school)<br />
There's one more thing to say<br />
(If you're kicking it old school)<br />
Jesus is the only way...<br />
<br />
(We kick it old school!)<br />
<br />
You can take the new stuff<br />
You can keep the fluff<br />
The Bible is our tool<br />
And we're here to kick it old school<br />
<br />
Here we go<br />
You know we're going retro<br />
We're cool as a rule<br />
Yeah, we kick it old school<br />
<br />
You can say we're strange<br />
But we're never gonna change<br />
The Bible is our tool<br />
And we're here to kick it old school<br />
<br />
Get the crowd jumpin'<br />
We're Bible thumpin'<br />
God still rules<br />
We kick it old school<br />
<br />
We kick it old school<br />
<br />
(We kick it old school)<br />
<br />
We kick it old school<br />
<br />
(We kick it old school){darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-68092130438322923632011-06-22T10:54:00.000-04:002011-06-22T10:54:24.922-04:00my current favorite songI can't stop listening to this song.<br />
It makes me dance all around my kitchen.<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/HKy6MWS2iws" width="560"></iframe><br />
get out your clogs, people.{darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-4377085028997917452011-06-08T10:28:00.000-04:002011-06-08T10:28:56.049-04:00Lately last May, and a Giveaway!Really? Is it June already??<br />
I guess I ought to post some pics of life lately!!!<br />
<br />
First, it would tickle me happy if you would <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/2011/06/can-i-get-your-number-june-giveaway.html">Click Here and enter my giveaway</a> of a super classy house-number sign. I mean, doesn't this remind you of a cheerful European cobblestone corner?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh213SQv5kfwwXJbj-atZIS-2QoHAODwcOVoOP0u2IhCyR_S6hi8VSO5afgX4NbGxI33F7hoRb8EQPzpdPL6G6IUVXAPX2jZzzOTMgMYGpRaOFD-WVe4E2gq8iFH_oDTgGFE59onMWBj40/s1600/Ramsign+fence.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="268" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh213SQv5kfwwXJbj-atZIS-2QoHAODwcOVoOP0u2IhCyR_S6hi8VSO5afgX4NbGxI33F7hoRb8EQPzpdPL6G6IUVXAPX2jZzzOTMgMYGpRaOFD-WVe4E2gq8iFH_oDTgGFE59onMWBj40/s640/Ramsign+fence.jpg" width="640" /></a></div>So, we have been gardening, and T-balling, and playing our days away.<br />
Here is a snapshot of our latest fun:<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">hatching and releasing butterflies:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWl9RlMbyZGlOIaClxid5w2J9TY3jfn-SjsbM6RG2EPC6Zs-tRaJ1zgbgrCv2lg1QZuk9X7wrLhD5McdTfSr0lHp3BZ3Bwvy5Ph4OcdiycwCaxJ4AWs7cIQ44-FizPxjZI8BsICqXyfHQ/s1600/IMG_3055.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWl9RlMbyZGlOIaClxid5w2J9TY3jfn-SjsbM6RG2EPC6Zs-tRaJ1zgbgrCv2lg1QZuk9X7wrLhD5McdTfSr0lHp3BZ3Bwvy5Ph4OcdiycwCaxJ4AWs7cIQ44-FizPxjZI8BsICqXyfHQ/s640/IMG_3055.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: auto;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg2KT3kEqBqn7C9rNjU15BnfrtXj-a3DZOyFI1nvpfI9EMigi79jcl324D3ASOV3mb6wWuqzx6nElPJURL7qVXZw9zYALY79TbNEMFM3wzLzm8Defb67TcruMyrfxBrSHHFhKYl951zU/s1600/IMG_3448.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMg2KT3kEqBqn7C9rNjU15BnfrtXj-a3DZOyFI1nvpfI9EMigi79jcl324D3ASOV3mb6wWuqzx6nElPJURL7qVXZw9zYALY79TbNEMFM3wzLzm8Defb67TcruMyrfxBrSHHFhKYl951zU/s640/IMG_3448.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">tired T-ball days:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwfWfK_FV1T2tzu7KPgY0ZfWuJAAyDv4jeEPzwP7XGbAGH40_pvqNP6pfkSVc2MvjhxN3QMM-iXswP34Dec5ZPFumcIGKUuI3e8bvcSVz8zssazGJ6OHAeao3rgi7bBlL2ucl2DOIHfI/s1600/IMG_3403.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrwfWfK_FV1T2tzu7KPgY0ZfWuJAAyDv4jeEPzwP7XGbAGH40_pvqNP6pfkSVc2MvjhxN3QMM-iXswP34Dec5ZPFumcIGKUuI3e8bvcSVz8zssazGJ6OHAeao3rgi7bBlL2ucl2DOIHfI/s640/IMG_3403.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">a day with friends at a full-bloom Peony farm:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvWoqlhYL6Z2Ce8TH7ZmyKv_wS5hTVbORz04FlZhwbAPzlUSOrJ4fC1fvaMHvFvXv2pSFZpgnPBi_jJLIZ9ldRLYCNEo2rywttGmWjqJ8ZE5f_TF-i4VQda6tlvojWN1VTUjsiW8639g/s1600/IMG_3213.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtvWoqlhYL6Z2Ce8TH7ZmyKv_wS5hTVbORz04FlZhwbAPzlUSOrJ4fC1fvaMHvFvXv2pSFZpgnPBi_jJLIZ9ldRLYCNEo2rywttGmWjqJ8ZE5f_TF-i4VQda6tlvojWN1VTUjsiW8639g/s640/IMG_3213.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8xaT_LUbqesITdLtd7ZUbexzP4Ilaqc-TMtq9qpbqmjb3qDNEoXYRP9LpMBtNfPq0sug5jXL7xgdpd4Gm5XpH8CbPCEr43zdZ6CZv4lEIlLP6I118-xNYEV7y-kQIX3waQmm3hoRRgY/s1600/IMG_3300.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhY8xaT_LUbqesITdLtd7ZUbexzP4Ilaqc-TMtq9qpbqmjb3qDNEoXYRP9LpMBtNfPq0sug5jXL7xgdpd4Gm5XpH8CbPCEr43zdZ6CZv4lEIlLP6I118-xNYEV7y-kQIX3waQmm3hoRRgY/s640/IMG_3300.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">lots and lots of playing in the garden and playing with the hose:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6svJsZoDeyKj5MrAKiOepF2hJKYjiuBUFrywORpM8oLm1TYI_ZZYfKoFDxOs8YyM53fh2VADNw58l0uk2bx4ldgNzLBcUtIWwtgWhdwyIZGZDZNt6IPkcJd_teQhhU3_5n2qULT3vWY/s1600/IMG_3173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEib6svJsZoDeyKj5MrAKiOepF2hJKYjiuBUFrywORpM8oLm1TYI_ZZYfKoFDxOs8YyM53fh2VADNw58l0uk2bx4ldgNzLBcUtIWwtgWhdwyIZGZDZNt6IPkcJd_teQhhU3_5n2qULT3vWY/s640/IMG_3173.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLKs0nc07FmAuNME6DN2dFqcFQeAZ4eTNHngaeRbceHCe6BbrWBzUTWORG8VTU-nsFJQGIfuRrAMLzeetYlOr8EnPu9naNlVlBZj6V3Ie23CUyFZGpFC67CFDtIezpC4XLVheZFjsv2E/s1600/IMG_3182.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgTLKs0nc07FmAuNME6DN2dFqcFQeAZ4eTNHngaeRbceHCe6BbrWBzUTWORG8VTU-nsFJQGIfuRrAMLzeetYlOr8EnPu9naNlVlBZj6V3Ie23CUyFZGpFC67CFDtIezpC4XLVheZFjsv2E/s640/IMG_3182.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Christian's last day of preschool {he got to ride the bus to a special park day!!}:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAJvU28GzLbipH9HcDMJXR7Ud0EIzg-S0IPvqmmQSctnISG99blR4w810fuFk5zdTWfrY3S2QhrnYGO1Rl4oDTLGfVP6VAjIdvvoAog8sEM7KS366J-CqzBMOlKVXVUJuoiXd_a7L8f4/s1600/IMG_3099.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLAJvU28GzLbipH9HcDMJXR7Ud0EIzg-S0IPvqmmQSctnISG99blR4w810fuFk5zdTWfrY3S2QhrnYGO1Rl4oDTLGfVP6VAjIdvvoAog8sEM7KS366J-CqzBMOlKVXVUJuoiXd_a7L8f4/s640/IMG_3099.jpg" width="425" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">watching my sister at her horse show. Great job Cheryl!!!:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdf3QE5aND-FXekpqWQ46j5p6ecuL5GLEBuE95cMheHMTxxsusrvOEjGUJcpJaRnE8AC87tn2WadWKrOVIItjEKiJP190NopvavkmCuvvpIjTc2J-DpEETk6BSxoVms7B7bkKiv3slnVc/s1600/IMG_3071.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdf3QE5aND-FXekpqWQ46j5p6ecuL5GLEBuE95cMheHMTxxsusrvOEjGUJcpJaRnE8AC87tn2WadWKrOVIItjEKiJP190NopvavkmCuvvpIjTc2J-DpEETk6BSxoVms7B7bkKiv3slnVc/s400/IMG_3071.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> our last relaxing mornings of homeschool:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnoFmuTgpgGnbzgVXycmu2i5kXJ5UfiNWytbAKndDPW9Rfj9hg4KPcsdlbrBB4VYBXDyduK6zULvrjsuOi8i2_HtaLF8MWH71TE_-bpQ5Z0Z2qEfhmOwYe_dTbD4Ri33XUzMVfAFm1PU/s1600/IMG_3017.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="425" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfnoFmuTgpgGnbzgVXycmu2i5kXJ5UfiNWytbAKndDPW9Rfj9hg4KPcsdlbrBB4VYBXDyduK6zULvrjsuOi8i2_HtaLF8MWH71TE_-bpQ5Z0Z2qEfhmOwYe_dTbD4Ri33XUzMVfAFm1PU/s640/IMG_3017.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">a day at an alpaca farm:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOC0o1jKJlPyN2qgA6VwnncozrXhFPhLbfsicdOzd4kAy0NwPr21yGohwM1Jzm_9p-hbiWcH0mUGZAkYCEtcychBF85P04Qb0TowGFzNjBVZ_6gsyfZeO4TmMqgqw_hkxCtpLv70EWt0/s1600/IMG_2894.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxOC0o1jKJlPyN2qgA6VwnncozrXhFPhLbfsicdOzd4kAy0NwPr21yGohwM1Jzm_9p-hbiWcH0mUGZAkYCEtcychBF85P04Qb0TowGFzNjBVZ_6gsyfZeO4TmMqgqw_hkxCtpLv70EWt0/s640/IMG_2894.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
Busy but fun days.<br />
Hope you have been having fun, relaxing days as the summer fully approaches!{darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-83851554130798503862011-05-09T00:11:00.000-04:002011-05-09T00:11:00.587-04:00Mother's Day Breakfast {and something Free}Happy Mother's Day to all of you!!!<br />
<br />
I had an amazing Mother's Day, with lots of time outdoors with my family. We had beautiful weather, and the day was picture perfect.<br />
All the boys took me out to breakfast, and I just had to share the pics of my precious crew.<br />
<br />
Also, I wanted to send you over to <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/">Fieldstone Hill Design</a>, where I am giving away something free, in honor of Mother's Day. Hope you can enjoy this gift!<br />
<br />
