Tagged --- Again?!

Last week, I participated in a fun little meme that’s going around the  blogosphere.  I shared my answers and asked new questions of the 8 people that I chose to tag.  One of them tagged me back!  So, I’m going to answer Amy’s questions here (I’m not going to tag anyone else though!) - - -

1) Do you have a favorite recipe or meal from when you were a child? My mom used to put a chicken and rice dish in the oven to bake while we were at church.  I remember coming home to such a yummy smelling house – and it always tasted so good!  I just reminded her of that dish the other day – because she never makes it anymore. 

2) On that same thread, are there any meals you HATED growing up? I don’t recall hating any entire meals, but I was not a fan of veggies at all.  I remember a few times my mom made me sit at the table ‘til I ate them, and it got pretty late and the veggies were cold!  LOL 

3) I'm on a food kick, but question #1 made me think of this- what is your favorite Christmas cookie or treat? I’m not a huge cookie eater because I find that, when we do make them, they either don’t get eaten, or I eat them all.  I have a recipe for Pumpkin Chip Cookies that is TO DIE FOR!

4) What is your favorite bit of child rearing/homeschooling wisdom? Every child is different and, because of that, will most likely require either different curriculum or, at least, a different approach to schooling.  So far, I’ve found this to be true with my girls, and am looking forward to changing things up even more to suit Ian.

5) What song did you and your spouse dance to at your wedding? We didn’t actually dance, but we had the lyrics to “Love of a Lifetime” by Firehouse on the back of our wedding bulletins. 

I’m semi-ashamed to admit that I went through a “hair band” fascination in the early 90’s – but, it is what it is.  If you’re interested, you can hear the song by viewing the below video (which I honestly don’t recall ever seeing until now!) - - -

6) If you could live anywhere (in the USA), where would you live and why? I don’t mind PA in the spring, summer, and fall – though, at this point in my life, I’d prefer to live a little closer to the city (probably Harrisburg) for some culture and homeschool opportunities for my kids.  Where we live now is lacking in culture, to be sure!  However, come the winter months, I’d much prefer to live in Florida – near the home of my good friend Mickey Mouse, preferably.

7) What is your favorite book SERIES? I love the Mitford Books. (This is actually Amy’s answer – but it reminded me that I, too, love this series, and need to read through it again).  Actually, I have many series that I have read and enjoyed – it’s hard to pin it down to just one.

8) What's your favorite book genre, and a surprise favorite from it? Christian fiction.  I used to think historical was my favorite sub-genre; but lately I’ve been enjoying the modern stories better.  I guess I go in spells.  Surprise?  Not sure.  I do have a scale that I measure Amish fiction against (Beverly Lewis) and nobody else really measures up.  I was surprised to find that Suzanne Woods Fisher’s books are pretty good though.

Tag! You’re It – I Want to Know…

Tristan from Our Busy Homeschool tagged me in this fun meme.  Here’s how the meme works: There are 8 questions for me to answer, and then I will tag 8 people to answer 8 questions I think up.  Here I go - - -

1. What is one food or meal you love to eat that your family does not enjoy, so you don’t make it often?  Right now, I have a craving for Chinese food and I’m not really sure why – but I could do for a meal of General Tso’s or Sesame Chicken right about now.  And, the rest of my family HATES Chinese.  SO, if you’re reading this, you happen to be local, and you enjoy Chinese, give me a call and let’s make a date for some Chinese, ok?
2. Tell me one thing you swore you would never do when you were a parent, but since having children of your own you have actually done.  Homeschool!  LOL  It’s  true.  I never would have thought that I’d homeschool my kids.  But, here we are . . . and I wouldn’t have it any other way.  I’m so glad that God orchestrates our lives in the way He sees fit, without asking us for our opinions (though sometimes it’s a hard lesson to learn).
3. What character issue is God working on in your life right now?  I think He’s probably working on me in the areas of peace and contentment – and learning to be in a state of both, whatever my current circumstances. 
4. What is your favorite household chore?  How about your least favorite chore?  My favorite is probably the same as Tristan’s – organizing and decluttering.  I only wish I had an unlimited amount of money to spend on this chore.  Living in a house built in 1929, we are lacking in storage space (which probably only means we have too much) but I’d love to go on a spending spree at IKEA and buy TONS of storage solutions!  My least favorite is probably dusting (if you come to my house, you can see that this is my least favorite – just putting that out there!)
5. As a homeschool mom, what is one area you feel you do well in, and one area you struggle with?  I feel that I do very well with planning and getting ready for our year and purchasing or acquiring what will work  best for and with my kids.  I struggle with managing my time between school, work, and life – but, I’m happy to report that I am improving in this area. :)
6. Would you rather eat health food or exercise regularly?  I’ve never been a good exerciser, so I’d much rather eat healthy food.  Which is something that I really need to be focusing on RIGHT NOW, so I can get back in my jeans from last year!
7. What is one thing you love about your husband, and one thing that drives you bonkers?  I love that he’s willing to work long hours to support his family.  It drives me bonkers when he snores, though!
8. When your kids all leave the nest what is one job you would like to try in all your free time? I want to work at Disney World – the happiest place on earth.  I’d kinda like to be the Fairy Godmother (but only for one day ) – then I’ll switch to working in a retail shop or being a castmember with the characters or something.  This would, of course, mean that I’ll be living in FL.
   

