Lesson's Learned . . .

Today I had a talk with a young friend of mine.

There was some profound sadness going on in his young mind.  Things just seemed so, so unfair.

And so we talked about it for awhile . . .

I can’t remember when I learned some of the truths I know now, but they are a part of me.  I had to stop and think . . .oh, my!  I didn’t always know what I now know!

So I took a few minutes and shared a couple of things with him:

1.       Many times we think “Everybody is looking at me!  They all think I’m stupid!”   In reality, they are all thinking “Everybody is looking at ME!  They all think I’M STOOOPID”.  Actually, you aren’t that important to them . . .they’re thinking about themselves, not you!

2.       Not every thought that pops into your head is the gospel truth.  In fact, if that thought is making you feel really bad, you’d better double check it.  We people tend to BELIEVE the voices in our heads that tell us horrible things . . .I mean, the voice is in your HEAD.  Why wouldn’t you believe it?  But trust me, double check the voice.   Sometimes we are our own worst enemies and sometimes we are our own harshest critics.

One more thing . . .if you do talk to somebody and they tell you mean things about somebody else, you can almost be guaranteed that they are saying mean things about you to other people.  

Well, it's always good to think about what we know, isn't it?  And to pass it on.

May you remember your lesson's learned as you move through your day, and may you share ( nicely!) with those who may need to learn from you.

Be well,

~ Jenn

A Whale of a View!

From my deck I can see for miles.  I see little bitty cars driving along, colorful houses and roofs,  and I see boats at sea.  And I see lots and lots of blue water.  The blue water stretches on forever.  There’s a handful of cays and islands scattered out there in the deep blue sea.

And today there was a . . .a . . .LUMP!

What was this lump, out in the ocean?

 It was a Humpback Whale!  It was bigger than a pick-up truck, black as could be and moving rather fast through the water. 

I have seen boats and this was NOT a boat.

I have seen rocks, and they don’t move. 

And this is “whale” season.

It felt like a gift, this glimpse of something extraordinary.

It reminded me that the world is much bigger than me and the flotsam and jetsam that make up the worries in my life.

Yay for the Whales and Yay for God, who made them.

~ Jenn

President's Day; link to a GREAT story about Abraham Lincoln

Today is President's Day in the United States!

It's a day that was created to honor George Washington and Abraham Lincoln.

I went through a "jag" when I read a lot about Abraham Lincoln.  One book in particular really struck me.  It was more about Abraham Lincoln as a husband and a father than as a President.  In my mind's eye I can see the cover of the blue book and it seems to me that it may have been written as a biography about Mary Lincoln and not Abraham at all, but I can't remember the title!  I just know that it is buried in one of the boxes that we have in storage miles and miles from here!

I read about President Lincoln's inability to keep the fire going in his house.  He was always having to go out and borrow coals from the neighbors to relight his own fire.

I read about Mary Lincoln and how she took the baby of a woman who could not produce her own milk and breastfed that child to keep in alive.  Back then there was no running to the corner store for formula and it was not always easy to procure a goat or milk cow.  Knowing what we know now, it was probably her milk was probably the best option for that little bundle.

I read about President Lincoln walking down the sidewalk with his nose buried in a book.   Behind him he pulled his two boys in a wagon.  They must have been quite small.  One of them fell out and Lincoln didn't even notice!

I remember another book about the Lincoln's and how their boys were known as "little terrors!" by some of the people who visited the White House . . .it is interesting to view people through different lenses, isn't it?

I remember stories about George Washington, too.  Did you know that he never had children of his own?  He married Martha Washington and she already had children.  He loved them dearly, but Martha refused to let him "interfere" with the children.  Some people say that they would have been better people if Martha would have let George teach them a bit, but Martha feared that he would "hurt their feelings" and did not allow him to influence them very much . . .

How interesting that he was known as the "Father of our Country" and yet was not allowed to father the children in his house.

But that was only one way of looking at it, and perhaps that was not the way it REALLY was.  Who knows?

Today the kiddos and I are reading about these men . . .

This link is to a wonderful story about Abraham Lincoln and his stepmother.  I cried when I read it to my children.  I had read it when I was a child and was surprised to think that our famous President came from such a humble beginning.  I read it again, as a mother, and thought of what it must have taken for Sally Lincoln to live with grace and compassion and strength in that wilderness . . .

It's inspiring!

Enjoy the link.  http://2rbetter.org/pipermail/mailing/2008/000065.html

More links for you to check out  . . .but I must say that the story about Abraham Lincoln had a rather bloody bit about Native Americans in it.   And these stories were written before "political" correctness, so just keep that in mind as you search for interesting bits about our Presidents.