Enjoy the royal cuteness of my cuties {if I do say so myself}!!!:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIRsrlnemTZsJdmd-agl0XDX4Q7WCqi7UHk1QvFIXr8tT6E4IzYUAkFPzT-ex8-NU-81dE4BmUCWiKRBPyTbhl2_7ZRbs_3Zm21mgUvAQ1YYeMVaz8VSHroomnNJw9C2MEm4Xt0vNp9w/s1600/IMG_2850.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSIRsrlnemTZsJdmd-agl0XDX4Q7WCqi7UHk1QvFIXr8tT6E4IzYUAkFPzT-ex8-NU-81dE4BmUCWiKRBPyTbhl2_7ZRbs_3Zm21mgUvAQ1YYeMVaz8VSHroomnNJw9C2MEm4Xt0vNp9w/s640/IMG_2850.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9l5Zi7CSTVGUuRpktcGsrZu9HSV4TLbFPRjRoh-l5HfCy7yHznECK5w9DBBysrMOIpT4IjuWsYjJpuTVt9gllB6iNj7DfifgxjvatJ7Bbz43k8v2XX_yf28ZRehodYDJDagxUMjytBI/s1600/IMG_2853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEja9l5Zi7CSTVGUuRpktcGsrZu9HSV4TLbFPRjRoh-l5HfCy7yHznECK5w9DBBysrMOIpT4IjuWsYjJpuTVt9gllB6iNj7DfifgxjvatJ7Bbz43k8v2XX_yf28ZRehodYDJDagxUMjytBI/s640/IMG_2853.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dnV3mSnoLqJI1VuQxqD5eq0G43UsHgHsE_TU-mUd42mY3BIhn-h8oeJKaJCqcxo2sjFbSK3Crp_bW_SrzTyn4PVCJqepv2l1tuI3YT4vTZmkbj2b1BqNAqFYUfcObESIQjj5wZfyFRk/s1600/IMG_2854.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3dnV3mSnoLqJI1VuQxqD5eq0G43UsHgHsE_TU-mUd42mY3BIhn-h8oeJKaJCqcxo2sjFbSK3Crp_bW_SrzTyn4PVCJqepv2l1tuI3YT4vTZmkbj2b1BqNAqFYUfcObESIQjj5wZfyFRk/s640/IMG_2854.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRyXbvEAwlu3A3URQX2coWlONb8ViTHNqY2lBppcBaW412K4ChT3D3-D_uVyPsNBdkXf17nYGQNTL6m_A3GTfjHDft2pCk_XcdekS60t2TtwR1p57cfPY9CqN1rcbZdjaeoNDA1gPTnE/s1600/IMG_2857.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuRyXbvEAwlu3A3URQX2coWlONb8ViTHNqY2lBppcBaW412K4ChT3D3-D_uVyPsNBdkXf17nYGQNTL6m_A3GTfjHDft2pCk_XcdekS60t2TtwR1p57cfPY9CqN1rcbZdjaeoNDA1gPTnE/s640/IMG_2857.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zFR8rYlusupQZhCAArz2RDQVlyRcUZ7TltK8VxsAuM3mlpxKvPEJ_wmlBcJhk_wc3Mi4ICFnDTMTBqWax0htOf_FNQ1qA-DIiQsdGmKPl1TtxVu81VGIN2YG6XJH3vXNQIYRWJO5lR4/s1600/IMG_2859.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7zFR8rYlusupQZhCAArz2RDQVlyRcUZ7TltK8VxsAuM3mlpxKvPEJ_wmlBcJhk_wc3Mi4ICFnDTMTBqWax0htOf_FNQ1qA-DIiQsdGmKPl1TtxVu81VGIN2YG6XJH3vXNQIYRWJO5lR4/s640/IMG_2859.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3hD1QBCFGvnLXQRYRJnZt4xp9t4In9WxIiHs8EqZlBQwNMCPQ6Q2zXpIlfqpiAYjtsgRbzaxW6qvwyrgyj9cxr5rrX0oSUiLyOaROA0_LKTe2W1lgbYi_f5-P_-c6r3x9QF63LJrnRE/s1600/IMG_2868.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjj3hD1QBCFGvnLXQRYRJnZt4xp9t4In9WxIiHs8EqZlBQwNMCPQ6Q2zXpIlfqpiAYjtsgRbzaxW6qvwyrgyj9cxr5rrX0oSUiLyOaROA0_LKTe2W1lgbYi_f5-P_-c6r3x9QF63LJrnRE/s640/IMG_2868.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyehjrsRfBgIjKr-8lP-0_xMtWhfIR8-rB5xnqwzsRjHqN6DoREYYgFCOSNnCohFfiF9O3pB26JjQOJUZyNWsPLAgeLQFqfBf5H0yJach3nJxXD_MwnNDxGatVbXV9CoBy58_8pwnD0M/s1600/IMG_2876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxyehjrsRfBgIjKr-8lP-0_xMtWhfIR8-rB5xnqwzsRjHqN6DoREYYgFCOSNnCohFfiF9O3pB26JjQOJUZyNWsPLAgeLQFqfBf5H0yJach3nJxXD_MwnNDxGatVbXV9CoBy58_8pwnD0M/s640/IMG_2876.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>{darlene} @ fieldstonehillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10054774466312858778noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-3565800889327685132011-04-20T14:46:00.000-04:002011-04-20T14:46:55.744-04:00a busy AprilI have been so busy this month, with a lot of things going on, but I wanted to hop in and say HI and share a few pics of what we have been up to lately!<br />
<br />
I have been posting regularly over at <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/">Fieldstone Hill Design</a>, and have been building up a clientele! This is so very exciting for me. Isn't it a delight to 'earn a living' {well, that is debatable :) } doing something you REALLY love?? How cool is that?? Every <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/p/design.html">design board and consultation</a> has been a sheer joy for me. Here is the design board I did for our boys' room, which is a big work-in-progress right now! You can see our latest progress on the room <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/2011/02/design-in-progress-boys-room.html">in this post</a>.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0dGnQCdkjk5ikQu0s6lxrvR3fAnJnrENMB5PeGNboEGVClJx-nsJYT1BmXUHA99cjxp3TisGYgGc4t4gTUbTk1iauQnQNTJ7b6xu0_yNx9x2iSyRTJBhL_kn5T_vDfoEyRmBP4FCX2-W/s1600/FHD+DWeir+Boys%2527+Room+JPG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhb0dGnQCdkjk5ikQu0s6lxrvR3fAnJnrENMB5PeGNboEGVClJx-nsJYT1BmXUHA99cjxp3TisGYgGc4t4gTUbTk1iauQnQNTJ7b6xu0_yNx9x2iSyRTJBhL_kn5T_vDfoEyRmBP4FCX2-W/s320/FHD+DWeir+Boys%2527+Room+JPG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We started a garden! I have been wanting to do this for 4 years, but I always missed the planting window.<br />
I am so excited about this because I am starting to go all crazy-nutso with my food. Unfortunately, my health has not been good lately {pray for me?}.... and I am jumping on the organic, whole food bandwagon. Even more extreme: I am now gluten and dairy free. Not by choice. Well, sort of by choice. I am trying to get to the bottom of health problems I have had since 2003, especially as related to debilitating and painful reflux that makes its way all the way up my esophagus, yuk. I would love to know if any of you have had any luck with extreme diet changes and reflux. Anywhoo, back to lovelier things... here is our lovely garden, before and after planting!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSVJlz6rCtdn_gpoX56dzEdggBqIQ7DI2SVZSCtIxVwJxjnJ4fa13FvGqXnF4rMv-BKzHfAEhh8Bf0qk05-lkXhyxbm6ufw5bjuQA1jDLpUstvgEp9YAvw-fSfdSfeOZy5_VdZjxSQkdJ/s1600/IMG_1911.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuSVJlz6rCtdn_gpoX56dzEdggBqIQ7DI2SVZSCtIxVwJxjnJ4fa13FvGqXnF4rMv-BKzHfAEhh8Bf0qk05-lkXhyxbm6ufw5bjuQA1jDLpUstvgEp9YAvw-fSfdSfeOZy5_VdZjxSQkdJ/s640/IMG_1911.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijg0rJdrJFsJ1QtlJ_SrwbK75FayuJxp5hH_SHwTj2R2h79VD0bomSsgPiiWpsMkvgk-JgDarqOVAyzGSQB8mDNEQk-2JbEyDy1KnHKga7pEj5rwQ1DaTVtC_2M7CCttGAAyRs3KfOLw0/s1600/IMG_2092.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhijg0rJdrJFsJ1QtlJ_SrwbK75FayuJxp5hH_SHwTj2R2h79VD0bomSsgPiiWpsMkvgk-JgDarqOVAyzGSQB8mDNEQk-2JbEyDy1KnHKga7pEj5rwQ1DaTVtC_2M7CCttGAAyRs3KfOLw0/s640/IMG_2092.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyZBCPdvi87POxiwq6eek13AZ4xTMc-h0eJm5QDEV8hjArovS9iGOLDZDqSUZeUqN1w1o4c_Pvh7_OP87qoRYyW3jvCvEin4SSsCcpAKhd3fAVCGhDy3bXCzcKmLS_7AH9gzD4ttmxuq2/s1600/IMG_2095.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwyZBCPdvi87POxiwq6eek13AZ4xTMc-h0eJm5QDEV8hjArovS9iGOLDZDqSUZeUqN1w1o4c_Pvh7_OP87qoRYyW3jvCvEin4SSsCcpAKhd3fAVCGhDy3bXCzcKmLS_7AH9gzD4ttmxuq2/s640/IMG_2095.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
Pictures will be sure to come once things start coming up! I hope I can keep up with the weeding ??!!<br />
<br />
Homeschooling is going well. Caleb is participating in Memory Masters at <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2011/02/classical-conversations.html">Classical Conversations,</a> which has kept us very busy! Next week is his final "quiz" to see if he can accomplish memory masters status. I am SOOO thankful for<a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2011/02/classical-conversations.html"> CC</a>. I never would have introduced Caleb to so much memory work, and I am flabbergasted at what a 5 year old can do! Pics below show just half of all the cards Caleb has had to memorize, in timeline order. And the next pic is floating "icebergs" in the sink during our My Father's World, Penguin unit!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3DVWKxaVcTG-RE9349n8_P-1gl9iKpC2iOAsdzuiyP_JkMsH3HCe7o66LqJCgmvQq2Jz4shDZDwO3Y7YkoC3WyyqhiwgV4BUFf3BAF3Gmpfe11iE-GLoRKqyoJ-E2Rva_1Vvc7rPkr9yj/s1600/IMG_1631.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3DVWKxaVcTG-RE9349n8_P-1gl9iKpC2iOAsdzuiyP_JkMsH3HCe7o66LqJCgmvQq2Jz4shDZDwO3Y7YkoC3WyyqhiwgV4BUFf3BAF3Gmpfe11iE-GLoRKqyoJ-E2Rva_1Vvc7rPkr9yj/s320/IMG_1631.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbcrqmwKnntr149Ua0Babk9IuFeEDwi7_4BYdPC2fCvUfkUbKkrGtUKq1VBlYaNz2QK72yESu9HCaLaPgCz2tAP_T3LT4jv4vTJMPkGHt_iui3un8GWHlnJKpkhH2cQmQ7hBPHclwImwef/s1600/IMG_1716.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbcrqmwKnntr149Ua0Babk9IuFeEDwi7_4BYdPC2fCvUfkUbKkrGtUKq1VBlYaNz2QK72yESu9HCaLaPgCz2tAP_T3LT4jv4vTJMPkGHt_iui3un8GWHlnJKpkhH2cQmQ7hBPHclwImwef/s320/IMG_1716.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Last week, we visited Pittsburgh, PA with Daddy, as he had a business trip. I want to post some pics from our trip, but one of our highlights was having school in the window well on the 26th floor of the Westin, Pittsburgh. It was SO cool. We said our pledge of allegiance looking out the window, all the way down to the flagpole that sat in front of the Westin. I will never forget it!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmVAoa0t9dIjbVXUoRjYm666a4b9-C_Z5Zi87UPMC_hh80ZGmPu9f6knbabnNWnxwn2fdMBabcXdjoJB_PrIGzBfNsVBjd0kEfwVgtDRb5htC538P8iKtYSEgqTwo7lE1_ptSQiywhcjx/s1600/IMG_2150.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWmVAoa0t9dIjbVXUoRjYm666a4b9-C_Z5Zi87UPMC_hh80ZGmPu9f6knbabnNWnxwn2fdMBabcXdjoJB_PrIGzBfNsVBjd0kEfwVgtDRb5htC538P8iKtYSEgqTwo7lE1_ptSQiywhcjx/s320/IMG_2150.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnZI2NdqINXGnaoII6ptkWPvWs6ebOBgBv779QVHBl036-kEFa5OWNi3NRIRXXTdChNHuvnNz_gzon8qSngcxEewwwrZKbORgAa6vYS5e0Pu27a78TV8Bj44qJJSRe7t86MknTdge2Phv/s1600/IMG_2151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglnZI2NdqINXGnaoII6ptkWPvWs6ebOBgBv779QVHBl036-kEFa5OWNi3NRIRXXTdChNHuvnNz_gzon8qSngcxEewwwrZKbORgAa6vYS5e0Pu27a78TV8Bj44qJJSRe7t86MknTdge2Phv/s400/IMG_2151.jpg" width="266" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
We have been up to lots more this month, but that gives you a tiny peek into my insanity!<br />
<br />
Missing my Worth Walking Toward buddies, but delighting in <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/">my new blogging </a> love! Hope to see you there too!{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-22256095070046349022011-03-13T18:49:00.000-04:002011-03-13T18:49:53.633-04:00Lent<div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I decided to repost this from last year's Ash Wednesday since it captures how I feel about this season in the church calendar.</div><div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></div><div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
