Reconnecting with old Friends/Classmates

Last week I got word of this new site that was created just for reconnecting with alumni from my particular college. It has been a complete blast to see people that I haven't seen since I graduated. Some I haven't seen since 1992 when I finished my freshman year in college.

It's great to see how people go to school for four or five years to learn how to do one thing and then go on to do something completely unrelated ( I belong to that group!). There are lots of people that have gone on to law school or medical school and are very successful in what they do. And while I am very proud of them, I have no regrets about deciding to stay home and educate my children. I want to be the one to mold and shape their characters.

I haven't totally given up on my dreams though. Once the kids get older, I would love to get my Master's degree in Math Education and teach math somewhere.

I guess I'll just have to wait and see what God has for me.

The Great Backyard Bird Count

The Great Backyard Bird Count began this Friday. I never even got around to putting my bird feed out (my bird feeder broke), but am still amazed at how many birds showed up in my backyard-almost like they knew I needed them to come! :-)

Today, it was so dreary and cold outside(of course I live in Texas so cold is relative), that I cannot recall seeing even one bird. Where DO the birds go when the weather is so terrible?

At any rate, I haven't checked the weather for tomorrow, but hopefully it will be much better.

Go here for more information on the Great Backyard Bird Count.

For those of you that are Sabbath Keepers or for those who just love to connect through God in nature, birdwatching is an awesome event. In our homeschool curriculum, we have even learned that the birds with the prettiest voices are vegetarians!!

God is soooo amazing!

Sew Crafty Friday-Knitted Hat

This week I knitted my first project.'s a baby beret. It It came out rather well.

This is my "model" Jennie.

For more crafty project be sure to visit Shereen's page

Valentine's Day

For Valentine's Day the kids and I made cookies and paper hearts. Both came out very well. For the cookies I got a sugar cookie recipe from AllRecipes.com and for the paper hearts I got the idea from this website.

The kids had a great time making both of them.

Sew Crafty Friday-Learning To Knit

I don't have any new projects to share yet, but I am wrote a post earlier this week on me learning how to knit. I haven't decided what to make yet. I would love to make a hat or scarf, but by the time I finish it will be hot! :-)

Be sure to visit Shereen's page for more crafty ideas

Update on Death of Classmate-More Tragic News

Yesterday I wrote about the death of one of my higschool classmates (34). I opened my e-mail this morning only to find that when he died, he was home visiting his family members who were already grieving over the death of his Father (64) who died of heart failure just a few days before.

My classmate also died of heart failure. I'm guessing he died of a broken heart-How tragic.

Please keep his family members in your prayers.

The Death of a Classmate

I received word today that one of my high school classmates died. I did not know him well, but his face immediately came to mind when I read his name. I went to my yearbook and sure enough it was him. The article does not say much about his death other than the day that he died and that he died at the hospital. He was given a military burial so I'm assuming that at some point he enlisted.

We had Physics and a couple of math classes together. According to my yearbook, he was in a club known as the Forensics club. Of course crime was the first thing that came to my mind when I read that, but evidently he was known for his speaking abilities and was recognized as Best Speaker at Senior Honors Night.

It's been more than 16 1/2 years since I've seen him, but the memory of him still lingers in my mind.

His death has made me think of the impact we all have on the people around us-even those who do not know us well. I am reminded of a statement made a while ago by Charles Barkley the famous basketball player- "I am not a role model". What an absurd statement. If you live where someone else can watch what you do, then you are indeed a role model. The Scriptures so eloquently state "Even a child is known by his doing, whether his work be pure or whether it be right. (Proverbs 20:11)

With that said I will leave you with this thought: What do your doings say about you? Are you living the life that you want others to remember you by?

Is the face that I see in the mirror the one I want others to see?
Do I show in the way that I walk in my life, the love that You've given to me?
My heart's desire is to be like You in all that do all I am.

Chorus:
Do they see Jesus is me?
Do they recognize Your face?
Do I communicate Your love and Your grace?
Do I reflect who You are in the way I choose to be?
Do they see Jesus, Jesus in me?

It's amazing that you'd ever use me But use me the way You will
Help me to hold out a heart of compassionate grace A heart that You're spirit fills
May I show forgiveness and mercy The same way You've shown it to me

Chorus

Now I want to show all the world who You are
The reason I live and breathe
So You'll be the One that they see When they see me

Chorus

Lyrics by Joy Williams

Any Special Valentines' Traditions?