Abraham Lincoln  http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=hamilton&book=lincoln&story=boyhood

George Washington http://www.mainlesson.com/display.php?author=pratt&book=ahs1&story=george

The Appointment with Love

This Valentines Day I was reminded of a story I read long, long ago.  Some stories are worth re-reading!  :)  Enjoy,

~ Jenn

The Appointment with Love

by S.I. Kishor

Six minutes to six, said the clock over the information booth in New York’s Grand Central Station. The tall young Army officer lifted his sunburned face and narrowed his eyes to note the exact time. His heart was pounding with a beat that choked him. In six minutes he would see the woman who had filled such a special place in his life for the past 18 months, the woman he had never seen yet whose words had sustained him unfailingly.

Lt. Blandford remembered one day in particular, the worst of the fighting, when his plane had been caught in the midst of a pack of enemy planes. In one of those letters, he had confessed to her that often he felt fear, and only a few days before this battle, he had received her answer: “Of course you fear… all brave men do. Next time you doubt yourself, I want you to hear my voice reciting to you: “Yeah, though I walk through the valley of Death, I shall fear no evil, for thou art with me…” He had remembered that and it renewed his strength.

He was going to hear her voice now. Four minutes to six. A girl passed closer to him, and Lt.Blandford started. She was wearing a flower, but it was not the little red rose they had agreed upon. Besides, this girl was only about 18, and Hollis Maynel had told him she was 30. “What of it?” he had answered, “I’m 32.” He was 29. His mind went back to that book he had read in the training camp. “Of Human Bondage” it was and throughout the book were notes in a woman’s handwriting. He had never believed that a woman could see into a man’s heart so tenderly, so understandingly. Her name was on the bookplate: Hollis Maynell. He got a hold of a New York City telephone book and found her address. He had written, she had answered. Next day he had been shipped out, but they had gone on writing.

For thirteen months she had faithfully replied. When his letters did not arrive, she wrote anyway, and now he believed he loved her, and she loved him. But she had refused all his pleas to send him her photograph. She had explained: “If your feeling for me had no reality, what I look like won’t matter. Suppose I am beautiful. I’d always be haunted that you had been taking a chance on just that, and that kind of love would disgust me. Suppose that I’m plain, (and you must admit that this is more likely), then I’d always fear that you were only going on writing because you were lonely and had no one else. No, don’t ask for my picture. When you come to New York, you shall see me and then you shall make your own decision.”

One minute to six… He flipped the pages of the book he held. Then Lt. Blandford’s heart lept. A young woman was coming toward him. Her figure was long and slim; her blond hair lay back in curls from delicate ears. Her eyes were blue as flowers, her lips and chin had a gentle firmness. In her pale-green suit, she was like springtime come alive. He started toward her, forgetting to notice that she was wearing no rose, and as he moved, a small, provacative smile curved her lips. “Going my way, soldier?” she murmured.

He made one step closer to her. Then he saw Hollis Maynell. She was standing almost directly behind the girl, a woman well past 40, her graying hair tucked under a worn hat. She was more than plump. Her thick-ankled feet were thrust into low-heeled shoes. But she wore a red rose on her crumpled coat. The girl in the green suit was walking quickly away. Blandford felt as though he were being split in two, so keen was his desire to follow the girl, yet so deep was his longing for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and upheld his own, and there she stood.

He could see her pale face was gentle and sensible; her gray eyes had a warm twinkle. Lt. Blandford did not hesitate. His fingers gripped the worn copy of “Of Human Bondage” which was to identify him to her. This would not be love, but it would be something special, a friendship for which he had been and must be ever grateful… He squared his shoulders, saluted, and held the book out toward the woman, although even while he spoke he felt the bitterness of his disappointment.

“I’m Lt. Blandford, and you’re Miss Maynell. I’m so glad you could meet me. “May, may I take you to dinner?” The woman’s face broadened in a tolerant smile. “I don’t know what this is all about, son,” she answered. “That young lady in the greensuit, she begged me to wear this rose on my coat. And she said that if you asked me to go out with you, I should tell you she’s waiting for you in that restaurant across the street. She said it was some kind of test.”

Sharing a Great Link about Countries with You . . .

Just stumbled across this great link and thought I'd stick it in my blog.

http://www.letteroftheweek.com/country_of_the_week.html

So many times the kiddos and I find ourselves grabbing the globe to see exactly where something is, and sometimes we have conversations like "If we wanted to have supper from India, what would we eat?"

We will be using this site as we work our way through The Jungle Book and Heidi.


Enjoy!

~ Jenn

Hunting Lionfish in the Caribbean

The Lionfish is as threatening as its name.  The Lionfish is native to the Indo-Pacific and arrived in the Atlantic after Hurricane Andrew hit Florida in 1992.  Because aquarium owners did not have electricity, they dumped their fish into the sea.