Wednesday of this past week marked the first day of Lent. Some Christians observe this traditional day on the church calendar by entering into a season of fasting and reflection as they prepare their hearts for the Passion season of Christ. On Wednesday, we headed off to church for the 'imposition of ashes' and the reminder that <strong><span style="font-size: 19px;">"we are from dust, and to dust we shall return." </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small; font-weight: normal;">Here is a picture of some tired folks from that night:</span></strong></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxOo7ZMyPQBfXrhdPkY4i6uVS27kvN2Y7tzaAUfrvp8413oT1kp4pr0faoZVd-I_jvnSXXKtFwrD1aqnqYqmj1Gw-pPJ0itSdSNNJ8gViTl8R5bPb1CY9DKeAeTjcgT04ZyOyeSllODZ1/s1600/IMG_1652.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwxOo7ZMyPQBfXrhdPkY4i6uVS27kvN2Y7tzaAUfrvp8413oT1kp4pr0faoZVd-I_jvnSXXKtFwrD1aqnqYqmj1Gw-pPJ0itSdSNNJ8gViTl8R5bPb1CY9DKeAeTjcgT04ZyOyeSllODZ1/s400/IMG_1652.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">My fasting list for this year includes {I post this in my weakness, knowing that I am not able to do anything worthy without Christ}:</div><div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #663300;"><strong>No internet until after homeschool is finished.</strong></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="color: #663300;"><strong>No bread. No cookies. No cake. No doughnuts. No</strong> <strong>crackers.</strong></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #663300;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div align="left" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><strong></strong></div><div align="center" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">************************** from last year:<br />
</div><div align="center" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><span style="font-size: 19px;">For Lent</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqOxmh4l5M5pB21YrZfIiZzJgjUtspnJxh_XkVEhQkW5CEQbDVrL9L2e9X9TjIRL9QojD1xx-Km-y93ssOLBcXwqcuGezT7-yHZsQgd5XUUrhIn85pJ2nP4smudlCeS8gGUuRi331vC5C/s1600-h/P9240130.JPG" style="color: #b61636; text-decoration: none;"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306802660314200258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqqOxmh4l5M5pB21YrZfIiZzJgjUtspnJxh_XkVEhQkW5CEQbDVrL9L2e9X9TjIRL9QojD1xx-Km-y93ssOLBcXwqcuGezT7-yHZsQgd5XUUrhIn85pJ2nP4smudlCeS8gGUuRi331vC5C/s400/P9240130.JPG" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; height: 300px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Lent begins today.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">40 days until Easter.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">This is a time when we reflect. we dwell on thoughts of what He did for us. and we remember the Ultimate Saving Sacrifice, with a small token of our own sacrifice.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">I love the season of Lent because I love me</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><strong>some good</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><strong>Drama</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">....</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Easter unfolds fresh and glorious and bright,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">after a season of remembering the days of Gethsemane, sacrifice, beatings, and silent suffering that He endured.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">for you.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">for me.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">so we can have Hope.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">For Lent, I am giving up some little things... some normal things,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">and refocusing on things that are good for me. that are alive.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">So that I can dwell on Him more.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">So that I can think on Him whenever I have to stop and resist, or make a good choice.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><em><strong><span style="color: #663300;">2010: No cake. No muffins. and No cookies.</span></strong></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><em><strong><span style="color: #663300;">No internet after 6pm (this one is hard! would you please forgive me for a decrease in commenting????? maybe you should join in?).</span></strong></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><em><strong><span style="color: #663300;">And an attempt to work-out, even just 10 minutes, every single day.</span></strong></em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">that is my list of not-very-spiritual-</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><em>seeming</em></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">-sacrifices.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">But during these 40 days, I turn my eyes to the dark history of Jesus's suffering. And I remember with the help of the little things.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><strong>and as for Drama?</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;">Cake tastes really really good on Easter morning.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><br />
</span><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5306802668981301106" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQwn7_Xp4_jXATqGeQ6dgFkFmp5JPxGLwMwszd-iB7KNx4vljQEqBEHMtZrgzvKGxqy3Ll903rse5J7zaBQDQTbzdPBUulhikrmTX3yVy1qPjQ94q-Gp4k_FkQbOBnFmatjsSEb7THJ3VZ/s400/P9180101.JPG" style="border-bottom-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-bottom-style: solid; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-left-style: solid; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-right-style: solid; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-color: rgb(56, 35, 28); border-top-style: solid; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; height: 300px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /><div style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></div><div style="clear: both; font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"></div><div id="lws_0" style="font-family: 'Century Gothic'; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px;"><div class="linkwithin_outer" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; clear: both; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><div class="linkwithin_inner" style="border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-top-width: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; width: 358px;"></div></div></div><br />
<div><br />
</div>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-43996637421782571882011-02-28T15:19:00.000-05:002011-02-28T15:19:25.629-05:00An awesome homeschool roomToday on my interiors blog, I did a post on one of my most FAVORITE homeschool rooms. If you are interested, you can check it out here:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/2011/02/ditto-inspiring-study.html">Fieldstone Hill :: ditto :: an inspiring study.</a><br />
<br />
dreamy, I tell ya!{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-22162266343381495562011-02-25T22:36:00.000-05:002011-02-25T22:36:34.304-05:00A One Hundred Day Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our 100th Day of School!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A 100 Day Party.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">100 licks of icing. Counting 100 M&M's. Sharing "100's of things we have learned."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">= tons of fun.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWj5xm7bNBEFgXF4GNZIFNQ1Q4Aq_28YaNv7hL3mIQqU1wrFSnGviT8aXc4ZW886Tu2I2vtQpRlKMHWjD0akvDO69ZxoAqNXtVAKEPrtvKQYXhXaYiDgfT_gjqUwccyxYr0IJxE7gKD6w/s1600/IMG_1480.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjIWj5xm7bNBEFgXF4GNZIFNQ1Q4Aq_28YaNv7hL3mIQqU1wrFSnGviT8aXc4ZW886Tu2I2vtQpRlKMHWjD0akvDO69ZxoAqNXtVAKEPrtvKQYXhXaYiDgfT_gjqUwccyxYr0IJxE7gKD6w/s640/IMG_1480.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDrcvuvk6efN35Fri-lOvwrlmQouqK5WOBktnOsWcha3utxLCa5L0Gk7rnmYq3zcRCuipThknjihML4oCuns8FDC12gtOZZrKnVCmAEQrY_xpPrziZkorMfLTUW-0CRX5McFlc-VFauzT/s1600/IMG_1492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMDrcvuvk6efN35Fri-lOvwrlmQouqK5WOBktnOsWcha3utxLCa5L0Gk7rnmYq3zcRCuipThknjihML4oCuns8FDC12gtOZZrKnVCmAEQrY_xpPrziZkorMfLTUW-0CRX5McFlc-VFauzT/s640/IMG_1492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-G6LgpMYhAyA-ZGsm6vItLrqeqHXueNg7hsbVDDN4jZE6lAL9ZTtGTaJqnHfMEO483agQ4_s2pspL0rj1w__jCT7eQGDW08V0L-0wcats_MzLF8rbBsSGWqqjOh-N46TEUquKG-P2b-M/s1600/IMG_1498.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3-G6LgpMYhAyA-ZGsm6vItLrqeqHXueNg7hsbVDDN4jZE6lAL9ZTtGTaJqnHfMEO483agQ4_s2pspL0rj1w__jCT7eQGDW08V0L-0wcats_MzLF8rbBsSGWqqjOh-N46TEUquKG-P2b-M/s640/IMG_1498.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4UMFiRH_GTxlebt5p8-51Ueki2fe3QYA3AG2vCcowkfRqeZ7LCDe3QTIBtVFQUq8UIqcjMWlb04gaVvLE_576O0W94XtMLxaTdEmFbowXLF49tgHUnPzs0X2TLb_b1S133Q5dyTb_ztd/s1600/IMG_1504.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiV4UMFiRH_GTxlebt5p8-51Ueki2fe3QYA3AG2vCcowkfRqeZ7LCDe3QTIBtVFQUq8UIqcjMWlb04gaVvLE_576O0W94XtMLxaTdEmFbowXLF49tgHUnPzs0X2TLb_b1S133Q5dyTb_ztd/s640/IMG_1504.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-Y4NIud_ENj35ku7uwH8giYtfUa8pRkDr7fU-WOgrEdyyesEwe6sx5S8SEgZ7H-uVHPLWcFCcatSSj0hrB12fWxSiaYWjWIJnqdPRK_1uGZXckP8_71-sFAqVG9QMYxhJxNQvsZPhKCI/s1600/IMG_1507.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjW-Y4NIud_ENj35ku7uwH8giYtfUa8pRkDr7fU-WOgrEdyyesEwe6sx5S8SEgZ7H-uVHPLWcFCcatSSj0hrB12fWxSiaYWjWIJnqdPRK_1uGZXckP8_71-sFAqVG9QMYxhJxNQvsZPhKCI/s640/IMG_1507.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvct37cnV5FzlZTY7CXluNs_0f-4wJ6o0ar-QR_VMRSNIgsO-l_1HFX84QAyKxLp4rFRwww2pRv5bk-JhJE0d2DuJT4cp4aGbA5Nsu0xRRkLJ2NIdAc8JKsm_1rVNixh_7N65JwMzOeFMA/s1600/IMG_1509.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvct37cnV5FzlZTY7CXluNs_0f-4wJ6o0ar-QR_VMRSNIgsO-l_1HFX84QAyKxLp4rFRwww2pRv5bk-JhJE0d2DuJT4cp4aGbA5Nsu0xRRkLJ2NIdAc8JKsm_1rVNixh_7N65JwMzOeFMA/s640/IMG_1509.