30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 30

Today’s Topic = A Picture

Fall in PA

And that concludes the 30 Day Blog Challenge!  Special thanks to Katie for hosting this challenge.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 29

Today’s Topic = 3 Wishes

Is this like a “genie in a bottle” post?  LOL  There are a lot of things that I wish for, but I’m going to dream big for this post ---

1. I wish that I had a money tree so that I could afford to repair and improve things around my house and/or build a new house to my specifications.
2. I wish I lived somewhere that was more climate-controlled.  Somewhere that it only rains when it absolutely has to, and stay between 60 and 80 degrees all the time – now that is my kind of place.
3. I wish that all my friends lived closer to me.  The internet is neat in so many ways because it brings people “closer” in the sense that you can get to know each other very well having never met.  But, I desire closer, “in real life” relationships.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 28

Today’s Topic = Something that Stresses Me Out

Truthfully, there is a lot in life that stresses me out.  My job stresses me out at times.  Housework really stresses me out – especially when I feel like there’s so much to do and nobody seems willing to help.  Computers really stress me out – when they lock up or don’t do what I want them to.  People stress me out – some much more than others. 

I try to keep my life as stress-free as possible, but that’s not always easy. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 27

Today’s Topic = Pets

 
Sallie

Lizzie

People who said we’d never own another dog – and now we have 2.  A fan of larger dogs – and now we’ve got Pugs.  Go figure.  But they are nice, loyal, little pets. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 26

Today’s Topic = Picture of my family

at our favorite vacation destination
(taken in May 2010)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 25

Today’s Topic = Shuffle iPod
and share the first 10 songs

This ought to be interesting!  I’ve got quite a varied taste in music.  LOL  Here goes:

1. Midnight Fire by Grandstaff (album => Live & Well)
2. 3 Minute Song by Josh Wilson (album => Josh Wilson)
3. The Love of Christ by Point of Grace (album => Girls of Grace)
4. Goodnight & Goodbye by the Jonas Brothers (album => Jonas Brothers)
5. Open Up the Sky by FFH (album => Have I Ever Told You)
6. If We’ve Ever Needed You by Casting Crowns (album => Until The Whole World Hears)
7. Before the Morning by Josh Wilson (album => Josh Wilson)
8. Mercy by Casting Crowns (album => Until The Whole World Hears)
9. A Heart Like Yours by Sierra (album => Devotion)
10. If We Are the Body by Casting Crowns (album =>Casting Crowns)

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 24

Today’s Topic = Something I’ve Learned

I think I learn something new every day, so this is rather hard to narrow down.  Here are just a few things I’ve learned recently:

• Sometimes the teacher can learn more from the student than the other way around (I love homeschooling!)
• There are very few friends (despite what they may say) that are actually “friends to the end” – and if you’re lucky enough to have one, or a few of them, consider it a rare and beautiful treasure
• Houses do not clean themselves, nor do they stay clean, despite my wishes that they do so
• Because churches are made up of imperfect people, it’s impossible to find a perfect church
• We have much to be thankful for!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 23

Today’s Topic = Favorite Vacation

Duh!  Do you read my blog much?  If so, then you already know the answer to this one, don’t you?!

‘Nuff said!

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 21

Today’s Topic = Favorite City

We live in a pretty rural town in central PA.  We don’t get to the “city” much – at least not what I consider to be the city.  Philadelphia (on the eastern side of our state) and Pittsburgh (to the west) are the large cities in PA.  Here in the central part of the state, we have good old Harrisburg.  We get there fairly often.

I must say that I’m glad our state capital isn’t a HUGE city.  It’s easy to find your way around and get to where you need to go.  And the traffic --- well, it’s not nearly as bad as it is in other cities we’ve passed through.  So, I guess my favorite  city, for today’s post, will be Harrisburg. 

And, it sure looks pretty when you’re coming home from far away and see this:

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 21

Today’s Topic = Picture of Me

I’m really not one for having my picture taken.  Especially ONLY me.  Me and my kids are fine, and I don’t mind having a picture taken with Brian or a friend (even more so now that Sue is gone – I wish I had lots more pictures of the two of us together).  But, just me --- not so much.  I am trying to get better about it, because I know someday my kids will appreciate having those pictures.

Anyway, we went for a photo session to get some “school” photos of the kids the other day.  Ashley took this picture of me, so it’s the most recent “picture of me” that I have ===>

Kinda crazy, but it is what it is, right?! 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 20

Today’s Topic = Nicknames

My name is Heidi.  There’s not really many nicknames for that, short of Heid (pronounced “hide”) – which is what several of my cousins affectionately call me.  My kids call me “Mom”, “Mommy”, and “Mama” – all good nicknames that I’m proud to have.  Brian calls me “Sweetie” most of the time – which doesn’t always apply, I must say. :)

Brian gets called “Bry” alot – just because it’s short and easy.  Of course, he also answers to “Dad”.

Brian loves giving out nicknames.  He calls Ashley “Smasher” and various other variations of the name.  He calls Gracie “little Macy Mai” (pronounced “my”) and “Cagner and Lacer” (he’s so weird).  Ashley started calling Ian “ee-wee” and he gets called “Little E”, “E-man”, “Mr. E” and tons of other crazy things. 

Brian even gives nicknames to our dogs.  Sallie is often called “Salamander” and he calls Lizzie “Lizard”.  Do you get the impression he would have preferred reptiles for pets?! The rest of us call them “Sallie Sue” or “Sal” and “Lizzie Lu” or “LuLu”.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 19

Today’s Topic = Something I Miss

Because this topic isn’t SomeONE I miss, I can’t mention my friend Sue.  But, I can mention TALKING TO SUE ON THE PHONE.  Man, it’s amazing how things you do just become a part of you.  We talked on the phone EVERY DAY – often several times a day.  Now that she’s gone, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t miss talking to her.