In 1994 a Lionfish was spotted off the Coast of Florida.  Now it is eating its way through the Caribbean and man is his only predator right now.

Divers are encouraged to carry Lionfish markers because the Lionfish tends to stay in the same area.   That way someone can return and capture this fish.

A Lionfish marker is easy to make and easy to use.  Check out this article for more information.

http://stthomasre.com/st-thomas-virgin-islands-news/juvenile-lionfish-found-on-st-john

Happy hunting to all of those out in the beautiful blue sea!

~ Jenn

Let's Keep the Kiddos Safe

Who likes sad stories?  Not me.

I am a HUGE fan of happy endings and I believe that we can create happy endings in our lives and the lives around us by making wise choices . . .

One way to create happy endings is to choose to acknowledge that bad stuff DOES happen  and to choose to KNOW how to prevent it from happening the first.  If it DOES happen, we need to know what to do.

I read this blog entry this weekend:  http://dollfamilyzone.blogspot.com/2010/07/breaking-silence.html

It is the story of a family who was doing their best to raise their family is a safe way, and BAD stuff still happened.  She shared her story in the hope that it might prevent some other heartbreak, and I admire her for her courage.

So it seems that to keep kiddos safe, a little discussion about Good Touch, Bad Touch and that third kind of touch is necessary.

Here's the link to an article I found that really offered some great ideas on how to discuss this uncomfortable topic with children.  I really liked the "safety rules" for kids page on this site, as well.

http://www.goodtouchbadtouch.com/child-safety-at-home/talking-to-a-child-about-abuse

Be well, and may you and yours always be safe.

~ Jenn

PS:  picture from this site.  http://www.urban-photography-art.com/index.html

Water and the use thereof in the Islands . . .

The question that inspired this blog was simple enough."What is desalination?"

"Well, it is the process of removing salt from water."

"How?"

"I'm not completely sure.  Let's look it up, because we know it's really important, especially here on an island where people sometimes run out of freshwater . . ."

I remember one summer when my brothers decided to "dig to China."  At about eight feet or, maybe even six feet, they hit water.  I remember watching as my Dad and other men from my community dug wells. I took the Ogallala Aquifer for granted.  We always had really lovely drinking water, fresh from the tap when I was growing up.  ( For more on that, check out this cool article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ogallala_Aquifer ).

And then I moved to an island.  Our first landlord told us, gently, that people from the States often need to change their water usage habits when they move to the islands.  I was not sure what that meant.  After talking to a few people, I had a better idea.  They offered suggestions such as "Don't flush unless it is really necessary.  If you decide to garden, water with your dishwater.  Shower with one foot in a bucket.  Flush with the water from the bucket.  Hook up your washing machine in such a way that you can save the rinse water and wash the next load in THAT water."

Occasionally I'd see signs like this in bathrooms:  "If it's yellow, let it mellow" or "In this land of fun and sun,we don't flush for number one."

A couple of weeks ago I saw a less catchy sign.  It read something like this: "To anyone who uses this bathroom:  please be sure that the toilet is not running when you leave.  Recently someone left the toilet running.  It ran all night and emptied the small cistern connected to this building.  Then it burned up the pump."  Hmmm.

I know what a cistern is.  :)  I learned about cisterns REALLY fast.  All island homes are built to collect rainwater.  It is filtered and stored in a cistern for the people of the house to use for bathing, flushing and, if you are lucky enough to have a washer, laundry.

Unfortunately, I have experienced the sad, sad sound of a cistern running low on water.  I was just innocently turning on the tap to wash my hands and the sink SPUTTERED at me.   Yes, it sputtered.  I thought "That's weird."  Now I know that when that happens, it means that someone had better call the water truck and get ready to shell out some big bucks.  Water is a dear, dear commodity here.

Thank God that somebody somewhere figured out desalination to help those of us who don't have infinite water supplies . . .

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/drinkseawater.html

One of the ways salt is removed from water is through reverse osmosis.  This is a really great site about the subject.  My kiddos and I are going to be doing a few of these experiments over the next few days.

http://www.ehow.com/list_6364184_osmosis-science-activities-kids.html

And we're also going to talk about why water is so important to us . . .

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu/propertyyou.html

And we'll also talk about how to use less water.

http://socyberty.com/activism/use-less-water-in-seven-easy-steps/

Maybe we'll even talk about how to find water if, heaven forbid, we ever find ourselves stranded in the wild.

http://www.survival.org.au/water.php

Water.  Such a short, concise word.  I had no idea one simple question would lead us so many different directions!