Here are the questions that I’d like to have answered (by the 8 people listed below).  My answers to these questions are in italics - - -

1. Have you started your Christmas shopping yet?  If so, how close to being finished are you?  I’d like to know your Christmas shopping personality.  I have not started my shopping yet, but I need to.  I hate shopping after Thanksgiving, and will probably end up doing any shopping that’s still needed after that time online.  Crowds irritate me.  Ideally, I like to start shopping right after the holidays and pack things away, but that didn’t work out this year. 
2. Is there a particular field trip destination that you and your kids could (and do) visit over and over again?  My kids and I usually go to the Hershey Chocolate Factory at least once a year (sometimes 2 or 3 times).  And, we could go to Disney World over and over again.  Williamsburg is another favorite! 
3. What is your favorite season, and why?  Normally I’d say fall – and I think it’s still my favorite though I find myself changing as I get older.  I do not like that it issues in winter, but I do so love the colors and scents, etc. that are associated with fall!
4. Are you content with your home?  If not, what would you like to change (assuming money is not an issue)?  Currently, my area of “ugh” with my house is the kitchen – I’d love to be able to have it totally torn out and redone – it’s got a lot of wasted space and I’d love to see new cupboards, countertops (corian) and floors (tile).  I’d also like to have the hardwood floors throughout the house refinished.  They are old and in serious need of attention. 
5. Do you have a dream  vacation destination?  Never really thought so, but lately I’ve been seeing other people’s pictures of Hawaii and it looks pretty nice!  I also would love a European tour.  And, of course, we hope to visit Vietnam again someday. 
6. Do you have a favorite Bible verse?  If so, why is it your favorite?  We had to pick a favorite Bible verse for our school yearbook (yes, I went to Christian school) and I chose John 1:29, which is still one of my favorites: "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world!’”
7. Do you decorate your house for the seasons?  If so, do you have a specific treasured ornament or decoration?  I do.  But, I must admit that the older I get, the less excited I get about it.  When the holiday/season is over, I have to put everything away and I HATE that job!  I have an ornament that was a treasured favorite of my Nanny, so I treasure it also.  It’s a shiny green glass ball that plays Silent Night when you pull the string.  It barely works anymore, but it’s still special to me. 
8. What one thing would you change about yourself if you were able?  I’d change my size.  ‘Nuff said. 

Here are the lovely bloggers I’d like to tag:

1. Brenda @ Garden of Learning
2. Jodi @ The Homeschool Desk
3. Wendy @ Homeschool Blessings
4. Becky @ There is Hope!
5. Amy @ One Blessed Mamma
6. April @ Elcloud Homeschool
7. Denise @ Got Chai?
8. Isabelle @ Canadianladybug Reviews

Not Back to School Blog Hop: School Room Week

I wasn’t going to participate this week.  Why?  Because we don’t have a school room.  And, as I’ve been reading others’ posts, and seeing pictures, of their wonderful school rooms, I’m trying really hard not to be envious.  We want a school room in the worst kind of way. 

We do school in our dining room.  The table is right in the center of a room that contains 1 doorway (to the kitchen), 1 double doorway (to the living room – french doors belong here but we took them off about a year ago when Ian kept slamming them into one of the computer chairs), and 3 large windows.  The room is FULL.  We’ve got my hutch, our piano, two computers on desks, an old school desk (that I keep my laptop on sometimes), and 2 bookshelves in here.  Needless to say, there’s really not a spare inch of space in here!

I love having company, but find that we really only invite over the people that we know really well and feel comfortable with – probably because I feel a little awkward inviting “just anyone” into our classroom.  LOL 

On the flipside, though, I wonder if – if we ever do have a situation where we have a classroom – we would even use it – or if we’d all end up back together, around a table somewhere?!  Isn’t that silly?  But, I think once you get used to something the way it is, you’re resistant to change.  And, we’re definitely used to things the way they are, since we’ve been doing school in the dining room since Ashley was 5 (and she’s almost 17 now – oh! that almost hurts to say!) 