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31ujsPcOfQkp_uymGfWTJBVeYMTr8gXgiBVp4ws1e3L8ux4bjzuARfExH6VYL8jzmN9A8XyZX77wDSoeEg5442kFjM3A5zZISaKIDnPWSqb0rjaIhIzlBiaokVyZtom_GX2SJt1wauJAx/s1600/IMG_1510.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj31ujsPcOfQkp_uymGfWTJBVeYMTr8gXgiBVp4ws1e3L8ux4bjzuARfExH6VYL8jzmN9A8XyZX77wDSoeEg5442kFjM3A5zZISaKIDnPWSqb0rjaIhIzlBiaokVyZtom_GX2SJt1wauJAx/s640/IMG_1510.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF5NwJSPjGgSosZNAkRXuvDkjmqxJzacgojIh4UJZTR6dcdCvsh4ItapYbxbGBx0tSlQrPxSbD_5cGgRpEp9hkvGlh5DkY-qz4bFaYilv8I-r2RHdYZ3X2U9fNhRZoB8TKqlUhNw0qi3F/s1600/IMG_1512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZF5NwJSPjGgSosZNAkRXuvDkjmqxJzacgojIh4UJZTR6dcdCvsh4ItapYbxbGBx0tSlQrPxSbD_5cGgRpEp9hkvGlh5DkY-qz4bFaYilv8I-r2RHdYZ3X2U9fNhRZoB8TKqlUhNw0qi3F/s640/IMG_1512.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVEr7uBnEH8RzlhkwJwpRI_xleFzRC7IIJtrPXS09qwz5dwzApPiLqnOVP1yM9ZO48OHFZlBcMAcj3CpqsFYzNUP02JBu7i0hx-NdVsQ99SKjNERvUmKezJqWas6sT9dYxh8ngN2fsAhC/s1600/IMG_1518.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglVEr7uBnEH8RzlhkwJwpRI_xleFzRC7IIJtrPXS09qwz5dwzApPiLqnOVP1yM9ZO48OHFZlBcMAcj3CpqsFYzNUP02JBu7i0hx-NdVsQ99SKjNERvUmKezJqWas6sT9dYxh8ngN2fsAhC/s640/IMG_1518.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD_APBYBbrz_5iiwSR83phyphenhyphenvyqnUU_qS3AbwEeXTWSDQNFxxYs5V8K9wspcQ3MZJZ1P63hlcGyC3ICEPxvKArVFt9Ai7FzHu2VNz0y8dSakmPYsXffvnlCHttB8_9C1ha-P9LaXXebqzn/s1600/IMG_1519.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgGD_APBYBbrz_5iiwSR83phyphenhyphenvyqnUU_qS3AbwEeXTWSDQNFxxYs5V8K9wspcQ3MZJZ1P63hlcGyC3ICEPxvKArVFt9Ai7FzHu2VNz0y8dSakmPYsXffvnlCHttB8_9C1ha-P9LaXXebqzn/s640/IMG_1519.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylInsla_qipdDiRJ3gxGbi-30-DfcSg0VWjzvbsLymt5bOpsuXUFNLraYAeGp9hQ31noBuzJad0qOGRMlCGI977BZ5p6IWbt-ojPzgczL5IiNZx6XFB2yLmfWJbw1ktTQHxC-StewKbRC/s1600/IMG_1523.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjylInsla_qipdDiRJ3gxGbi-30-DfcSg0VWjzvbsLymt5bOpsuXUFNLraYAeGp9hQ31noBuzJad0qOGRMlCGI977BZ5p6IWbt-ojPzgczL5IiNZx6XFB2yLmfWJbw1ktTQHxC-StewKbRC/s640/IMG_1523.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0F7xet1em9Ddf1iNVn6eOEhsEAjBkDUOu5Cw7Ll4k26a-KeDAKE11barWqOSpVbKMl2yVlnk37gbFKx76d9PPO5i1k29-O2H8juFYGtz6Ibc2xpCgHNF6-Sm4rguFJL7gZPIgOhEVy1s/s1600/IMG_1526.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEil0F7xet1em9Ddf1iNVn6eOEhsEAjBkDUOu5Cw7Ll4k26a-KeDAKE11barWqOSpVbKMl2yVlnk37gbFKx76d9PPO5i1k29-O2H8juFYGtz6Ibc2xpCgHNF6-Sm4rguFJL7gZPIgOhEVy1s/s640/IMG_1526.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxOM2MBq7IZH5kf1EVL_0gCwYDS9Wlf1Y6gwCMNlxLA54pEVZMXXAcFit6GtgYhC9rwh487Y0mmj_SA1MNMTknClF_lWzxA7m9S9V_wi3si-_1NrD86cSxpP4oij0sn7Vb93Nj1kXtP4t/s1600/IMG_1527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhoxOM2MBq7IZH5kf1EVL_0gCwYDS9Wlf1Y6gwCMNlxLA54pEVZMXXAcFit6GtgYhC9rwh487Y0mmj_SA1MNMTknClF_lWzxA7m9S9V_wi3si-_1NrD86cSxpP4oij0sn7Vb93Nj1kXtP4t/s640/IMG_1527.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB13941ZGdI0SrQQlYl_xClZFNReJTtmtVGgzog0UENhl94NvICRX427sN-LGSRNVhZ5TG9A_yaCXnXga7IEmjmUkImbA9uJ-342a3zIzJ2SzCYqRSGowHw2o7Ai6aBMftAMWc3XzlOedV/s1600/IMG_1533.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiB13941ZGdI0SrQQlYl_xClZFNReJTtmtVGgzog0UENhl94NvICRX427sN-LGSRNVhZ5TG9A_yaCXnXga7IEmjmUkImbA9uJ-342a3zIzJ2SzCYqRSGowHw2o7Ai6aBMftAMWc3XzlOedV/s640/IMG_1533.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllIjPGD3vhfrZP4bke0u_FEE4S12jiLusJdvC_-cR3QLf1DPDrDumU7axALFBG0va0YHGKxl_bcqDvTe9zkhxFkk3pQxRevD0aa3Ozivlg6L6OCs-W_KVzHxui0v6zaTrqWbcvs4JaMUi/s1600/IMG_1535.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgllIjPGD3vhfrZP4bke0u_FEE4S12jiLusJdvC_-cR3QLf1DPDrDumU7axALFBG0va0YHGKxl_bcqDvTe9zkhxFkk3pQxRevD0aa3Ozivlg6L6OCs-W_KVzHxui0v6zaTrqWbcvs4JaMUi/s640/IMG_1535.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-76376926124579251702011-02-23T08:36:00.001-05:002011-02-23T08:38:00.387-05:00The biggest boy in the room<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZd5nWpChDpE5_jW0Ge8qVZHowUPL9FdrhbmYdFDJdB6q57ijREOVHsyn-kgfGzxrh7MtsVsjIAA1LkuCWDYdbBDtx-3cKfZ8QWch_4rFAMKW8phoFP79rFnRcYndQ79as-6SpCgGPbWp/s1600/IMG_1440.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbZd5nWpChDpE5_jW0Ge8qVZHowUPL9FdrhbmYdFDJdB6q57ijREOVHsyn-kgfGzxrh7MtsVsjIAA1LkuCWDYdbBDtx-3cKfZ8QWch_4rFAMKW8phoFP79rFnRcYndQ79as-6SpCgGPbWp/s640/IMG_1440.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I overheard the boys playing in Caleb's room yesterday. Here was the conversation:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a; font-family: Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px;"></span><br />
<div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="line-height: 17px;" /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Caleb to Christian:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Who has the biggest bed?" <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{insert 'nanny-nanny-boo-boo' voice}</span></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Christian:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{not impressed}</span> "Caleb."</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="line-height: 17px;" /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Caleb:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"Who is the biggest boy in this room??</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{..... pause}</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">CJ:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{not impressed}</span> "God."</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">{..... pause}</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Caleb:</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">"You're RIGHT, Christian!!!"</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br style="line-height: 17px;" /></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 17px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">You tell 'm, sweet boys!!!!</span></span></div>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-40748658736222766222011-02-15T15:43:00.002-05:002011-02-15T15:44:51.145-05:00Chasing a dream<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjYsQIEUUJe_HWv5XWKAtAzaT2yyXSgqt_fsPKxFqSIxNZf2JTr3EAEmdMOQiSlN9fh5TX1Fr0-HKNbzweMYpAZVng8zPcYULrYSmv5yNizd4kz0xDJ8HKUhlER-LC_gjpn_cj5WpSOLO/s1600/weir+197+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="424" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAjYsQIEUUJe_HWv5XWKAtAzaT2yyXSgqt_fsPKxFqSIxNZf2JTr3EAEmdMOQiSlN9fh5TX1Fr0-HKNbzweMYpAZVng8zPcYULrYSmv5yNizd4kz0xDJ8HKUhlER-LC_gjpn_cj5WpSOLO/s640/weir+197+copy.jpg" width="640" /></a>...............In the rare event {wink. wink} that any of you have been wondering "where has Darlene gone from blogland??", I have been meaning and meaning to write this post.<br />
<br />
<b>The short answer</b>: nowhere!<br />
<b>The long answer</b>: I am chasing a dream.<br />
<br />
For a while now, I have been blogging every day, Monday through Friday at my new interiors site, <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/">Fieldstone Hill Design</a>. I couldn't be more excited about this opportunity and dream, and I am enjoying it <i>so so much</i>. It is a wonderful way for me to contribute financially to our family, and it has been fostering the creative side of my spirit in a way that has not been fostered in a very long time... since I lost my voice in 2003 and had to walk away from a singing career. Fieldstone Hill is actually an answer to prayer for me, and I feel like I am spreading the creative wings that God gave me so long ago.<br />
<br />
But, it makes me sad that I am no longer posting as much at this site. Why? Because I have grown to love so many of you guys! It makes me sad that I am not connecting with all of you as often. This site is really more about who <i>I am as a child of God; </i>who 'Darlene, the soul and spirit' is. So, therefore, I feel like all of you know the true Dar. And it makes me sad that I am not "hanging out with you", my friends, as often.<br />
<br />
Nevertheless, God is calling my devotions elsewhere for this season. And since my first three 'jobs' are mommy, wife, and homeschool teacher, now followed by voice teacher and interior designer... I am not making the time to post here quite as often. But........<br />
<br />
Even so: <b>I am not going anywhere. I love y'all too much! I will just be posting more sporadically.</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Love you guys! And I hope you will hang out with me at <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/">Fieldstone Hill Design</a> as well.</span> And if design is not your thing... I will see you here too!{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-85805116642144015172011-02-09T19:24:00.000-05:002011-02-09T19:24:00.604-05:00swirly lollipopshad to share these fun pics.<br />