May you have a wonderful day, and always as much clean water to drink as you like.

~ Jenn

The Fish Chronicles: Part One, Sergeant Majors

Hello Reader! Welcome to the Fish Chronicles! I am going to be your guide for a while, telling you about some fish that we see here in the Caribbean. Let's start with the Sergeant Major Fish (or, if you like Latin names, Abudefduf Saxatilis).

A Sergeant Major

A Group of Sergeant Majors

 Sergeant Major Fish are common reef-goers that live in shallow water. They are relatively large Damsel Fish, growing up to nine inches. The Sergeant Major earned its name from the stripes on its side, which, if turned sideways, vaguely resemble a military Sergeant Major's insignia.  Sergeant Majors eat algae, small crustaceans, small fishes and some invertebrate larvae. Adult Sergeants will form large feeding aggregations, sometimes in groups of hundreds of fish. Like most Damsel Fish, the Sergeant Major can be rather aggressive and territorial to other reef inhabitants. 

This blog brought to you courtesy of Katie, my favorite Fish Whisperer.   :)    Check back soon for more Fish Chronicles from Katie.

Thanks for reading,

~ Jenn

If You Were to Go Scuba Diving in the Virgin Islands, It Might Look Like This

And the crazy thing is, ordinary people do this ALL the time.

Well, the ordinary people who are fortunate enough to be able to visit the ocean.  :)

 You don't have to be rich or a rocket scientist.  Beginning scuba diving lessons are surprisingly affordable.  You just need to find a dive shop and ask them if they offer beginning diving lessons.

 For my American friends who don't live by the ocean, you can go scuba diving in aquariums!  I know that the aquarium in Denver Colorado has a program for people to swim there . . .

What an amazing world we live in.

~ Jenn

A Bit about Anger. And a Bit about God.

an·ger (aŋ′gər)

noun

1.     a feeling of displeasure resulting from injury, mistreatment, opposition, etc., and usually showing itself in a desire to fight back at the supposed cause of this feeling

2.     OBSOLETE pain or trouble

Origin: ME < ON angr, distress < IE base *angh-, constricted > L angustus, narrow,angustia, tightness, Gr anchein, to squeeze, anchonē, a strangling, Ger angst, fear  from http://www.yourdictionary.com/anger

So, anger.  It happens.   

And when something happens, I think it is good to talk about it so we all know what in the world is going on here.

So today’s Table Talk turned out to be about anger.

I wanted the kiddos to realize some things about anger.

First, I wanted them to realize that anger can be a good thing, because it shows that the person experiencing anger is a person who FEELS.  It’s pretty cool to be a person who feels and feels things deeply.   

And second, I wanted them to present to them a picture of anger.  To me, anger is like fire.  Fire can be a very positive thing when it is controlled.  In fact, we control fire at our house on a daily basis because we have a gas stove.  And I happen to be one of those people who loves to burn candles.   We light candles on an almost daily basis.

But uncontrolled fire is a nightmare.  I know this better than some people.  We lost our house to a fire about ten years ago.  I don’t think I’ll ever forget standing outside on a cold February morning watching flames shoot out of the top of our house.  As bad as that was, it was worse when I got the phone call about my Dad and his welding accident.  Third degree burns covered his chest and back.  It could have cost him his life.  Thank God that my Dad is fine now . . .

The point is . . . fire is GOOD, but only when it is controlled.

And so it is with anger.  If you care about something enough to get angry about it, then you’ll be motivated to make some necessary changes.  It can be a very GOOD thing.

But if you let anger control you . . . whoa Nellie!  It can be just as dangerous as an uncontrolled fire.

It takes a lot of strength to control your anger.

It’s super easy to tell somebody to control their anger, but it is not so easy to teach them HOW to control their anger.  This is a topic I’m interested in, so I’ll be talking about it again . . .

But for now, let me just share with you what I shared with my kiddos.

We all need tools to help us when we don’t know how to help ourselves.

My good friend Joy works in a hospital.  She’s got a gift for calming anxious, fearful or unreasonable people down.  She teaches them to breathe in through their nose, like they are smelling a flower and then out through their mouths, slowly, like they are blowing out a candle.

I let the kiddos each light the candle, and then I let each of them blow the candle out.  Then I told them that I was going to leave the candle burning most of the day.  I told them that I wanted them to remember when they looked at it that if they felt themselves getting angry, well, then they should breathe in through their nose like they were smelling something really great.  Perhaps they could pretend they were smelling a flower.   Perhaps they’d like to pretend to be smelling fresh cookies or fresh laundry.  Mmmmm.  And I told them to remember:  it takes a STRONG person to control anger.