No fun pictures of my classroom this week.  But I should mention that even the surface areas are covered with school stuff – for example, the top of the piano has our globe on it, and some stackable filing trays.  The heater cover has the kids’ printer on it (and usually a bunch of “where can we put this?” items. 

Not Back to School Blog Hop: Curriculum Week

I saw a few posts about the upcoming Not Back to School Blog Hop on friends’ and fellow Crew members’ blogs.  I wasn’t sure if I’d participate or not; but since this first week is Curriculum Week and I’ve already made the posts about what we plan to use for this year, I thought I’d join in. 

You can read what we’ve got planned for Ashley’s 11th grade year here. 

You can read what we’ve got planned for Gracie’s 6th grade year here. 

You can read what we’ve got planned for Ian’s preschool year here.  (I’ll come back and link this one later, once I’ve got the post up!)

A few notes to add:

• We’ve got 3 days in already this year and will be doing day #4 today.  So far, we’ve been fairly pleased with the curriculum and resources that we’ve selected and I think we’ll have a great year.
• I just was not able to wrap my mind around the Latin study that I was planning to do with Gracie, and she’s watching and listening as Ashley is learning Greek and I can tell that she’s envious.  We have Hey Andrew Teach Me Some Greek on the Crew schedule for this year.  I’m hoping that we’ll receive something that I can use with Gracie.
• As we’re starting our All American History study with Volume 2, we’re doing Little Women as a read-aloud.  That’s one huge book and I feel like it’ll take us forever to get through it!
• Gracie and I haven’t started her science study because I’m waiting for Apologia to release the Notebooking Journal to accompany the Land Animals book.  I hope it’s soon!

If you’d like to participate in the Not Back to School Blog Hop or read what others are using in their schools this year, click here (or on the button above).  Next week will be School Room Week (a topic that always makes me cringe!)

Destination Disney Summer Treats

This week’s Destination Disney topic is to share our favorite Summertime Treats at Disney.  Up until this past month, we had never actually visited Disney in the summer.  But, even when heading to Florida in the winter months, it feels like summer to us PA folk.

Before our visit in January of 2009, I had been frequenting the DISboards, looking for ideas, information, etc. to help with the planning of our trip.  It seemed everyone on the boards was talking about the Dole Whips and how wonderful they are; so I put “Eat a Dole Whip” on my checklist for the week (yes, I’m that weird!). 

Needless to say, I was not disappointed.  Here I am on that trip, enjoying my first ever Dole Whip.  I must say though, it certainly wasn’t the last!  It was a given on this past trip that I absolutely must have one.  Brian and Ashley wanted them this time too. 

Here is Ian, sucking up the remains of one.  Funny thing about the Dole Whips – even though they are an ice cream treat and seem like they’d be best suited for the summer, they melt very fast.  So, you might almost enjoy them more when it’s a bit cooler outside (and your ice cream isn’t running down your arm).  Just sayin’ . . .

FYI: We prefer the Dole Whip Floats (made with pineapple juice).  Dole Whips can be purchased in Adventureland at the Magic Kingdom. 

What’s your favorite Disney Summertime Treat?  Post about it and link up to Destination Disney here.

Destination Disney for 6/14/10

Welcome to Reviews & Reflections! I notice that I have several new followers, so thought I’d take a moment to explain Destination Disney ---
If you’re a Disney lover, then this meme is for you.  Each week, Becky and I will introduce a new Disney-related topic.  Then, you post your answer to the topic/question on your blog.  Pictures are always a fun addition!  Becky and I will answer on our blogs too.  You’ll want to sign the Linky with a direct link to your Destination Disney post so that other participants can find your blog, make new friends, and learn fun stuff about Disney.
Becky lives near Walt Disney World, and it’s the only Disney park I’ve had opportunity to visit, so both of our answers will reflect that.  YOU, however, may feel free to post your answers about ANY Disney park.  We’d love to get some international participants sharing about the Disney park near you!
Without further adieu, here’s this week’s Destination Disney information ---

(FYI: Feel free to grab this button to share in your post. I’m working on getting an updated button created, with the new blog address(es).)
What is your favorite summertime treat at Disney?
Answer this question on your blog, then come back and link up!  I liked the thumbnail linky from last week, so I think we’ll stick with that one – the pictures make it much more fun.  Don’t you think?
Oh, and if you have Disney-lovin’ friends, please send them over! The more, the merrier!

