Why Do You Cook?

I was just surfing cooking websites and stumbled upon a 37 step recipe for brandy snaps. Honestly, I sat scrolling through the whole recipe thinking: Who takes the time for this mess?
I mean, seriously, I'm sure they're absolutely delicious, but why would I go to so much trouble? Surely if I had a craving for something delectable I could find something like it at my supermarket and spend 5 minutes on the hunt.
Now, my sister loves to bake so she was a bit more sympathetic towards the cooking-as-a-hobby concept, but I really can't fathom it. I cook because I like to eat. I bake because I like to eat sweets.
It's not fun to me.

Do you like to cook or bake?

What Do You Do??

In my spare time, I like to read and blog. A year ago, I would have said that I love to scrapbook, but I've become torn. I discovered digital scrapbooking (was dragged into it kicking and screaming) and now I'm torn. Do I waste even more time on the computer, making digital scrapbooks that I could reprint at the click of a button should our house burn down? (My biggest fear is losing my scrapbooks in a fire. Could care less about any other material possessions. Just don't leave my scrapbooks in the house!!) Or do I keep making paper scrapbooks, because they're more fun to make?? Hmmmm.

Anyway, enough about me. I want to know about you! Do tell: What are your favorite hobbies?

Latest Reads

As you know, I'm a book addict. I've been reading Mansfield Park for quite awhile. I'm new to Jane Austen and I absolutely love her satirical style. About halfway through the book, however, I got several non-fiction books from InterLibrary Loan.
So, I'm working my way through Better Late Than Early, Adrenal Fatigue, and Financial Peace.

What are you currently reading?

You're Going to Ruin Them!

So, this Santa discussion led to a real-life talk about parents who think we're ruining our kids' lives by doing things differently than our parents did for us. If you go against the flow in any way in your parenting, what flack have you received for it?

I Gotta Know. . .

You know that I have strong opinions about homeschooling, and vaccines, and well, everything else. It's just my nature to be opinionated. But here's an area I have yet to delve into:

I want to know what you think about all these bailouts?

Ford Asks Congress for a $9 Billion Line of Credit
Ford Motor Co. is asking Congress for a $9 billion "stand-by line of credit" to stabilize its business, but says it doesn't expect to tap it.

Detroit's automakers, making a second bid for $25 billion in funding, are presenting Congress with plans Tuesday to restructure their ailing companies and provide assurances that the funding will help them survive and thrive.

General Motors Corp., Ford and Chrysler LLC said they would refinance their companies' debt, cut executive pay, seek concessions from workers and find other ways of reviving their staggering companies.

The Big Three executives also are offering a series of mostly symbolic moves to burnish their images, badly tattered after they arrived in Washington D.C. last month on three separate private jets to plead for a federal lifeline for their struggling companies.

More here.



Now I know a lot of my readers aren't even in America, but I bet you still have an opinion about our sour economy. Let's hear it!

Let's Talk Santa

When we were first married and I didn't know the Clarks very well, we got into a talk about Santa. (It was Thanksgiving and we were all together.) I jokingly said: We're gonna tell our kids Santa is the devil.

She didn't get it. And she also thought I was totally nuts. How in the world can you celebrate Christmas without Santa? She said something alluding to the fact that it was cruel and unusual punishment for a kid to have Christmas without Santa.

I said: But kids just want the gifts, they don't care where they come from.
She's now looking at me like I have a third eye.

So, I try to explain: I just don't want my kids to miss the real point of Christmas and think it's all about Santa.
She then calls over her 5 year old daughter. "Bobby Sue (name changed), why do we celebrate Christmas?"

For Santa Claus!

I was embarrassed for the mom at this point.

"No, Bobby Sue, what's the real reason we celebrate Christmas? Who is it about?"

Bobby Sue looks really confused now and says:

Santa Claus!

I wanted to go hide in a hole for her now! But Bobby Sue certainly proved my point. Just because you read the story of Jesus' birth every year doesn't mean your kids are going to look past all the Santa and reindeer and see the true meaning of Christmas.

What do you think?

(Oh and just fyi, I don't think that Santa is the devil. That was hyperbole. You got that right?)

Can You Feel the Love?

I've just ordered the book, Making Brothers and Sisters Best Friends after reading so many good reviews. I'm eager to start reading to the kids and helping them put it into practice.

I'm Curious: What do you do to encourage sibling friendships?

Your Best Read

I love to read. I go back and forth between non-fiction and fiction. I love to learn new things, but I also need a break from that sometimes and just want a good story.
I'm Curious: What's your favorite fiction book? Do you have a favorite author?

Date Nights

This past weekend, Kyle asked my mom to babysit so we could go to Oktoberfest for the evening. We kissed everyone good-bye (and that takes a while!) and headed out the door. When we arrived, the parking garage was blocked off. All the spots were taken. That was the only free parking area. All the rest were $10. Compared to free, we weren't too excited about spending $10. So we kept trying to find another parking spot, to no avail.

We bailed and went out to eat instead.

I'm curious: What do you and your honey enjoy doing for a date?

I'm a Hoarder

I'm very protective about certain things. And they aren't important things at all. In fact, they're very simple, very easy to replace things. I don't know why I hoard them the way I do, but . . .
Here are some of the things I hoard:
Binder clips: I use these to attach transparency sheets to school workbooks so that I don't have to make gobs of copies. Nothing works as well, so I don't want to lose them!

Barrettes: I just can't stand it when we go somewhere with clip in and leave with clip missing. I buy hair clips in bulk at the beauty supply superstore. That one clip cost me 20 cents, now go back through the playground and find it!

I have a little basket in my desk that is just for bookmarks. I have at least 3 dozen, but they get used constantly. Don't bend the bookmarks! I don't want to have to go get more when we're at the library next! We only go to the library a couple times a week, for heaven's sake!