I told them about President  Einsenhower who is regarded by historians as one of the top ten Presidents of the United States. ( Thank you, Wikipedia!)   I told them that he was General and what General does.  I asked them what kind of person gets to lead an Army.  They had some great words for me:  brave, leader, daring.  I had a word of my own:  STRONG.  

I told them a story about President Einsenhower's childhood.  He had older siblings and it was Halloween.  They were going trick or treating and he wanted go, too.  His mother said that he was too little and he must stay home.  He stayed, but he was very angry.  He went into the yard and began to attack a tree.  By the time he finished with that tree, his hands were bleeding.

His mother looked at him and said "You must learn to control your anger."  He did, and he grew up to be a great man.

Now for the God bit; at our house we talk about God a lot.  I believe that if we need help, He’s there for us. 

He’s got some ideas on what to do to prevent anger.  First, try to prevent anger.   Use a calm voice when you’re talking to other people.  (Proverbs 15:1)  But if it happens, don’t let it control you and hurt you and somebody else.  (Ephesians 4:26).   And when you breathe deeply, breathe a prayer, too.  God’s listening and He wants to help.  (James 1:5).

Wonder how this will play out . . .

I have an injured right hand.  I can't really get it wet.

BUT I have two kiddos who are saving every available dollar to put towards something they both REALLY want and are planning to share.  Without me telling them to pool their savings, they decided to do so throw it all together.

So, this morning, as I surveyed my kitchen and all the dishes that need to be done.  I thought about just telling the kiddos to do them.  They CAN do them, and they WILL do them, if they are told to do the dishes.

If I do that, there will be wails and gnashing of teeth.  I won't let them keep wailing and gnashing their teeth because that is unpleasant for ALL of us.  I can stop it without bribing me children and I have before.

But . . .but . . .

What if I offer my ten year boy and his younger sister money for cleaning up the kitchen?  I want them to get their hearts desire almost as much as they want it.   This is what  my plan looks like:

$4 if they clean it together, but bicker.
$5 if only one kiddos works on the kitchen
$6 if they can work together nicely.

So far, it is working beautifully.  The bad attitudes that I hate dealing with are not in the kitchen.  I'll let you know how it goes . . .

~ Jenn

Edited to Add:

The bad attitudes vanished immediately when I reminded them that they got more money if they had a good attitude.

I did have to remind them that it was not okay for one sibling to go lay in the hammock while the other did most of the work . . .

Other than that, it worked quite well and they got lots of praise for their good attitudes and excellent work.  Yay for my kiddos!

The Duel

by Eugene Field (1850-1895)

The gingham dog and the calico cat
Side by side on the table sat;
'T was half-past twelve, and (what do you think!)
Nor one nor t' other had slept a wink!
      The old Dutch clock and the Chinese plate
      Appeared to know as sure as fate
There was going to be a terrible spat.
            (I wasn't there; I simply state
            What was told to me by the Chinese plate!)

The gingham dog went "Bow-wow-wow!"
And the calico cat replied "Mee-ow!"
The air was littered, an hour or so,
With bits of gingham and calico,
      While the old Dutch clock in the chimney-place
      Up with its hands before its face,
For it always dreaded a family row!
            (Now mind: I 'm only telling you
            What the old Dutch clock declares is true!)

The Chinese plate looked very blue,
And wailed, "Oh, dear! what shall we do!"
But the gingham dog and the calico cat
Wallowed this way and tumbled that,
      Employing every tooth and claw
      In the awfullest way you ever saw---
And, oh! how the gingham and calico flew!
            (Don't fancy I exaggerate---
            I got my news from the Chinese plate!)

Next morning, where the two had sat
They found no trace of dog or cat;
And some folks think unto this day
That burglars stole that pair away!
      But the truth about the cat and pup
      Is this: they ate each other up!
Now what do you really think of that!
            (The old Dutch clock it told me so,
            And that is how I came to know.)

So, this morning, in black and white on my computer screen was a question.  The author wanted to know if it is normal for sisters to squabble.  She wanted to know how to make it stop.

It was a good question.  The answer to the first part . . .super easy!  Yes, sisters fight!

The answer to the second part of the question was not so easy to answer.

I think you have to figure out WHY the kiddos are fighting before you can figure out how to stop it.  Are they just bored?  Well, then, that’s pretty easy to solve.  Go be in separate rooms or stop fighting.  That’s all there is to it.  My ears can’t take it anymore, and you need a sane mother.  End of the story.

Now, if there is another reason they are fighting . . . well, that has to be addressed.

Common reasons for fighting:

1.       Somebody does not feel well.  Maybe someone needs some quiet time or a snack.

2.       Somebody feels that they are being treated unfairly.

3.       Somebody is frustrated and needs a help, not a critic.

4.       Somebody is being provoked.

So, some of these are easy fixes and some aren’t.