Homeschool Village Blog Fair

I know, I know, just what I need – one more thing to participate in, right?  But, I couldn’t help myself – this one looks fun and it’s about homeschooling – the whole reason I started a blog in the first place!  So, this one looked like way too much fun to pass up. It’s always great to meet like-minded people, and I love hearing about how other homeschoolers spend their days.  If you’re interested in learning about the Homeschool Village Blog Fair, head over to Layton Family Joy for more details. 

Today we’re supposed to post and share what you're doing for homeschool during June - and share 3 homeschoolers who blog.

My answers are going to come pretty easy to me this week ---

For June we’re doing NOTHING! 
That’s not entirely true.  We have finished up our school year (with the exception of Ashley needing to complete her research paper).  So, the goal for June is to get our portfolios together and take them in to the school district (along with our affidavit and paperwork for next year). That means I need to take some time to work on these things because I’ve been somewhat remiss throughout the year. 

I will take this time to put in a plug for The 2010 Schoolhouse Planner.  I’ve been using several planning forms from the 2009 version this past year and they’ll make a great addition to our portfolios!

I want June to be a fun month, so I’d like to plan a few field trips – maybe one per week.  Other than that, though, we’re going to have a light June – not planning to hit the homeschool books until sometime in July or August. :)

And as for 3 blogging homeschoolers --- well, with my job at TOS and heading up the Homeschool Crew, I know way too many blogging homeschoolers to possibly narrow it down to just 3.  So, I’d encourage you to take a look at the Homeschool Crew blogroll in my far right sidebar – you’ll find TONS of blogging homeschoolers there!

Friday Flashback #11

Here is this week’s Friday Flashback Prompt:

Do you have siblings? (If not, keep reading - I'll get to you.) How many and are they boys or girls? Where do you fall in the birth order? How did you view your "spot" in the family compared with the others? If you are the oldest, did you resent the things the youngest got to do that you didn't? If the youngest, what did you want to do like the older ones? And if you are more of a middle child, how did that impact you? How do you think your birth order shaped your personality? Did you and your siblings like each other growing up or did you fight all the time? Are you close now? Or at least friends with each other?! What memories stand out about you and your siblings?

If you are an only child, how did you like that? Were you glad to have all the attention or did you want to have a brother or sister? What advantages were there to being an only child? What disadvantages? Which side of the fence is greener?!

For everyone, did your sibling experiences (or lack thereof!) affect your decision to have kids or to have a certain number?

And my answer:

I’ve shared a bit about my sibling experience in the past, so this may be a repeat for some of my readers ---

I spent the first (almost) 15 years of my life as an only child. My parents wanted more children, but it never seemed to work out.  So, in 1983, the started attending some workshops/classes for adoption.  They were wanting to adopt ONE GIRL between the ages of 5-8.  The adoption agency said that was too tight of an age range, so they changed it to 3-12, or something like that.  After many weeks of these classes and looking through many, many photos of children who were available for adoption, they just weren’t getting a clear signal from God on what to do.  Then, one week, pictures were passed around of TWO BOYS (from Korea).  My mom just passed them on; but, after the class, my dad went and got the pictures and brought them back to her.  These boys were to be my brothers.

We went to the Newark, NJ airport to pick them up on January 31, 1985.  I must say that life hasn’t been the same since!  Being that I was a teenager at the time, I was pretty wrapped up in my own life; and having two little brothers (they were 5 and 7 when they first arrived) can be quite an inconvenience to a teenage girl. 

There were many times, as I watched them growing up, that I wondered what in the world my parents were thinking – they certainly weren’t that lenient with me!  I remember one specific occasion quite clearly --- my mom called to tell me that Jonathan (my youngest brother) had been in a car accident.  I was already married at the  time, but I recalled a time when I had wrecked my mom’s car and my dad was quite angry with me.  So, I was feeling pretty sorry for Jon and how Dad might have responded when he got the news.  I asked Mom and she said that he had sat Jon down and prayed with him.  What?!  Did I hear that properly?  I remember my mom saying “Dad has mellowed over the years!”  LOL  I guess so! 

My brothers are both grown up and married now as well.  David lives in a nearby town with his wife and FOUR BOYS!  Jonathan and his wife live about 2 1/2 hours away, so we don’t see them quite as often; no children yet, but I think they’re hoping for one soon. 