for 69 cents a piece, so much joy. Who knew?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqVZ63xuSx_XizGvDcpS146-5eyMD3hn2XTqZ6dsauK2KbjOWBw-0dIkPLyI05bXko6O1gENC79pdROMGN9GOT16gIoWYGEYt1RSP9jGC1d7wDMbNpyUkoAYrCvI0N6M13dy0952fXJIY/s1600/IMG_1019.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheqVZ63xuSx_XizGvDcpS146-5eyMD3hn2XTqZ6dsauK2KbjOWBw-0dIkPLyI05bXko6O1gENC79pdROMGN9GOT16gIoWYGEYt1RSP9jGC1d7wDMbNpyUkoAYrCvI0N6M13dy0952fXJIY/s640/IMG_1019.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd9X1wRdh3a6xo6oLoDmjs1YYQ2Uih5ejqYM8F5aY0mTESJkUPnR-GbAmwIytDX-zqOJR-_C4OL3O_PJvFY1Hs8JjbToddHm4QotRbYIL772tC_BRUmMDOkp7Z-9w18Ivz7Xayn7hthox/s1600/IMG_1030.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivd9X1wRdh3a6xo6oLoDmjs1YYQ2Uih5ejqYM8F5aY0mTESJkUPnR-GbAmwIytDX-zqOJR-_C4OL3O_PJvFY1Hs8JjbToddHm4QotRbYIL772tC_BRUmMDOkp7Z-9w18Ivz7Xayn7hthox/s640/IMG_1030.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2ezvTBbai-yWdA2jXspGc271qMn0EHoNsGRJKORRIZdsAGdYtAIt6hrPDAcLD2QNqGXlfTfXxKYS2l8qF17pPA36uqgOCIRsPJJj0tzT05ZsbfefwO3Y2zFinaX4qHtdGwkwVQ9CGjyr/s1600/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhc2ezvTBbai-yWdA2jXspGc271qMn0EHoNsGRJKORRIZdsAGdYtAIt6hrPDAcLD2QNqGXlfTfXxKYS2l8qF17pPA36uqgOCIRsPJJj0tzT05ZsbfefwO3Y2zFinaX4qHtdGwkwVQ9CGjyr/s640/IMG_1037.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZbr0fmufv32F0PSb3UZFSH0YNY5G0opqbs2RU0GOShv7BYQv2QSicuLG-co07PgioSMyvZ_Z6ihCRU6LZQYF13-rNa1BP1tjS9BDNx9J4XBNRgNqY6ZTU7UfnVV9TQ_4I0tbco66ZJKZ/s1600/IMG_1039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMZbr0fmufv32F0PSb3UZFSH0YNY5G0opqbs2RU0GOShv7BYQv2QSicuLG-co07PgioSMyvZ_Z6ihCRU6LZQYF13-rNa1BP1tjS9BDNx9J4XBNRgNqY6ZTU7UfnVV9TQ_4I0tbco66ZJKZ/s640/IMG_1039.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcEjyKw8ymixAyJ5s21JFH7WyiIaG5SRCa-fXIIBTgbfws9pGFBC-uNvB4Y-ePl3hRQRuQ6WgtO2DJElURZpGn6TKPowHnVLw3ihEM-Gw3DT8E7Lop2SD-cHWjOzELaC5-iwgWCweAmPW/s1600/IMG_1044.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJcEjyKw8ymixAyJ5s21JFH7WyiIaG5SRCa-fXIIBTgbfws9pGFBC-uNvB4Y-ePl3hRQRuQ6WgtO2DJElURZpGn6TKPowHnVLw3ihEM-Gw3DT8E7Lop2SD-cHWjOzELaC5-iwgWCweAmPW/s640/IMG_1044.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgba4lRp5EwIu8rlBxvw70_pYxS7RdC6ecoxktQRea9XBfXW-dZPOLxCs2YrYMUKo9fuyUjg_nowe2NXDviqbA0_NAgzG7o5gXmlgLsFkh0slR-FMOlV09UW-znqQ2RYwFBjpcrkFmq4JMq/s1600/IMG_1056.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgba4lRp5EwIu8rlBxvw70_pYxS7RdC6ecoxktQRea9XBfXW-dZPOLxCs2YrYMUKo9fuyUjg_nowe2NXDviqbA0_NAgzG7o5gXmlgLsFkh0slR-FMOlV09UW-znqQ2RYwFBjpcrkFmq4JMq/s640/IMG_1056.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK5S2jrJ6Egj2c9A-l_wzOVSF6pTbf06MqE1wBtLUNirdCRl-zopVGvlNxXA48u135umDsXBTbzQ7_w2x5MYXJWa8ybtC1-6XzW2GtS0boIbjhyvg7juG9BIBD3S_ge9evgSsACG-C0ul/s1600/IMG_1076.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxK5S2jrJ6Egj2c9A-l_wzOVSF6pTbf06MqE1wBtLUNirdCRl-zopVGvlNxXA48u135umDsXBTbzQ7_w2x5MYXJWa8ybtC1-6XzW2GtS0boIbjhyvg7juG9BIBD3S_ge9evgSsACG-C0ul/s640/IMG_1076.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-BkPGDboEvjzOJeNoaG69KzppuJMVcSgE93uyRYh3t1o3c3RLkZAd16dGsXdjtkmgTK_KfnxCdpevBZIvlL3imONU5jY7fvpRGu4FvPnV3z5ZA7Unx043WSQluaxNqM62XFwPQ1asfmf/s1600/IMG_1082.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-BkPGDboEvjzOJeNoaG69KzppuJMVcSgE93uyRYh3t1o3c3RLkZAd16dGsXdjtkmgTK_KfnxCdpevBZIvlL3imONU5jY7fvpRGu4FvPnV3z5ZA7Unx043WSQluaxNqM62XFwPQ1asfmf/s640/IMG_1082.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-70980778485242760702011-02-07T21:02:00.000-05:002011-02-07T21:02:28.426-05:00The Happiness of TodaySomehow, if I forget to be grateful, I find a friend in <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/">Ann</a>, who spurs me on to remember that which I am deeply grateful. To remember that I am, indeed, Happy.<br />
<br />
Believe, <i>then</i> you will see.<br />
<a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2008/07/atheism-part-three-cartwheels.html">That is how it was for me</a>. So, why wouldn't the same hold true in my wrestling for happiness?<br />
<br />
Smile first, <i>then</i> you will be happy.<br />
It reminds me of that little ol' wive's tale that goes: "if you smile, the muscles will release happy hormones to your brain, and you will actually <i>feel</i> happy!" I don't know if the science pans out; but it feels true to me when I try.<br />
<br />
If you have not done so, I truly encourage you to read <a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/02/where-the-happiness-is/">this beautiful post</a> about smiling first, happiness second. or something like that.<br />
<br />
Smiles. #22-30.<br />
<br />
{#22} I am thankful for my sister, Tammy, who celebrated a birthday yesterday. She is beautiful inside and out.<br />
<br />
{#23} for skype. I got to talk to my precious <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/search/label/Our%20Agniya">Agniya</a>, in Russia, for free, for nearly one hour today. While I cooked dinner. I miss you like crazy, honey!<br />
<br />
{#24} for Amtrak. It is bringing my Caroline to me for a much needed visit this weekend.<br />
<br />
{#25} for my Classical Conversations community. Seeing all of you tomorrow. I have missed you!<br />
<br />
{#26} for hot dinners, clean faces, and running baths. Not everyone has these.....<br />
<br />
{#27} for making it through a trying day without yelling. Praise be to God.<br />
<br />
{#28} for sleeping children. even if they were rascals today, they always look like pure precious love when they succumb, finally, to sweet still sleep.<br />
<br />
{#29} for a date with my honey, the couch, and a new episode of Chuck tonight. The only t.v. we watch. strange, but us.<br />
<br />
{#30} for the health of my loved ones. {I am praying for you Kathie.....}<br />
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff162/annvoskamp/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" /></a>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-54646641545133121882011-02-03T15:41:00.001-05:002011-02-03T15:41:59.612-05:00Recipe Share: Vegetable PieTime to share another recipe!<br />
<br />
This recipe was created by me and <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/search/label/Our%20Agniya">Agniya</a> one night while whipping up some creative dinner. It was love at first taste!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfgpU0FRFw4Msxjw2wqm5A33bBG3UJ-KwuAQknDL9EKwKABwtk2MLDwHop1qfcDOcFJxPaJTbF1fqBl1A3FqlVuts3wlkvcmoicxkbmRkm_0zcvVvpIVzgbx0rFmaLvXyZQvEtIx7BaYp/s1600/IMG_0248.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZfgpU0FRFw4Msxjw2wqm5A33bBG3UJ-KwuAQknDL9EKwKABwtk2MLDwHop1qfcDOcFJxPaJTbF1fqBl1A3FqlVuts3wlkvcmoicxkbmRkm_0zcvVvpIVzgbx0rFmaLvXyZQvEtIx7BaYp/s640/IMG_0248.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Now this dish is a company-pleasing favorite. Plus, it looks beautiful on the table.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Honestly, how can anyone go wrong with that much garlic and parmesan?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">And who couldn't stand to be reminded of the delicious tastes of summer right now??</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Enjoy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-qEeoa3KqZ53rZW_2-jEa5Edbx2O2S4MPafh_medZeGzb6-3S09C-8OjZUWGQ0tnavReWlzbrz77TlcvqyzFA2x7Cogm1VSYB75VXUlthjEhGvtOc-i0rYypr0LUT5HntwDJ3s8w3TVa/s1600/Xmas+Recipe+8+Vegetable+Pie.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd-qEeoa3KqZ53rZW_2-jEa5Edbx2O2S4MPafh_medZeGzb6-3S09C-8OjZUWGQ0tnavReWlzbrz77TlcvqyzFA2x7Cogm1VSYB75VXUlthjEhGvtOc-i0rYypr0LUT5HntwDJ3s8w3TVa/s640/Xmas+Recipe+8+Vegetable+Pie.jpg" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<br />
{the Recipe cards were created using <a href="http://www.shabbyprincess.com/downloads/holidayrecipe/holidayrecipecollection.asp">this wonderful digi-scrapping freebie</a>!}{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-11336986158307794762011-02-01T00:27:00.001-05:002011-02-01T00:27:00.409-05:00Classical ConversationsToday is our first day back to "CC." We are just coming off of a long winter break, and we are excited to go back and see our friends. And get back into the swing of things.<br />
<br />
If you have never heard of <a href="http://www.classicalconversations.com/">Classical Conversations</a>, I urge you to check it out. It is a classical 'method' of teaching that is used to enhance your homeschooling classroom, and it also serves as a community support for your homeschooling as well.<br />
<br />
Once a week, we meet. Caleb is in a class with 8 other children his age, and he has a tutor. His tutor guides both the moms {or dads} and the children through the material for the week. In addition, she leads the children in a science project, an art project or music project, and a snack time. We also have the opportunity, because of CC, to have lunch as a community, followed by recess. I actually get to hang out with other homeschooling mommies {very cool ones, I might add}, once a week for lunch, while our kids play.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.classicalconversations.com/">Classical Conversations</a> has been an amazing experience for our family. I love how it adds structure and community to our homeschool year.<div>One of the greatest blessings is the community of families. To be surrounded by other moms and dads, who share the same schooling journey, is supportive and encouraging in many ways. Our son loves his class and his tutor. And I love that he has an instant community of friends... I even love that he gets a classic recess. The community experience really creates the 'best of both worlds,' for home schoolers.<br />
<br />
Regarding the education: I can say without hesitation that the level of excellence surpasses some of the education I received in College and Grad school. And my five year old is soaking it in!<br />
I have been amazed at how the Grammar phase of classical education really triggers his interest and confidence in learning. For example, he memorized a history sentence about Shakespeare. At five, I had never exposed him to Shakespeare directly before. And, at the time of memorizing, we did not review any understanding. I never explained to him who Shakespeare was. At least, not right then. All he knew was: "During the Renaissance period, from 1350 -1600s.....Shakespeare was a famous playwright...."<br />
<br />
Then, recently, the subject of Shakespeare came up among adults in our home, and it caught Caleb's ear, and because he knew the Grammar, he had immediate interest in learning more. Classical learning really does take advantage of the natural ways God created us to learn.<br />