1.       Give the kiddos some space and a snack!  Get that blood sugar up.

2.       Remind them of the Golden Rule.  “Do to others as you would have them do to you.”  Teach them how to apologize.  Look the other person in the eye.  Say “I am sorry I did ______.  I won’t do it again.  Will you forgive me?”  The other person needs to look back and accept the apology.  I make my kiddos hug, too.  I am well aware that someday my children are going to grow up, and they are probably going to get married and it will be very good for them AND their spouses if they can admit when they were wrong and learn to apologize.  Teach them not hold onto a grudge.  Once an issue is dealt with, bringing it up again and again only makes trouble for all involved.

3.       When you've got a frustrated child, and another one who is either amused by or critical of his/her  frustrated sibling, remind the "perfect" child of the Golden Rule.  Remind the critic that everybody needs a help sometimes, and how would you like to be helped if you needed some help?  Let’s use our “nice” voices, not our “snappy” voices.  It’s fun to over exaggerate being nice and being snappy and get people laughing over this.  I’ve had to apologize for my own snappiness and let the kids know that I am ON PURPOSE being nice, even though sometimes it is easier to be irritable.

4.       Remind the provoked person to use words instead of hitting or getting angry.  And if they use nice words, the other person needs to honor that.  I’ll say to my kiddos, “Okay, T has asked you nicely not to sing any longer.  Now if you asked him something nicely, what would you want him to do?”  They understand this concept really well.

Tonight at dinner I’m going to give them a couple more basic tools:

Use “I” statements, instead of “you” statements.  For example, “I feel bad when you take my stuff without asking.” 

Also, let’s not say get in the habit of saying “NEVER” or “ALWAYS”, because it is very rarely true that some is “ALWAYS” or “NEVER”  a certain way.

We are going to disagree with the people in our lives, but we don’t want to be like the Gingham Dog and the Calico Cat.

Life is so much sweeter when we treat people the way we want to be treated.  Why not live our lives like that?

~ Jenn

Hot Chocolate Anyone?

 On cold days, nothing hits the spot like a hot drink. 

Today I was reminded of a cold winter day in Nebraska. 

My Dad came into the kitchen with his brother. They'd been out doing some hard work . . .probably shoveling snow out of the feedbunks so the cattle could get a bite to eat, or maybe they'd been plowing snow so they could get around the farm and take care of business. Either way, they were ready for a break. 

Usually my Mom is in the house and has a pot of coffee going, but she was gone. Well, Dad looked around the kitchen and quickly assessed the situation. 

"It looks like there is about one cup of coffee . . .and, what's this? Homemade hot chocolate on the stove? But there's only about enough here for one person. What would you like?" 

My Uncle thought about it a little and decided on the hot chocolate. 

A few minutes later, Mom came in the door, and Dad mentioned the hot chocolate. 

"Hot chocolate? That's not hot chocolate! I made chocolate frosting and put some soapy water in the pan so it would be easier to wash out later !" 

Uncle said . . ."Well, I thought it tasted a little funny, but I didn't want to be rude!"

About The Beach

One of the fun things about this island is all the options you have when its time to decide which beach you're going to spend time at.  It's very easy to fall into a "beach" rut, however, and just go to the same place over and over again.


One of the fun things about living here is collecting facts on the places you go . . .


Here's the facts I've complied about the beach our homeschool group visited this week, for any of you that might be interested:

Supposedly John Smith used to stop there on his way from England to Virginia. Yes, the same John Smith who was rescued by Pocahontas.  

It is now run by the government of this island as a park which means there is a fee to enter, but there's also security, nice picnic benches and lifeguards. 

Most people will tell you that it is a very beautiful, natural place. They are right. It is fairly empty most of the time, but right now must be wedding season because there were two weddings there yesterday morning. 

The sand is a gorgeous white, sea is blue and turquoise . . . 

There is a section along that beach that is all native plants and this is very rare on this island. 

And there are homeless people living in "the bush". Before it became a state park people said that if a woman went down there, she could expect to be attacked. There's been some ugly things happen on the sandy shores, if all the stories I hear are true. 

I had never heard about the homeless people before, but yesterday when we were there I saw a man who looked about 30 to 50 years old walk past us and into the trees. One of my friends saw him, too, and she indicated that we ought to get the kds out of the trees and onto the sand. 

So we did. We kind of watched this man. He had his hair braided into hundreds of little braids that were wrapped together to form a cylinder about a five inches wide and a foot tall on his head. He walked a little ways into the trees and exploded into a silent whirl of kicking and waving his arms in circles. What in the world was this all about? 