Another thing that I’ve been thinking about a lot lately is camping.  Isn’t it funny how sometimes, when you’re in the middle of something, you have no appreciation for it; then, later on, you look back and miss it?  That’s really how I feel about camping.  We used to camp almost every weekend when I was a kid.  It was just what we did – it was a part of me, but  I don’t recall actually appreciating the experience.  Now, lately, I’ve been wishing we could share that experience with our kids. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 18

Today’s Topic = Something I Regret

I’ve been contemplating this topic for a few days now, and I just keep coming back to thinking that I don’t really have a lot of regrets.  Sure, I’ve made mistakes in my life; but I don’t sit around dwelling on them, and I believe that when we ask God’s forgiveness for mistakes made, that we need to accept that forgiveness and move forward with our lives.

One thing that did come to mind this morning was sending Ashley to public school for 2 1/2 years.  However, both of us certainly learned valuable lessons from that experience. 

Oh, and at the end of almost every day, I regret not spending enough time with my kids.  That probably seems silly, coming from a homeschool mom, but it’s true.  I work part-time from home, and sometimes get so caught up in my work that I don’t have a lot of extra time just for fun with them. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 17

Today’s Topic = Something I’m Looking Forward To

In 10 days, my daughter Ashley is going on a trip – it’ll be her first time on an airplane.  I’m NOT looking forward to that – but she is. :)  I might be looking forward to it if I were going with her – I’d like to be there the first time she experiences flying, etc.  Instead, as a mother, I’m a little apprehensive to let her go.

BUT, the very day that Ashley is flying out, my friend Wendy and her children are flying in!  They will be here to spend the week with us – then we will take them back to the airport on the day that Ashley will be flying home.  I’M LOOKING FORWARD to seeing Wendy again and having some quality time with her. 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 16

Today’s Topic = My Dream House

Once upon a time. . . or I should say, back in my teen years  . . . my dream home was an old house with great woodwork throughout and lots of character. 

Well, guess what?  I’m living in it.  And, it’s not my dream home anymore.  There are aspects about my house that I just love – including the woodwork (which cannot be duplicated today without a huge price tag) and my big front porch; but there are lots of  other things that are increasingly frustrating to me:

• lack of closet space (we have closets, but they are WAY small)
• too many windows (really limits the way you can arrange a room)
• old heaters/registers (or whatever you want to call them) – even though we have nice covers for ours now, they are still major space hogs!
• plaster walls – if you’ve ever tried to hang a picture on plaster walls, you know what I’m getting at here
• “2 car garages” in 1929 do not equal a 2 car garage in the 2000’s! 

But that’s enough complaining about my house!  My dream house would have at least 4 bedrooms and 2 1/2 baths.  It would also have a family room and a room that would be suitable for a homeschool classroom.  A library would be a huge plus!  A 2-car ATTACHED garage would be a must! 

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 15

Today’s Topic = Favorite Bible Verse

When asked to share my favorite verse for my high school yearbook, I selected John 1:29.  It’s still a favorite:

²⁹The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, "Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!

As an adult, Jeremiah 29:11 has great significance as well:

¹¹ For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 14

Today’s Topic = A Picture I Love

Here’s a new one of my kids – taken at our
field trip to the Corn Maze on Friday.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 13

And now I’m caught up! 

Today’s Topic = Goals

I don’t have any goals written down, but I guess I do have some in my heart and mind - - -

1. To homeschool my kids through graduation
2. To raise children that follow God and make a difference in the world
3. To always do and be my best at my job
4. To figure out how to get my house all cleaned up and keep it that way
5. To always strive to be a better Christian

I’m sure there are lots more like wanting to become one of those old people who winters in Florida!  But these are what immediately come to mind.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 12

Today’s Topic = What I Believe

1. That Jesus is the Son of God and that He died that I might live!  Wow!
2. That I have the best kids ever!
3. That I am blessed to be able to stay home and homeschool my kids.
4. That I have an amazing job – one I had prayed for for many years!
5. That I will see my friend Sue again and that we’ll sing together – for Jesus- in Heaven!
6. That Disney World is the happiest place on earth.
7. That distance doesn’t detract from friendships.
8. That the old saying “blood is thicker than water” isn’t really true.

30 Day Blog Challenge: Day 11

I’m a little frustrated with Embarq/CenturyLink right now.  We’ve had trouble with our internet speed in the evenings for months.  Finally they are  telling me it’s my wireless router – and they sent a new one which was supposed to arrive yesterday (Friday) and it’s still not here.  I’m trying to get caught up with the Blog Challenge here at my parents’ house . . .

Topic = Favorite TV Show

This topic is a little different for me because we got rid of our cable service over 6 years ago and, without it, we don’t  get ANY tv channels (we live in a valley and we do not have an antennae).  We don’t miss tv.  As a matter of fact, we’re spoiled by watching DVD’s and instant streaming via Netflix.  Now, when we are exposed to tv, we get a bit frustrated by the commercials! 

Basically, we enjoy watching episodes of older tv shows.  Things like

• The Waltons
• Little House on the Prairie
• Magnum P.I.
• Simon & Simon
• Hunter
• Brady Bunch

We’ve also been enjoying watching Say Yes to the Dress – mostly just because we find it ridiculous!  I’m sure I’m missing some other favorites as well.