Having my brothers definitely shaped my opinion on siblings.  So much so that, years later when we were having problems with secondary infertility, we decided that adoption was the best option, and pursued an Asian adoption.  Now, my Ashley is the blessed big sister of two younger siblings from Vietnam. 

I will say that I think homeschooling has helped my children to be closer than I ever was with my brothers.  Because we are all together, here, every day, they have no choice but to learn to co-exist, rather than going off and living their own lives (with peers).  I’ve not yet read the book Making Brothers & Sisters Best Friends, but it’s something I’d like to read sometime soon. I think it is possible for siblings to be each other’s best friends.

If you’d like to read more answer to this week’s Friday Flashback, click on the button above.

Friday’s Fave Five #85

I am LOVING this meme!  What an awesome exercise each week – to look back on the week before – and come up with JUST FIVE THINGS that were a blessing to you or that made you happy!  Even when you think you’re having a horrible week, I’m sure you can come up with five little things.  Doing so will make you feel better – I promise!

1. Living in Pennsylvania.  Yes, I said it.  I know I’m often envious of my Florida friends – especially the ones who live really close to my buddy Mickey – but I’m so glad it’s spring here right now and not snowing! 

2. Family time on Sunday.  We went to the mall after church for lunch and were enjoying each other’s company so much that we didn’t even realize that we had been waiting so long for our food until the waitress came to the table, apologized, and said that the managers were covering our meal for us!  Free lunch – can’t beat that! 

3. Homeschooling.  I’ve been purposely spending more time with my girls this week – trying to “kick things up” a bit so we can finish school before we leave for Florida (3 weeks from today!)  I realize how much more we/they can accomplish when we’re all working together – and I’m convicted that I need to be a better steward of my time. I’m still trying to learn how to juggle school, work, and life.  But, despite all that, it’s such a blessing to have my kids home with me!

4. A trip to the library that yielded positive results.  See, I don’t like the library – I never have. I don’t like getting books that I have to give back – I’m a confessed bookaholic and I like to keep books!  The few times we’ve gone in for things we need for school, we can never find them and get so frustrated.  But, this time, we got several books that Ashley can use for her research paper – and Gracie and Ian loved playing in the new/updated children’s area.

5. Music.  I love music and have passed that on to my daughter Ashley who listens to music non-stop (to the point that it’s actually annoying sometimes) – and who has taught herself to play the guitar!  Gracie, too, has an appreciation for music and enjoys both piano and violin lessons – which require hours and hours of practice each week. And, Ian – he’s our little singer – he’ll just start singing songs and we’ll wonder how he knows them (such as “I’m Still Yours” by Kutless) – too cute!

FQF for 4/30/10

1. If you could, would you go back to high school?

Absolutely not! I have some great memories from high school; but I would not want to go back to being a teenager. 

2. If a genie appeared and granted you two wishes, what would they be? (And, no saying "more wishes".)

My first wish would probably be health and happiness for me and my family.  The second would be to have the opportunity to visit with Sue again – for just one day!

3. What kids show do you secretly like?

Well, we don’t have tv service, but my kids have been watching Disney shows – thanks to Netflix and instant streaming through the Wii.  I have to admit, I enjoy Wizards of Waverly Place (otherwise known – to Ian – as “Lizards”) and The Suite Life.

4. What is your beverage of choice?

Depends on the time of day.  If it’s morning – coffee.  If it’s not – water.

5. What is something that you would change about yourself (or are working to change in yourself)?

Oh, there are lots of things.  Where to start?  I want to be a prayer warrior.  I want to spend more time reading my Bible.  I want to be a better steward of my time. I want to be thinner (which would require learning how not to be a stress-eater).  I want to have a better self-esteem.  Is that enough?  Can I stop now?

To participate in Five Question Friday, or to read more answers, click the button above.

Small Talk Six – Rise & Shine

This week’s Small Talk Six is a no-brainer.  Yay!

Today’s topic is “the first 6 things you do after you open your eyes in the morning.” You can answer this with a list of 6 words, 6 phrases, 6 sentences, 6 paragraphs, 6 photos, 6 videos, etc . . .

When I get up in the morning, I:

1. Go downstairs
2. Go to the bathroom
3. Wash my face
4. Put on my coffee
5. Turn on my computer
6. Feed the dog

If you would like to participate in Small Talk Six, simply click on the button  above.

Don’t forget --- there’s still one week left to sign up for my SodaStream giveaway.  You know you want one!

Random Dozen – Really, Really Random

1. How do you feel about "Gladiator" sandals, also called "Roman" or "Jesus" sandals? A fashion yea or nay? Truthfully, I don’t like them. I think they’re kinda ugly and they look uncomfortable. I used to wear shoes for style – no more! I dress for comfort now!