<br />
And I must mention, our 3 year old, Christian, knows nearly as much just through hearing the CD's. CC makes it easy to teach all of these things to your children.<br />
<br />
We are grateful to God for <a href="http://www.classicalconversations.com/">Classical Conversations</a>. I just love their motto: "To know God and make him known."<br />
<br />
<i><b>Never in my wildest imagination</b></i> did I think that my 5 year old would be able to do this:</div><div><iframe allowfullscreen="" class="youtube-player" frameborder="0" height="390" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/aLtvfhhKMz8" title="YouTube video player" type="text/html" width="640"></iframe></div>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-6832782225030076282011-01-30T07:56:00.000-05:002011-01-30T07:56:05.185-05:00My man.He is handsome.<br />
He is kind.<br />
He is generous. so generous.<br />
He is filled with compassion that simply translates to action.<br />
He is not a man of lots of words...<br />
But what he says is wise.<br />
He shows his love through acts of service.<br />
He knows all kinds of mathematical equations off of the top of his head; which I think is cool.<br />
He is an amazing father. The kind who comes home from work to play with his kids, never with the TV remote or the newspaper.<br />
And if I am busy with something, he asks me "What can I do for you, baby?"<br />
He loves the Lord, and is unswerving in his faith.<br />
He has the highest standard of moral code. Never cheating. Never compromising.<br />
He is loyal.<br />
He has the best laugh. And it is one of my favorite sounds in the world.<br />
He has "smiling" eyes.<br />
He is ever faithful in prayer. If he tells you he will be praying for you, he will.<br />
He has the kind of work-ethic that this country was built on.<br />
He is witty.<br />
with my man,<br />
What you see is what you get. A devoted, loving father who loves the Lord and works hard and laughs hard.<br />
Just ask anyone who knows him.<br />
<br />
God gave me this amazing man, despite myself. And every day with him is a day that I am further blessed.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Happy Birthday, honey.</span> I love you. Toujours.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSi5AXOdttCZMmVWokvbEIDc2oTTrfnXo2KpRRssqjm-1JvF6ljG9m5G7OaeJnZRIg1LouwJcDikhaYX6ksTQiYvyKRThBS7FZG9EfngaSNIdQFs6KiI7buojOAtaR-UUVi8B-e3v6_Dx/s1600/weir+305+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaSi5AXOdttCZMmVWokvbEIDc2oTTrfnXo2KpRRssqjm-1JvF6ljG9m5G7OaeJnZRIg1LouwJcDikhaYX6ksTQiYvyKRThBS7FZG9EfngaSNIdQFs6KiI7buojOAtaR-UUVi8B-e3v6_Dx/s640/weir+305+copy.jpg" width="510" /></a>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-5090375128695576022011-01-27T14:18:00.003-05:002011-01-27T14:21:17.854-05:00playing in the snowmy hubby had a 2 hour delay at work today. Have you ever heard of anything so wonderful... for an engineer, I mean??<br />
why?<br />
because his company is amazing, and they care that kids also had a delay. {you see, <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2010/11/he-will-sustain-you.html">God blessed our trials in amazing ways</a>, and continues to bless us... especially with more time together! you know, to live this thing. the best blessing!}<br />
<br />
so. while Matt was home, I bundled up, and headed out to play - with my <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-ornament-and-new-camera-squeal.html">new camera</a> - in the snow!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhcttA5t4abEpLvmfigwNZ4WlnuWv083_GGLx4A0rIHtiynBGQ9s_FrgoSDE-afd8ORwC8WuCfQim6Q29sbna0tRG3nzj6eBL6bhkqsA4ElGICjisruuse4rj3u5ToiLX1pbQ5xkvFOs_/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEilhcttA5t4abEpLvmfigwNZ4WlnuWv083_GGLx4A0rIHtiynBGQ9s_FrgoSDE-afd8ORwC8WuCfQim6Q29sbna0tRG3nzj6eBL6bhkqsA4ElGICjisruuse4rj3u5ToiLX1pbQ5xkvFOs_/s640/IMG_1137.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAeU-xoDWHFX0-tJDYJLCdw3EpG38J5KIS3QBOOsbRwavziIIcQeQGwvp3UL5mRK2QH6h9RD7lHXN-LFQ1kxoPsNbk_baeLHFuKBsgM12alk2XoJ9UL2vbEy4ni6nIpcQzGsIBeMj73n6/s1600/IMG_1151.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNAeU-xoDWHFX0-tJDYJLCdw3EpG38J5KIS3QBOOsbRwavziIIcQeQGwvp3UL5mRK2QH6h9RD7lHXN-LFQ1kxoPsNbk_baeLHFuKBsgM12alk2XoJ9UL2vbEy4ni6nIpcQzGsIBeMj73n6/s640/IMG_1151.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5gddy9zRmzNPPTHnnPH58uXqRkKvXaTap5ljGy1y8Ksq2b4-bnviH3EENAbZUxCBqNpJhAxHmZaPYR4Cjdaohz5_EIBML_sgu3ONzKy3TdhauFoW2htW-7u6ILXv1RT5OlINpnPxNXhi/s1600/IMG_1160.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiR5gddy9zRmzNPPTHnnPH58uXqRkKvXaTap5ljGy1y8Ksq2b4-bnviH3EENAbZUxCBqNpJhAxHmZaPYR4Cjdaohz5_EIBML_sgu3ONzKy3TdhauFoW2htW-7u6ILXv1RT5OlINpnPxNXhi/s640/IMG_1160.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMnq6SQ58jG-utRid-9XPfuk9lQbLFXH2qZZfd-wexBAn5SIoFj28ws6j9IPvU5ieuV0IAtuhzgw-fH49utk1YXmVxcXBs2pvlVgPFDbb8iVgVxbzo0OwGXdkautcjjJrlklYwYuI2HaT/s1600/IMG_1173.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiSMnq6SQ58jG-utRid-9XPfuk9lQbLFXH2qZZfd-wexBAn5SIoFj28ws6j9IPvU5ieuV0IAtuhzgw-fH49utk1YXmVxcXBs2pvlVgPFDbb8iVgVxbzo0OwGXdkautcjjJrlklYwYuI2HaT/s640/IMG_1173.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit44-4kYuWYh7d0E4OS8p61_hZjWMcgblNQC2Za4qzhljFdHvarZ_ETCC54anPJZbvpo9cz_GfZed8WvsJ4MzPiAv4j-_uXoQ6DrT6X3Fk5QqZ6Go4D1zWMH7m2AggEjE_RGLiqlazJye4/s1600/IMG_1186.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEit44-4kYuWYh7d0E4OS8p61_hZjWMcgblNQC2Za4qzhljFdHvarZ_ETCC54anPJZbvpo9cz_GfZed8WvsJ4MzPiAv4j-_uXoQ6DrT6X3Fk5QqZ6Go4D1zWMH7m2AggEjE_RGLiqlazJye4/s640/IMG_1186.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZaVPSK7BdFgEcmiqoyZzMvQrlAVFEbP2WId_Kik1zlOORSFEokIV2LK6sM1oJaYGhW0DquoLMq5dJ_uoQNHkcR3qwq3SOi3HH8hRWdG72UGWiWz0BVNBX2UnElk_03QxTiw0Um5XkWIE/s1600/IMG_1192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiRZaVPSK7BdFgEcmiqoyZzMvQrlAVFEbP2WId_Kik1zlOORSFEokIV2LK6sM1oJaYGhW0DquoLMq5dJ_uoQNHkcR3qwq3SOi3HH8hRWdG72UGWiWz0BVNBX2UnElk_03QxTiw0Um5XkWIE/s640/IMG_1192.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>..................I'm really still learning, but I had fun playing anyway.{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-89210259193648691742011-01-26T14:21:00.000-05:002011-01-26T14:21:48.146-05:00Together Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPg-0jFqQFWCAM8_wul9Cgg65vZB47E3aXms8DBfFLc_mc2qtaEksPWTL3ehh19vkZK8h_RN3OPb2NFlQ7BF2XwR2kLm0tgEHrP6nGTmh9LUdLiyLX5RRtmtqihNhpRuWCJryNFeDL0Elv/s1600/IMG_0868.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPg-0jFqQFWCAM8_wul9Cgg65vZB47E3aXms8DBfFLc_mc2qtaEksPWTL3ehh19vkZK8h_RN3OPb2NFlQ7BF2XwR2kLm0tgEHrP6nGTmh9LUdLiyLX5RRtmtqihNhpRuWCJryNFeDL0Elv/s400/IMG_0868.jpg" width="265" /></a></div>It has been a while since I have given an update on how our homeschooling is going. We have entered into our second semester, and I am definitely getting into a groove.<br />
<br />
So, despite the fact that I am pouring most of my blogging efforts into <a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/">my new online interior design endeavor</a><a href="http://www.fieldstonehilldesign.com/"> {come visit me there!!}</a>, I am really hoping to try to blog-journal a little bit more about our homeschooling experience thus far. You know. when I have spare time.<br />
<br />
Today, I wanted to share with all of you how we start every day of homeschool together. We call it "Together Time." During together time, we establish the direction of our day and I teach group concepts.<br />
<br />
I choose to keep our day very structured. It is what works for us... mostly because I have 2 boys, I think! And because my 5 year old, Caleb, has always thrived on structure and "knowing what comes next."<br />
<br />
After Together Time, we move on to our <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2010/07/so-excited-about-this-homeschool-help.html">workboxes</a>. But both Together Time and <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2010/07/so-excited-about-this-homeschool-help.html">Workboxes</a> contain curriculum "meat." Here is, in general, what our Together Time looks like each day {except for <a href="http://www.classicalconversations.com/">Classical Conversations</a> Day.... but that is for another post}:<br />
<br />
<ol><li><b>Clock In:</b> The boys have Clock-In cards with their pics on them. They use these to put into a pocket that says "Clock In." We are currently on a "you have lost your privilege" break from these cards because the boys have been fighting over whose card gets to be in front.</li>
<li><b>Pray: </b>The boys say their same prayer every day. {see pic below}</li>
<li><b>Daily Pledge:</b> For now, we rotate our pledges between the American Pledge and the Pledge to the Christian flag. We do the Pledge to the Bible every day. {see pic below}</li>
<li><b>Calendar Time:</b> We identify the date and the day of the week. We also look outside and identify the weather.</li>
<li><b>100 Cup and Chart:</b> This is a part of our <a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com/">My Father's World</a> curriculum. We put a straw in a cup each day of school, and we write down what day of school it is on our 100 chart. Once we get to a group of 10, we put a rubber band around that group and start counting by 10s. Soon, we will be celebrating our 100th day of school!</li>
<li><b>Singing:</b> This is different each day, and is curriculum led by the Reading portion of <a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com/">My Fathers World</a>. I also have the boys sing some of their <a href="http://www.classicalconversations.com/">Classical Conversations</a> memory work {we are singing all of the U.S. Presidents right now}. And we sing a coordinating song to our Bible Memory Verse, if one is available.</li>