We kept doing our own thing and the next thing we knew, he was laying in one of the big holes that our kids had dug under the trees in the shape of a recliner. He lay there for a while, relaxing, I guess. Then he climbed out of the hole and disappeared again. 

The next time we saw him he was in totally different clothes. It looked like maybe he had somewhere important to go because instead of shorts and a sleeveless, ratty t-shirt, he was dressed in a neat polo and fairly new jeans. 

Just another one of our fellow men living his life his own personal way. 

Talk to you later, 


Jenn

If You Went Walking with Me, This is How it Might Be

Buried Treasure? 

Today we packed the cooler with tuna sandwiches, chips, and water and headed out for a hike.  Our destination included horses, the ocean, ruins and four old graves.  The kids and I had been there, but it was all new to Dh.

The horses were happy to see us.  They would have been even happier if we had brought carrots!  Note to self:  pack carrots when you’re heading out to see the horses! 

How to explain the hike?  Think red dirt, rocks, hermit crabs in shells.  Think tropical trees that arch above your head and obscure the sky.   If you are picturing flowering tropical trees, scratch that.  Think waves crashing beyond your vision, grass to your waist, sticky hands in your hands.  Think of voices singing “The Ants Go Marching One by One” . . . 

There was more, of course.  There always is. 

The path crossed a “gut” and on another day, we’re going to explore it.  A gut is a natural gutter of rocks, some of them boulder sized.  Usually there is some water in the gut.  Many times it’s just a trickle but that trickle will grow into a small river when the rains come to the island. 

Just beyond the gut was a road . . .we followed it and found ourselves gazing at ruins.  One day, we’ll look at little closer at those ruins.  They are probably the remains of a sugar plantation from the 1700s.   Not too far from the ruins were four graves.  They were marble crypts, to be precise . . .white at one time, but now a greenish hue from the moss that grows on them.  I thought that they were probably ancient because it was hard to make out the names on most of them . . .though the RIP was very obvious.  But the one grave was very easy to read, and it was the grave of a three year old girl who died in 1933.  Poor thing.  

As we were walking past the ruins and the graves, an older gentleman was walking past, too.  Being me and willing to talk to strangers if I think they have something interesting to say, I asked him if he knew anything about this place. 

He pointed to a gaping hole and told me that someone had buried treasure there.  And years later, a someone else, probably descendents of whoever had buried the treasure, dug it up.  And he said that it was probably buried in huge clay pots, not a treasure chest like we always think of when we picture buried treasure.  He said that some day he was going to come and look in that hole for bits of pottery.  When he found them, he’d date the pottery and know just when the treasure had been buried.  Now,  this guy may have been just telling me a story someone made up.  I don’t know.  If so, it was a pleasant bit of fiction.  

Have a wonderful day, and may you sense some wonder around you, too.  Even better, may you find a buried treasure!  J

Who are you, again?

I’m not sure why, but there has been a case of “Snappiness” going around our house lately.  I have it.  The children have it.  Frankly, it’s making us all a little miserable.

 

Yesterday, after opening my eyes wide and giving my children all a “look” and a lecture on being nice to each other, I broke out the dictionary, and we looked up “compassion” and “gracious” because that’s what God is  (Ps 111:4).  And then I talked to the kids a little about how sometimes it is easier to be nice to strangers than to your own flesh and blood.  So we brought out the face paint and changed ourselves, just a little . . .just to remind ourselves and each other to “be nice!”

I think it helped a little . . .maybe!

May you have a wonderful day at your house and no snappy people.

~ Jenn

Routines

Rome wasn't built in a day, and the daily routines that we use to keep ourselves sane were not developed in a day, either!  :)

Today I am going to be writing up some routines to post where the kiddos can see them:

What I expect when I inspect their rooms every morning
What I expect when I inspect their bathroom every morning

I find that if I don't build time for tidying into our schedule, the place becomes well, intolerable!   When I need a little encouragement and guidance on how to do cleaning routines, I have a place to go . . .

Here's a link to my very favorite author on the subject of routines. If you haven't met the FLYLADY yet, you are in for a treat!

http://www.flylady.net/pages/FLYingLessons_Routines.asp#morning

What We're Doing in Regards to Bible During 2011!

Goals for 2011 Bible Time with My Kiddos

So, we do family devos every morning before we start school.  In the past we have gone through devotional books, read selections from the Bible, etc.  We actually did Proverbs quite a bit this fall and I started to feel like I wanted to mix things up a bit.  So that is what this entry is all about. . .

This is a really rough plan.  I may chose to concentrate on Books of the Bible one day a week, and Bible Characters on another.  I’m just not sure how this will play out.

I do not have a time limit on this incomplete checklist, and I fully expect it to take on a life of its own as we work through the list . .