Behind Thanksgiving and Christmas, Valentines is one of my favorite holidays. I love the reds and pinks and hearts and everything about love. As a little girl, my Mother would often buy me gifts for Valentine's day- a purse, a book or anything special.

I've been wondering what I should do for my family and those that I love. I bought a bag for my daughter and plan to fill it with all kinds of treats. I'm not really sure what to get for my son-perhaps something red.

At any rate, what if any traditions do you have? Do you make any crafts? Do you send out cards? Do you hate Valentine's day? Just thought I would throw that in there just in case. Gotta be fair, right?

Our Garden-The First Signs of Life

Today we have a sprout from our cucumber seeds! How exciting. My son actually remembered that it was the cucumber seed was planted there. Wow, what a brain! I need to go ahead and get busy on getting our Square Foot Garden box together. It will time to transplant these babies before you know it.

Is anyone else out there planting? What are you planting? How is it going? Any sprouts yet?

New Hobby-Knitting

I was reading someone's blog and saw a reference to a knitting site that teaches you how to knit. My daughter had asked me how to knit. I have never knitted anything or seen anyone knit anything for that matter, but I learned how to crochet from a video in 1997-the year my daughter was born.

So I figured well how hard can it be, right? I found out that two ladies at my church know how to knit (one learned in the 5th grade and still remebers) and were gracious enough to show my daughter and me some of the basics. The knitting video actually helped me more than the live instruction. I'm guessing because I could keep rewinding and I didn't have to keep asking someone to "do it over, please". :-)

Here is what I have been working on. I'm learning all the stitches.

My daughter wants to make a scarf. We haven't started any projects yet as we are still learning the basics. We have pretty much mastered the Cast-On and knit stitch. I'm still working on the purl stitch. My last row and a half is what I have done of that so far. I have a ton of ideas of things I would like to make...

Do you knit? If so, please share what you are working on and how you learned.

Menu Plan Monday 2-4-08

Edited to add Mock Chicken Recipe:

Sunday- Mock Chicken Salad Sandwiches

Monday-Haystacks

Tuesday-Basil Pasta

Wednesday-Pigs in a Blanket

Thursday-Soup and Salad

Friday-Homemade Pizza w/leftover Soup and Salad

Sabbath Dinner-Calzones

Be sure to visit Laura's page for more menu ideas.

Mock Chicken

7 Secrets Cookbook

Neva and Jim Brackett

2 cups soaked soybeans or garbanzos, drained (may use canned or do it yourself)

1/4 Braggs Liquid Aminos or 2 TB soy sauce

3 TB Chicken Like Seasoning

2 TB yeast flakes

1 TB onion powder

1/2 tsp garlic powder

2 cups vital wheat gluten

1. Place beans in blender with 1 1/2 cups water and blend.

2. While blending, add all the seasonings and continue until smooth.

3. Pour into a bowl and add the gluten flour. Work the flour in with your handsfor about minutes or until stiff. Add more gluten flour if it is still a little to soft.The less kneadingthe more spongy and breadlike. The more kneading makes it more chewy andelastic.

4. Form intotwo oval shaped loaves and place on a lightly oiled cookie sheet.Bake 50minutes at 350 degrees. Cool on a rack

For the chkn salad, cut the loaf and shred in a food processor. For my salad I add in Nayonaise and onions. I'm thinking of adding in some tofu for an egglike feel, but I haven't tried that yet. Let me know how you like it!

Starting Our Garden-Again

Today we planted seeds in hopes to begin a garden this year. We planted seeds last year but never made it past the seedling stage. I think I was just overwhelmed with many things at once. This year we plan to actually have the plants make it outside. :-)

So far we are starting seeds for:
Onions
Roma Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Bell Peppers (Red and Green)
Watermelon
Zucchini
Eggplant
Sugar Snap Peas
Lettuce (Red Romaine and Green Leef)
Basil
Rosemary
Spinach
Baby's Breath

In clay pots, we planted bulbs for Calla Lillies and Iris. We also have some Strawberry seeds that bought a few years ago. I don't have much hope that they will grow, but we will plant them none the less.

We are using the Square Foot Gardening Method by Mel Bartholomew.

I have plans for the front yard as well. When we first moved into this house, I planted Dahlia bulbs. They were the most beautiful flowers I had ever seen in my life. That was of course until Peter rabbit came and literally ate every bit of them! Why do we call him Peter you ask? Because when I chased him, he ran but he couldn't find his way back under the fence at first. That made my daughter remember the story of Peter rabbit and this his name. Let's hope that Peter has found a new home. :-)