I also have a little basket in one of my kitchen drawers just for twix-it clips. I love these! I use them on half-used bags of frozen broccoli (yes, they're really big bags) and on bread bags. I use the big ones for bags of tortilla chips and such. You get the idea. I use them for all sorts of things. Throw one of those in the trash by accident and you may just see this mom melt into a puddle like the Wicked Witch of the West. Don't mess with my clips!

I'm Curious: Do you hoard anything? Please tell me you're as illogical as I am, even sometimes.

Boys and Girls Are Different

This is what I caught Isaac doing at the dinner table last night. He didn't know anyone was looking, he was just quietly admiring his biceps.

This past year and a half (since adopting our Liberians) , I have been struck by how different it is to raise girls and boys. It took me about a year to get used to the differences. I've learned that when I ask the kids to be quiet, the boys will not infer that I mean: be still. They know how to roll around like a tumbleweed while being perfectly quiet.

I've learned that pride in manliness in inborn. They are born wanting to conquer and protect. Ten minutes after this little act of pride, Isaac was telling Daniel: Don't hit Lydia. You have to be gentle with her because she's a girl and you're a boy.
This muscle-bound boy is going to make a great Daddy one day.

I'm Curious: What differences have you noticed between your daughters and sons?

On Sympathy

I recently received a private message on a Mommies forum that I'm a part of. The message went something like this: We really appreciate your input and your unique perspective, blah, blah, blah, but we'd like you to be nicer.
You're in shock that anyone would think me less than nice? How sweet of you. See, I'm blunt. I'm a bottom line kind of girl. When someone asks my advice, I give it to them. On this particular forum, when moms ask "What should I do?", what they mostly get is {{HUGS}} and sympathy. "Oh you poor thing. I'm sorry you're having such a hard time."
My response tends to be more like this: Do this and this and it will be so much easier. It doesn't have to be that hard. Let me know how it goes.
To be perfectly honest, it perturbs me just a bit when people seek advice when what they really want is sympathy. Not that I never want sympathy myself, you understand. But when I want sympathy, you'll know. I won't be asking for advice.

I'm Curious: Which is easier for you to give, solutions or sympathy?

No Spare Seats

We visited a new church this past Sunday, a small church with a small building. (We like small churches.) Before service started, we went in to grab a seat. I didn't see any free seats on that side of the sanctuary, so we walked out and around to the other side. We walk in and head towards a free row of seats. They all have a purse or bulletin in them, as the lady at the end of the row is saving them for someone. So we stand against the wall, patiently waiting to see if some seats will free up. One man noticed that we weren't sitting down and offered to find us some seats. (I should mention here that Kyle was at home with Chloe and Lydia, who were still a little sick and Pedro was out of town. So it was just me and four kids.) The kind man couldn't find any seats, gave me an "I don't know" look and sat back down with his family. At that point, I took the kids out. An usher saw me in the hallway, and said: "We have a few seats (not five) on the front row, is that ok?" I smiled sweetly and said, "No."
We left and went to another church down the road.

I'm curious: What would you have done?

Confessions of a City Girl

I LOVE living in the city. I like my neighbors, enjoy talking over the fence with them in the evenings, sharing cookies and lemonade when they're working outside, or "borrowing" an egg when I need one for a recipe. I love that our bank is 5 minutes away, the library is 7 minutes away, and I have my choice of Whole Foods, Sprout's, or WalMart Market all within a 10 minute drive from our front door.
We don't have a problem with bobcats, or coyotes, or racoons. (We do, however, see spiders, hear crickets, and really loud locusts in the summer time.) I would enjoy having more animals and more space for a big garden, but when it comes right down to it, I'd rather have the conveniences of the city life.

I'm Curious: Are you a city person or a country person? Why?

All About Hair

This past weekend, I chopped my hair. I mean, literally *I* chopped my hair. And you probably never guessed, but this too boils down to my love of frugality. So, here's the new 'do: (It should last a good long while!)
When Maya joined our family, our hair budget had to be revamped. About 6 months ago, I took Maya to a Loctician to have her hair locked. (These used to be called "dreadlocks", but "dread" gave people a bad impression. Now they're just called locs.) I absolutely love the look and the flexibility this style provides, but I don't want to screw it up by attempting to do it myself.
Bottom line: I cut my own hair and the rest of the kids' hair, so that I can spend the big bucks on Maya. :)

I'm Curious: What do you do yourself so that you have more money for other things?

One More Reason

Here's one more reason to homeschool:

Two boys were punished this week for refusing to kneel on prayer mats and worship Allah during a class demonstration on Islam, the Daily Mail reported.

Irate parents said a religious education teacher at the Alsager High School in England told students to wear Muslim headgear during a lesson on Tuesday. "But if Muslims were asked to go to church on Sunday and take Holy Communion, there would be war," the grandfather of one of the students said.

Read more.

If you're like us, you homeschool for hundreds of reasons, but what's your #1 reason for homeschooling? Please share.

Game Playing

The other night, we had a Family Game Night and they all chose:
Kyle would whisper ideas in their ears before they started, then the acting began.
Maya was a bear, but she kept hopping and she wasn't very scary. We had a hard time with this one:
Liddy was playing a harmonica. Obviously. But long after we guessed it correctly, she kept right on playing her harmonica. So we had to pause the game and explain a few things.
Here's the new Clark signal for "You got it!":
Can you guess what Daniel was holding?
After a few seconds of us not guessing what Lydia was doing, she would just up and decide to act out something else. Daniel was trying to keep her on track, by whispering in her ear what she's really supposed to be doing. This happened repeatedly. I'm Curious: What family games do you like to play? Played any new ones lately?