<li><b>Bible Time:</b> This is when I present the Bible concepts from the Activity part of <a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com/">My Father's World </a>{I know, I take it out of order. But it works for us}. We also review our Bible Memory Verse, and our Words to Remember {<a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com/">MFW</a>}.</li>
<li><b>Read/Write:</b> We review our weekly letter by tracing it on our desks with our "magic fingers" and by recreating the letter using techniques from <a href="http://www.hwtears.com/">Handwriting Without Tears</a>. We also learn new reading techniques or sight words during this time. I also do the Blend Ladder and any group reading activities from our <a href="http://www.mfwbooks.com/">My Father's World</a> curriculum.</li>
</ol><div>Whew. And that is just the beginning of our day! It usually takes about 30 minutes.</div><div><br />
</div><div>Actually, our days are not long. We spend about 2 hours, sometimes less, sometimes more, doing school each day. Anyway, that is our "Together Time." I hope to be sharing more about how our homeschool days go... but who knows when!!!</div><div><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tPLHOv7X0yrW7Bj7li0C1bnUOmPHdUJNaYT2F-TniyjR0kKvG88T9A0mow548ncSK3jB1fd-WwyGFBgUmdN86SquG1WabRJj-5QH5B1VbtUhx7ZHzm7n49Bnjfi_W2bGoqpVTbK20aNB/s1600/IMG_0867.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg-tPLHOv7X0yrW7Bj7li0C1bnUOmPHdUJNaYT2F-TniyjR0kKvG88T9A0mow548ncSK3jB1fd-WwyGFBgUmdN86SquG1WabRJj-5QH5B1VbtUhx7ZHzm7n49Bnjfi_W2bGoqpVTbK20aNB/s320/IMG_0867.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDNrYObA_6vOGq5Fe_6zNuVpZ5wt3JAYGI2jNpJu3di67DoBKwIeXRA_dWlOKV7ScTz1tMWgsWbUvpAelsfwnkBjdm2016nLdan6fJvpH83aUmYDgeAHqslnIAvoajtVFdcemu9PgAan6/s1600/IMG_0875.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiJDNrYObA_6vOGq5Fe_6zNuVpZ5wt3JAYGI2jNpJu3di67DoBKwIeXRA_dWlOKV7ScTz1tMWgsWbUvpAelsfwnkBjdm2016nLdan6fJvpH83aUmYDgeAHqslnIAvoajtVFdcemu9PgAan6/s320/IMG_0875.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
<div><br />
</div>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-24933206685961899952011-01-24T11:10:00.000-05:002011-01-24T11:10:03.572-05:00A glorious morning.My morning was filled with praises and thanks.<br />
<br />
<b>I did what I knew I needed to do</b>. And doesn't that make all the difference? Why are we so stubbornly set against those very things that make our day better?<br />
<br />
It reminds me of when I say to my sons,<br />
"<i>Yes</i> honey. You <u>DO</u> need to go pee on the potty. I can <i>tell</i> that you do. You are crossing your legs and dancing. Now, honey. Don't you think it would be <i>so much more fun</i> to play with that toy if you didn't have to worry about crossing your legs, or thinking about going potty?"<br />
<br />
and the Lord whispers to me:<br />
"Yes honey. You DO need to sit still, in front of a pretty window, and read my word. Yes, You DO need to exercise and praise me this morning. Don't you think that the rest of your day will go so much better if you tap into my love and start it with victory?"<br />
<br />
Yes. Father. I DO know. But, why do I do the things I know I should not do?<br />
Why do I <i>not</i> do the things I know I must?<br />
<br />
<b>This morning. I started the way He wants me to. The way I know I should.</b><br />
<b>So gratitude came easy.</b><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"><img alt="original.jpg" height="300" src="webkit-fake-url://F09A8FA2-C486-4CCC-870B-057E1C8D20A7/original.jpg" width="400" /></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px;"></span>Here is the continuation of my list.<br />
my gifts.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today, I am thankful:</span><br />
<br />
{#11} for<a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/2009/03/while-being-inspired-to-think-on-coming.html"> bare branches, perched above cold iced snow</a>. bathed in rising sunlight<br />
<br />
{#12} for a room with a view of His creation.<br />
<br />
{#13} that I <b>don't</b> find my inner self while doing yoga this morning. Instead, I talk to Him, and hear a lot of noisy beeping tractor-toy sounds. The sound that my house is full of love.<br />
<br />
{#14} that <a href="http://worthwalkingtoward.blogspot.com/search/label/Homeschooling">school</a> went well this morning. filled with lots and lots of snuggling, and just a tiny little bit of mommy-nagging.<br />
<br />
{#15} for Him. That we have a Worthy One. That I got to meet Him in Revelation this morning. A worthy and slain Lamb.<br />
<br />
{#16} that we have a fun field trip planned this afternoon, and that I will not be the one dissecting a mammal heart. Very thankful for that one.<br />
<br />
{#17} for a hubby who puts the football game on in the background and proceeds to do 3 loads of laundry and fold them and wash the dishes while I sit on the couch and work away at my dream. Oblivious to how awesome he is, until I see the boys' coats drying on the bannister. I noticed them while I was upside down in downward facing dog.<br />
Matt, you are amazing.<br />
<br />
{#18} for the little alfalfa sprout on Christian's head this morning. golly. he is cute.<br />
<br />
{#19} that Caleb climbed into bed with me this morning and cupped my face in his hand, and kissed me on my cheek with a big proud smile on his face. Then, he pulled up the covers and snuggled in next to me.<br />
<br />
{#20} today, I am thankful again for our heat. negative temperatures this morning.<br />
<br />
{#21} that I am still in PJ's, and the boys are too. Yet we learned and did so much already today. Praise to Him who makes us able. and who created us to love snuggly warm comforts.<br />
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff162/annvoskamp/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" /></a>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-77410476564874967632011-01-20T08:50:00.000-05:002011-01-20T08:50:33.034-05:00his precious heartLike so many of you, we have been praying for <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/">Edie and her family</a> every day, a precious blogger who lost her home to fire.<br />
<br />
This morning, on the way back from bringing Christian to preschool, Caleb spotted some construction equipment building a house. Here was his precious conversation with me:<br />
<br />
Caleb: "Look, mommy!! Look at the cool crane and backhoe! Are they building a house?"<br />
Mommy: "Yep."<br />
Caleb: "(very excitedly) Are they building a new house for Edie???!!!!!"<br />
Mommy: "Oh, no honey. Edie does not live here. They live somewhere else."<br />
Caleb: "(determined) When I grow up, I am going to drive a loader, and I am going to build a big house for Edie!!!!! And then, I am going to go to buy them a lot, a lot of toys, from Toys R Us, and I am going to fill their new house up with toys. And I am going to get them a new garage."<br />
Mommy: "Baby. That is a GREAT idea. Edie will love it."<br />
<br />
Don't you just love his precious heart?<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1y-OEUBmlhzH4J0TeVq7aHaxuR1KlnT08idw8Rua9-qF2RTLYkLOMg0MVPAEP_hjlwdRkeyZdGkwGpMtrKmc0ys-_yj7wXDgAEONUB5bKd_KN9_E9YpPvqww56_OXwivztsxQArQryAJp/s1600/IMG_0133.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1y-OEUBmlhzH4J0TeVq7aHaxuR1KlnT08idw8Rua9-qF2RTLYkLOMg0MVPAEP_hjlwdRkeyZdGkwGpMtrKmc0ys-_yj7wXDgAEONUB5bKd_KN9_E9YpPvqww56_OXwivztsxQArQryAJp/s640/IMG_0133.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div>If you are not already, I invite you to join in on <a href="http://www.lifeingraceblog.com/">praying for Edie and her family</a>.{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-23603682085813825042011-01-17T15:57:00.000-05:002011-01-17T15:57:25.303-05:00I need to do it<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TkkDOpBG3-1Kbn8w08dEBhO3VAptKU97U-cDkXfsLeJzB2VVg4hePPzMYzG87FmIbI5nunq1n8U2M6lFv4j_Q1gUzO9XhSWekz9vm5QPopSmdBiu2QvLGe3n_LGZzV4pV1uPodUOGiRk/s1600/IMG_0220.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2TkkDOpBG3-1Kbn8w08dEBhO3VAptKU97U-cDkXfsLeJzB2VVg4hePPzMYzG87FmIbI5nunq1n8U2M6lFv4j_Q1gUzO9XhSWekz9vm5QPopSmdBiu2QvLGe3n_LGZzV4pV1uPodUOGiRk/s400/IMG_0220.JPG" width="311" /></a></div>Do you forget?<br />
Do you ever forget all that you have, and slip away into the sin of pining for more?<br />
Do you struggle with it daily? like me.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It is time for me to <i>finally</i> join in on this journey.<br />
<b>high time.</b><br />
<a href="http://www.aholyexperience.com/" target="_blank"><img src="http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff162/annvoskamp/multitudesonmondaysbutton2-1.jpg" /></a><br />
<br />
<br />
Lord. Father of Heaven and Earth. The One who cares for tiny me. The One who watches me trip over my own feet time and time again. The One who waits, arms open, with a smile on His face and a glimmer in His eyes... for me to notice that He stands there - arms open.<br />
To the Only Thing Worth Walking Toward,<br />
<br />
I am grateful to You today for<br />
<br />
{#1} children that laugh and jump on the couch, cushions everywhere, giggles every where. even bonking heads and roaring laughter. my two precious boys. let me NEVER miss the moments of them.<br />
<br />
{#2} my amazing. amazing. amazing man. patient. loves me with grace that abounds. Sees the best in me. Praises me as a mom. Gives me his confidence. Is wiser than he would ever acknowledge or know. And somehow, thinks I am a size 2. Because when he looks at me, he sees HIS girl.<br />
<br />
{#3} a bite of chocolate during quiet time.<br />
<br />