1.       Work on our Books of The Bible Literacy

a.       Make a Big Wall Hanging for the Books of the Bible

b.      Play Books of the Bible Bingo  ( Found here: http://www.livingwaterbiblegames.com/biblebooksbingo.html )

c.       Bible Drills with the Books of the Bible

d.      Make sure the kiddos look up and find the verses we are studying.  Show them how to use a concordance

e.       Sing the Books of the Bible song

2.      Go through A Kitchen Prayer ( can be found in my blog index).  Talk about what other titles could be bestowed on God.  ( Lord of all pots and pans and things)  Could we call Him “Lord of all our math books, and cursive pages”?  Why, or why not?  Let the kiddos come up with their own titles for God.  Talk about the “ideal” ways most people think of when they think of spending time with God.   Show the kiddos how to find the story of Mary and Martha.  Have them read it out loud.  Discuss.  Find the stories about Jesus giving people food.  Read.  Discuss.  Talk about how we are to treat others.  Tell stories about people we know who have been helped.  Talk about people we know who have helped others.  Discuss how this is a win-win situation.

3.      Go through The Ordinary Day Dance (can be found in my blog index ) with the kiddos.  Have them take out certain phrases and substitute their own phrases, instead.  Maybe it could be The School Day Shimmy or something equally silly.  But THEY have to come up with their own word combination.  Have them write it up, or type it up for them, and decorate it.  Look up and define “gratitude.”  Talk about how happiness is a choice that we make each and every day.   Memorize I Corinthians 10:31:  And whatsoever ye do, do all to the glory of God.  Talk with the kiddos about songs that are applicable to this theme.  You Tube them or look up the lyrics if you can’t remember them.  Sing them!  J

4.      On Gratitude.   Also, look up the word!  Either make art work with the word, or just write the definition out.  Light a candle.  Tell the kiddos that each time they look at the light, it should remind them of the “good things” in our lives.  Have the kiddos read and mark James 1: 17 in their Bibles.   Memorize this one by singing it to the tune of something like “Where is Thumbkin” or “Mary Had a Little Lamb.”  Remind them that if there is anything good about them, the credit goes to God.  Remind them to thank God for the gift He has given specifically to that child.   Go around the table of kiddos and have them come up with positive things about each other.  Give God the credit.  For example,  “I’m glad that God gave E the ability to make us all laugh.” Remember thank God for His gifts during the day’s prayer time.  Sing songs about thanks.  One great song is “Thank You, Lord”.  Another great song is “Give Thanks”.  Teach these songs to the kiddos if they don’t already know them.

5.      On Gratitude, Part Two.  Read through a book ( I am going to use Helen Keller’s Teacher by Margaret Davidson) and find examples of people who really changed or impacted other people in a very real and positive way.   If the kiddos are old enough, they will have Sunday School teachers, neighbors, Grandma and Grandpa, etc., to thank.  They can write thank you notes to these people.    I plan to write thank you notes to people who have really made a difference in MY life.  I may save them and mail them out to these people on their birthdays. 

6.      On Gratitude, Part Three.  Have the kiddos come up with a list of “Things we Have.”  We did this the other day.  Our list looks like this:  food, family, creativity, stuff, friends, God, a home, money, happiness, transportation, health, and our pet.  We are going to spend a little time every night at the dinner table with Daddy discussing what is unique and wonderful about our own personal list. 

7.      Stop, Drop and Roll!  ( can be found in blog index).  I am going to have the kiddos literally practice stopping, dropping and rolling.  I am going to talk to them about how fire is wonderful in some ways, but deadly in others.  The same is true of passion.  We can be passionate about what we love and this is WONDERFUL.   But if we let our passionate nature focus on anger, we can be super destructive.  Then we’ll look up the verses that go along with this topic and learn them. 

8.      Work on our Bible Character Literacy:

a.      Make Bible Character Go Fish cards out of index cards

b.      Read one of the Bible stories that goes with a Go Fish character each time you play the game

c.       Teach the kiddos how to find these stories in their Bibles so they begin to associate the characters with the part of the Bible they are found in.

d.      Make a Bible Timeline

e.       Play Bible Character Charades

f.        Obtain and play Bible Trivia with the kiddos

9.      Start a Bible Notebook

a.      Read the Bible Notebooking article found here: http://www.ignitethefire.com/fuel.html

b.      Create a Prayer section, a Songs section,  a Memory Verse section and whatever other sections that seem relevant

c.       There are Prayer Forms for Notebooking on this page http://homeschoolwithindexcards.com/Notebooking-Forms.html

And that's all there is for now.  There isn't any more . . .until next time!  Be well,

~ Jenn