2. What is your favorite pizza?  Ashley and I have a favorite, tried-and-true pizza crust recipe that we’ve perfected. We like it best with Ragu pizza sauce and pepperoni and ham as toppings.  It’s a family favorite at our house!

3. There are plans in the works to sell roughly 1,000 items from Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. This means you could buy Picard's chair for your family room. If not a Star Trek item, what prop, background, set, etc. from what TV or movie would you buy if you could? I’d love the Walton’s house.  My daughter, Ashley, would love the General Lee from The Dukes of Hazzard!
  
4. Name a local food or restaurant that your area is famous for.  I live in central PA, in the heart of Amish country.  We’re famous for Pennsylvania Dutch food here – things like pork & sauer kraut and pot pie (which is not like the meat pie you eat in other parts of the US, but actually more like what a lot of people call dumplings).  Also, snitz & kneff and 1/2 moon pies (which are like an individual apple pie, but the filling is apple butter – yum!)

5. What is your current favorite snack? I really like to snack on nuts and trail mix type things.

6. Hypothetical: You are required to be a reality show contestant. Which show would you choose based on your probability of success? (You cannot choose "none.")
A. Dancing with the Stars
B. Biggest Loser
C. Survivor
Definitely B – Biggest Loser. I’ve got weight to lose anyway and, from what I hear, you wouldn’t have much choice but to lose on that show! I’m not a dancer and I wouldn’t survive 5 minutes on Survivor!

7. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being uninhabitable and 10 being cleanliness that meets the standards of OCD, how clean is your vehicle's interior?  Thanks to my husband, probably about a 7.

8. It doesn't feel like Spring until I start to see green outside and the weather gets warmer.

9. Something that made you laugh really hard recently is hanging out with my assistant Brenda and her family after the Midwest Convention.  It struck me, all of a sudden, that her husband bears a striking resemblance to one of my old heartthrobs of the 70’s – Shawn Cassidy. We spent quite a bit of time laughing over that!

10. Tell me about a goal you're working toward. Getting my children all successfully through school.  Oh, and selling out of TOS totes at the next convention! :)

11. Share a thought-provoking or inspiring quote this week.
"Isn't it splendid to think of all the things there are to find out about? It just makes me feel glad to be alive--it's such an interesting world. It wouldn't be half so interesting if we know all about everything, would it? There'd be no scope for imagination then, would there?"
— L.M. Montgomery (Anne of Green Gables)

12. Name one thing that you do as a parent that you absolutely know will make your kids happy. If you're not a parent, feel free to substitute "friend" or nomenclature that works for you. I’m always trying to plan fun things for us to do – I think they enjoy that.  I also like to find things for them to get involved in and school curriculum that fit their interests and various needs.

I’m a day late and a dollar short!

I’ve been surfing the blogosphere and just happened along CopMama’s blog and this meme. It looked like fun, so I thought I’d play along, even though I’m a day late. 

The prompt is optional – but I’m going to go with it – so here it is:

Hand-me Downs, Thrift Stores, & Garage Sales for YOUR Kid's Clothes? What's YOUR Secret?

When Ashley was little, I used to watch the newspaper each week and scout out all the good yard & garage sales in the area.  I don’t do that anymore – it got to be too much work and wasn’t fun anymore (though I will say that yard-saling IS fun if you go with a friend).

I LOVE hand-me-downs! We used to get from relatives when Ashley was little and we would have so much fun going through the bags and picking out the things that would fit her, etc. She would do her little fashion show – walking the runway that is our living room – and we had a blast. I don’t think we’ve ever got a bag of hand-me-down for Gracie. :(  A few weeks ago, we picked up a bag on freecycle clothes from a friend, though – and we found a TON of shirts in that bag that were just Gracie’s size – so that was exciting.  I’ve also never received hand-me-downs for Ian.  I guess my kids just aren’t the right ages/sizes to work out for hand-me-downs from friends/family.  Too bad!

I do  try to pass the kids’ clothes along to other friends who can use them when we’re done with them.  I know how much we’ve appreciated hand-me-downs in the past, and I like to share with others and bless them.

We have some great thrift and consignment shops in our area and I buy a large portion of the kids’ clothes at those stores when I can. We’ve even started taking things (our own outgrown items) to a children’s consignment shop and it was a nice surprise to receive a check for over $30 several months ago!  Gracie is very thin and can only wear pants that are slims with the draw-up waistbands – so I often have to buy her jeans and pants new (Old Navy and Penney’s often have good sales).