{#4} "clean-up time" to Rastafarian rap music. The precious 3 year old who tries really hard to shake his hips. And a 5 year old who knows how to shake it and clean it at the same time.<br />
<br />
{#5} the joy of watching my children learn. the victory of M&M's after having successfully listed 96 events in the History of the world; Caleb, you amaze me. The beaming faces of achieving a challenge. Precious 3 year old Christian, who beamed from ear to ear because, "honey. You are SUCH a good brother. Thank you for listening to Caleb, encouraging him, and allowing him to concentrate." but best of all.. the cheering when the M&M's hit the scene.<br />
<br />
{#6} having enough money to pay our heating bill. This month it was no struggle. But it was once. And for someone else today, it is.<br />
<br />
{#7} for lemon tea. hot. fresh lemons and local honey.<br />
<br />
{#8} for Ann Voskamp. She reminds me that I forgot to look in the direction I always want to look.<br />
<br />
{#9} the smell of my boys' heads. sweet hair.<br />
<br />
{#10} for girlfriends who still love me, despite the fact that 3 guys come first. they take a breath and the time to understand. It is called grace. I love them for it.<br />
<br />
It is high time<br />
I follow His advice, and through thanksgiving, savor the moments.....<br />
<object height="385" width="640"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/GhOUaszMGvQ?fs=1&hl=en_US"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/GhOUaszMGvQ?fs=1&hl=en_US" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="640" height="385"></embed></object>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1733177290588464844.post-49767451979004302722011-01-15T08:52:00.000-05:002011-01-15T08:52:36.667-05:00The Farm ShowEvery year when we go to the farm show.... I ask myself.... <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">How did it come to this?</span><br />
How did a girly, makeup-every-single-day, haute-couture loving, artist, opera singer, decorator, fan of all things Italian....<br />
How did I end up <i>a regular attendee</i> of The Farm Expo show?<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Easy.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">I would do anything to see these smiles:</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsaJs2a0Fq1CphKvv9yOTEeXy4LZDiT40cH6LaC4hp9mM2MLJS_JfVBhwggmxiTeLzTDaUXU9LLVBPJRixTQ6fyx2PD8webrdzFt7glemJjyVScOdMD-_kQnlutCc6RK-vJlC0VufdHAC/s1600/IMG_0452.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvsaJs2a0Fq1CphKvv9yOTEeXy4LZDiT40cH6LaC4hp9mM2MLJS_JfVBhwggmxiTeLzTDaUXU9LLVBPJRixTQ6fyx2PD8webrdzFt7glemJjyVScOdMD-_kQnlutCc6RK-vJlC0VufdHAC/s640/IMG_0452.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHYJXUhbawjHj71TPzS94XNs_2YlFsC_RrxVqkRkeyeF4wilvKtLMWwpeJeRBgPgqhHxcYPZvli63Et3FAgQ4oJ5KVb_2kpeV_tL_vN97yHXKFc9MwtPQl7Jtq43hCsUqzKoycMrMDe_J/s1600/IMG_0459.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixHYJXUhbawjHj71TPzS94XNs_2YlFsC_RrxVqkRkeyeF4wilvKtLMWwpeJeRBgPgqhHxcYPZvli63Et3FAgQ4oJ5KVb_2kpeV_tL_vN97yHXKFc9MwtPQl7Jtq43hCsUqzKoycMrMDe_J/s640/IMG_0459.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQTHWxYXhwKklJGVxCqygsHerIjzM6d_17ShQznbl_n9ig1Ohhb5TcPDPiL7vHvkuf_-_9qHHui6N9rn3x4x0g8SMvr_IQHdnTKp8-IkvUzacAlIYVaEvBmAXyDN7kpy586R_d9Xeq6_Y/s1600/IMG_0461.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiWQTHWxYXhwKklJGVxCqygsHerIjzM6d_17ShQznbl_n9ig1Ohhb5TcPDPiL7vHvkuf_-_9qHHui6N9rn3x4x0g8SMvr_IQHdnTKp8-IkvUzacAlIYVaEvBmAXyDN7kpy586R_d9Xeq6_Y/s640/IMG_0461.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymho81F_y35_rAM4LlGZDn9MsL4nB2LAFROFlW2XL2HAWRsJJxcNrHYwaU4RR6B4KGKloYkacJUgeC90jzLEZNEA9vh6tL53H8upj7spwEk0wGpk9Wfgliihbgb0rH93MZZCXA2uPjqao/s1600/IMG_0467.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiymho81F_y35_rAM4LlGZDn9MsL4nB2LAFROFlW2XL2HAWRsJJxcNrHYwaU4RR6B4KGKloYkacJUgeC90jzLEZNEA9vh6tL53H8upj7spwEk0wGpk9Wfgliihbgb0rH93MZZCXA2uPjqao/s640/IMG_0467.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNNQMrTZXALviX7e34zHsiIVBwgFpvUiEgfRJMjXvx507s4fV9dZPwwWGOyf5TyJIyyQaUfst_07DNI-eohqul6WgYoQVtizLtlq8chYxJRGrPBKF9FSwKd82rLsqZXdwi9uF-bCnFpjZ/s1600/IMG_0476.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuNNQMrTZXALviX7e34zHsiIVBwgFpvUiEgfRJMjXvx507s4fV9dZPwwWGOyf5TyJIyyQaUfst_07DNI-eohqul6WgYoQVtizLtlq8chYxJRGrPBKF9FSwKd82rLsqZXdwi9uF-bCnFpjZ/s640/IMG_0476.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBe5mLYqp1__uTuJNwcM-nC_A5JiW_39dyxXcC3PmmmJEHKtO3iwrKTEX-wwxS8hbDo01YerD2TcQBepblQ0ut8vrag5V5J-MnHoL_uzOP5kcJKHgnTER8XMs_uw29ArXRQwql_IvLh8h/s1600/IMG_0484.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="640" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBBe5mLYqp1__uTuJNwcM-nC_A5JiW_39dyxXcC3PmmmJEHKtO3iwrKTEX-wwxS8hbDo01YerD2TcQBepblQ0ut8vrag5V5J-MnHoL_uzOP5kcJKHgnTER8XMs_uw29ArXRQwql_IvLh8h/s640/IMG_0484.jpg" width="426" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHoN8N1EN8yfP0sbZ_pcagPS6QpS5gy12iylw5V4hjMSHc_DhSwLcD9lpwAN8LzsiY3wAejXOaj1Si_W3b9vXPWB_8FMugKBdM5KmHfLawLvBFNQyvlNB8Gbtjid86_CnirV61BiW55dT/s1600/IMG_0487.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitHoN8N1EN8yfP0sbZ_pcagPS6QpS5gy12iylw5V4hjMSHc_DhSwLcD9lpwAN8LzsiY3wAejXOaj1Si_W3b9vXPWB_8FMugKBdM5KmHfLawLvBFNQyvlNB8Gbtjid86_CnirV61BiW55dT/s640/IMG_0487.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4vM22CIIrHCcwji_zpjtv1kNRrSdhn2TGtAbpVGAwl0RKkjuibLMvKnC09LH8y25CoNGeJxtRpU1PLJzHnSPYAP3gjo82feMxNyiQmgOQOwtXZwEufxX2TQWs1i1Uz7TQJB0K7nOuUb3/s1600/IMG_0491.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjw4vM22CIIrHCcwji_zpjtv1kNRrSdhn2TGtAbpVGAwl0RKkjuibLMvKnC09LH8y25CoNGeJxtRpU1PLJzHnSPYAP3gjo82feMxNyiQmgOQOwtXZwEufxX2TQWs1i1Uz7TQJB0K7nOuUb3/s640/IMG_0491.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz6REzczQGn0FEzDWwMLYm7i2xhZoyhpLJfUiWEH1O__E5SqH-55rYlyMX-g_Nle5ztq43f84ph9D__GMpvsfjvgb8P_keh60tr66q-fNlcCHOpoFQa1TFEYT6CmWxVG1wGkxfYflmvGH/s1600/IMG_0497.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglz6REzczQGn0FEzDWwMLYm7i2xhZoyhpLJfUiWEH1O__E5SqH-55rYlyMX-g_Nle5ztq43f84ph9D__GMpvsfjvgb8P_keh60tr66q-fNlcCHOpoFQa1TFEYT6CmWxVG1wGkxfYflmvGH/s640/IMG_0497.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx9H9-onFqNVTEHqzexFwd1tU_UZd9NcAf3YN7ymrU9vz9UQuov9MZyvOPA-PfPFexu2w9woB3teAKqNAd0FtaQq5Kdmho3KhNe3uQFE77Mpk_nWCROp0DEdm4ETlXbeC1r44KzDlbijP/s1600/IMG_0499.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkx9H9-onFqNVTEHqzexFwd1tU_UZd9NcAf3YN7ymrU9vz9UQuov9MZyvOPA-PfPFexu2w9woB3teAKqNAd0FtaQq5Kdmho3KhNe3uQFE77Mpk_nWCROp0DEdm4ETlXbeC1r44KzDlbijP/s640/IMG_0499.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Pc1nCi0s-QclwPDUoOdvOQ7C5pvNS1lzOUJ5bmgXKdRS8HDlSfjOVJUFvhRNtDiTJNQVjqa6rjiUU5V-6LNoySn9-fXIlyk6HD3G3qv8gk-k56PODEE4g74IdrznCoZegKaWnhFgZh4/s1600/IMG_0521.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_2Pc1nCi0s-QclwPDUoOdvOQ7C5pvNS1lzOUJ5bmgXKdRS8HDlSfjOVJUFvhRNtDiTJNQVjqa6rjiUU5V-6LNoySn9-fXIlyk6HD3G3qv8gk-k56PODEE4g74IdrznCoZegKaWnhFgZh4/s640/IMG_0521.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7DF1ar1HN0nGjamfDcLheU9_1DXRx0rcgdclQGchgPFU98vpaXv_Ks8Pc0VXea9GPywJRYY6c-gU9thYp04VK2hKuBX1AC4f3SKImEAP-oytaloMjOh6r6lQVxtGnr-DMRAvV5ySMMfH/s1600/IMG_0530.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjB7DF1ar1HN0nGjamfDcLheU9_1DXRx0rcgdclQGchgPFU98vpaXv_Ks8Pc0VXea9GPywJRYY6c-gU9thYp04VK2hKuBX1AC4f3SKImEAP-oytaloMjOh6r6lQVxtGnr-DMRAvV5ySMMfH/s640/IMG_0530.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXml_S2wbIcIiJFvuo_x_w55YCKdcvDycwGAKVCcG_KH7JH37NcaPScHzKx2j5R4Hxwst_ahVWezOEMA_1l4xuHbotaeG2NtefZSMU0OBwrKbhs5l89sVNOx_j8Wscp1gUyjKrt1uOC6E/s1600/IMG_0540.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjGXml_S2wbIcIiJFvuo_x_w55YCKdcvDycwGAKVCcG_KH7JH37NcaPScHzKx2j5R4Hxwst_ahVWezOEMA_1l4xuHbotaeG2NtefZSMU0OBwrKbhs5l89sVNOx_j8Wscp1gUyjKrt1uOC6E/s640/IMG_0540.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Wu6Ai1KK1IL9Cv5B9cNUdRM9McJoH_9J3LtJOPZlJaNRFo32eGsVCPRAsjKOG7I1cvd1BCh9_MMJUgOeh9jRzhGBxCd4viB_2l8fO8iHi0xnmQHEwTrpxieWRhZMABC0eYaDSGFgOL74/s1600/IMG_0552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Wu6Ai1KK1IL9Cv5B9cNUdRM9McJoH_9J3LtJOPZlJaNRFo32eGsVCPRAsjKOG7I1cvd1BCh9_MMJUgOeh9jRzhGBxCd4viB_2l8fO8iHi0xnmQHEwTrpxieWRhZMABC0eYaDSGFgOL74/s640/IMG_0552.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQVV8ymtTnMH-VVR5Pgmzp7Qm04YDG-4-lIDpJ3acS9kKuQTEd6YaSwVr8fFXVTU-La85DB1wMQ33I5BAh12rkpdw1jCWMOeC0h5D3zCpaU81yACOBaCqbSXIdVfISlHRgPH6rUF7rfPv/s1600/IMG_0557.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRQVV8ymtTnMH-VVR5Pgmzp7Qm04YDG-4-lIDpJ3acS9kKuQTEd6YaSwVr8fFXVTU-La85DB1wMQ33I5BAh12rkpdw1jCWMOeC0h5D3zCpaU81yACOBaCqbSXIdVfISlHRgPH6rUF7rfPv/s640/IMG_0557.JPG" width="640" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">So.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe I was not born to be a farm girl.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe I never thought I would know the lyrics to "Sittin' with my Grandpa on his Ol' John Deere."</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Maybe I never thought I would know the difference between a seed drill and a cultivator.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">But then again,</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">I never had any idea that I would be THIS blessed!:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WBO_ijQKO3y_mRj1xy3-8hcgDcexx6D4Sqhyphenhyphen79ML5z4u4lG3j2qpTKxR-VXpdsqPInrDArpzLjj_wowdFe_rpd7S0jt30tQFVygcr6umWwb2OUHOXGN4DEhDYnoBGaJo5K7Y2x574j4A/s1600/IMG_0492.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6WBO_ijQKO3y_mRj1xy3-8hcgDcexx6D4Sqhyphenhyphen79ML5z4u4lG3j2qpTKxR-VXpdsqPInrDArpzLjj_wowdFe_rpd7S0jt30tQFVygcr6umWwb2OUHOXGN4DEhDYnoBGaJo5K7Y2x574j4A/s640/IMG_0492.JPG" width="640" /></a></div>{darlene}http://www.blogger.com/profile/17310243306735564898noreply@blogger.com7