Ashley – being the teenager that she is – often has trouble shopping at these stores.  So, for her, we usually take a girls’ day out and go shopping for her when a new season rolls around.  It’s time for one of those shopping days right about now, as we prepare for summer.

What about you?
How do you clothe your children?

Random Dozen – 4/6/10

1. Define a great relationship.  To me, a great relationship is one in which you have complete trust in and comfort with someone else.  You feel comfortable to share anything with this person; yet times of silence are also welcome (and understood).

2. Why is it called a "drive-through" if you have to stop? (Real question: What was the last food/drink you purchased at a drive-through?) Good question! Allow me to interject here how frustrated I get when they ask you to “pull up and wait” too!  Anyway, our last drive-through experience was probably at McDonald’s and I got an iced coffee (love the Hazelnut).  Has anyone tried their new frozen blended coffees?

3. As I type this, the Butler Bulldogs are getting ready to play in the NCAA championship game. Every Hoosier is hysterical about this except me. So in honor of the Bulldogs ... what is your favorite breed of dog? (I tried.)  Hmmm… probably Golden Retrievers – they’re so pretty and docile. But, since we have a Pug, I have to recognize them too – they’re pretty darned cute.  I love our friend’s Boston Terrier (though others I’ve seen aren’t nearly as cute as Eddiee) and I think Huskies are gorgeous too (though we had one once and they’re way too hairy to be housedogs).

4. If you had to move to a state besides the one you currently live in, where would you move? Duh – Florida!  I want to go where it’s warm!

5. If you could change anything about the way you were raised, what would it be? Honestly – I can’t think of a thing! I have great parents and I think they did a pretty good job in raising me.  However, there are a few things I’d change about myself – first, I’d kill the teenage attitude; and second, I’d have had a more personal relationship with both my parents as a teen.

6. Who's the funniest person you know? Tim Hawkins! (Can’t wait to see him in Cincinnati this weekend!)  Or, did you mean “personally”, probably my son Ian – he always makes me smile.  There are 2 honorable mentions here too (though I’ve not had opportunity to meet either of them face-to-face – yet) --- Sheri and Denise from the Crew – love them!  They both have a way with words that always puts a smile on my face (even in the darkest of times).

7. Did you get enough sleep last night? Yes.

8. What's the first thing you thought about this morning? Working and getting ready for our trip tomorrow.

9. Grilled or Fried? –HONESTLY Honestly, I’d prefer fried.

10. Are you afraid of the dark? Sometimes – it depends on the situation. In general, no.

11.When you were a kid, what did you want to be when you grew up? A mother, a hairdresser, and/or a teacher.  Now, I’m all 3, in my own way!

12. If you had one word to describe yourself , what would you choose? loyal

Random Dozen is hosted by Linda at 2nd Cup of Coffee (which, by the way, I am drinking as I post this!)  Visit Linda and find out how to play along.

Random Dozen

I saw this over at The Berry Patch and it looked like fun. So, I followed Lisa’s link to 2nd Cup of Coffee, so that I could play along!

1. How do you feel about the marshmallow Easter Peeps? I don’t like them. They are going and sugary and disgusting. Just sayin’ . . .

2. Chickens are notoriously nervous creatures. When you are nervous, what is the best way to calm down? Take a bubble bath, while reading a good book.  Other things that seem to work: talking it out with a friend, praying, drinking coffee (by the pot-full).

3. People say, "April showers bring May flowers." Do you enjoy Spring rains? Sometimes – when in moderation, that is. I don’t enjoy rain for several days in a row – I need my sunshine.  But, I do enjoy standing out in a warm, spring rain.

4. When I was randomly flipping through TV channels this week, I saw a show in which tattoo parlor employees received tattoos of a co-worker's face on their bodies. I can't imagine having a portrait of a colleague tattooed on me. But if someone forced you to receive a portrait tattoo (face only) of anyone, who would it be? Why? One of my kids, because I know I’ll always love them (no matter what).

5. Would you rather have a tattoo (any kind) or a nose ring? Nose ring, definitely. I’m not much for pain, and they say tattoos are pretty painful. I figure the nose ring is just a quick pain.  Mine would need to be a little diamond stud though (truth is, I think they’re rather  cute!)

6. Do you have any special plans for Easter? We have plans all Easter weekend – first is the Good Friday service at our church.  Gracie will be playing her violin. :)  Saturday, we plan to take Gracie and Ian to one or two local egg hunts. Then, Sunday morning we’ll go to church and follow that up with lunch at my parents’ house. 

7. Cadbury Eggs or Reese Eggs? Probably Reese, but it depends on my mood – every once in a blue moon, I might go for the Cadbury Egg.

8. What was the last thing/person you took a picture of? Ian.  Not only is he incredibly adorable, but he does some of the cutest things.  This picture was taken yesterday afternoon – after his nap – guess he wasn’t quite ready to wake up, because he laid down RIGHT IN FRONT OF the stove and fell back to sleep.

9. What book are you reading now, or what was the last one? Forget Me Not by Vicki Hinze.  I guess you would call it a Christian Suspense.

10. What do you think is the most difficult task when it comes to Spring cleaning? All of it. 

11. How many pairs of flip-flops do you own? Well, I just bought 2 new pairs for this summer, and I have several old pairs.  Hmmm. . . I don’t know right off hand and I’m too lazy to go to my closet and count.  Love flip-flops!

12. Which color makes you happiest? Purple!

Kitchen Questions 2010

I saw this over at Marmee’s Pantry and thought I’d play along for fun! If you decide to play along too, please leave me a comment and let me know (then head over to Marmee’s blog and let her know too!)

1. Do you have magnets on your fridge? Yes. When we bought our new fridge, I said I wouldn’t put magnets on it and clutter it all up; but, alas, they are there.  And, truthfully, it almost looks funny without them.

2. Do you have a calendar in your kitchen, if so, what's the theme of it? Yes.  For years, I’ve been wanting to make a calendar with pictures on it – so we finally broke down and did that at Shutterfly this year. We LOVE how it turned out. I’m already planning to do one for my parents for next year. 

3. What is your favorite kitchen gadget or tool? My Cutco knives.

4. Are you lucky enough to have a pantry of some kind? Yes. I’ve never thought of it as “luck” though. We have an older style home – built in 1929 – and have a combination 1/2 bath and pantry.  Sounds silly, doesn’t it?!  But the extra storage space is nice.

5.What is your favorite appliance? My coffee pot or my toaster oven.

6. Do you have an eat in kitchen (table in it)? No.  I wish we did, though.  Our kitchen is set up weird, and really has a lot of wasted space.

7. Do you have a bread box? No.

8. Do you have a picture of your kids on the fridge? Yes.  Plus their pictures are on the calendar (mentioned above) with hangs on the fridge with said magnets!

9. Do you ever cook breakfast in your PJs? Sure!  Don’t you?

10. Do you have a favorite cookbook that you use? I have a lot of favorite cookbooks that I use. My first favorite was a grange cookbook that my mom gave me – I have that thing about worn out. New favorites are some local church cookbooks (that I’ve helped create) and some cookbooks that were gifts from Ohio friends.

11. Are you lucky enough to have recipes that were passed down from your mom or grandma? Yes, and we even have a family cookbook with many of these treasured recipes in it.

12. What’s your favorite food? Pretty much anything Italian.

13. What’s your favorite thing to cook? Lasagna and Stromboli.

14. Is your coffee pot electric or stove top? Electric.

15. Do you ever make your own bread? Yes, thanks to the West ladies from Homestead Blessings dvd’s.  We need to make it on a more regular basis, though.  I’m a bit of a bread snob and won’t eat store-bought bread.

16. Name one thing that you have hanging on your wall in your kitchen. A really cool chalkboard/corkboard that my cousin Felicity and her husband made for me out of an old window frame from their house.  I love it!

17. Is there a clock in your kitchen? Yes, on the stove and microwave.  There’s also a clock above the sink, but it doesn’t work!

18. Do you have a bowl of fruit sitting on your table or counter? Nope.

19. What type of canisters do you have? I have a 4-piece canister set from my days of selling Home & Garden Party.  It’s the floral pattern.

20. Does your kitchen have a theme? Not really, but there is a lot of floral pottery in it (see #19).

21. What's for supper tonight? Haven’t decided yet.

22. Do you have enough cabinet space? Does anyone? I think we tend to fill what we have. I could use more.

23. Does your family use paper plates? Sometimes – like on weekends when we order take-out pizza, or for birthdays.

24. Do you have a good set of china? No. I do have a set of H&G stoneware, though, that we use when company comes.  And I have a set of Princess House dinnerware also.  It’s in my “china” cabinet.

25. Do you wear an apron to work in your kitchen? No. But, I want to – I really want to. I just haven’t been able to find an apron that I’m comfortable with.

26. Name one thing, if anything, that you would like to change about your kitchen. I’d like to make it more user-friendly, space-wise. I’m not sure how to do that, though, short of having the entire room remodeled.