tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-223918842011-11-02T20:50:18.099-04:00Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.comBlogger6951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-35512122837103146892010-08-17T15:40:00.004-04:002010-08-17T15:51:56.399-04:00

Yesterday I received notice in the mail that my dishwasher had been recalled. Bummer! I was instructed to call a technician for a free repair, and not to use the dishwasher in the mean time, due to fire hazard. Nice. Well, there is no time like the present for the kids to learn how to do this job by hand. They have lived their entire lives in a home where machine washing was the way to acomplish

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-47281882258259433602010-03-09T13:15:00.002-05:002010-03-09T13:27:52.637-05:00

The mounds of sooty now at the bottoms of all the driveways are slowly melting away. At last. I was so tired of looking at them.The ice dam on the eave over the back door is significantly smaller. And so is its corresponding ice ridge that formed a formidable obstacle to getting out of the house via the back door safely.Today the Wii was not a recess tool during the break from studies. The

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-85754990845037539582010-03-05T11:04:00.005-05:002010-03-05T11:34:05.556-05:00

Today the Artist is 13. Unfortunately , she and I are both a bit under the weather with colds. I'm hoping we will both feel much better by tomorrow for her party. Today she enjoyed breakfast in bed. That's a nice treat now that she is an "older kid" and nice when you're not feeling well. I hope she was able to look around from her perch on her bed at her newly painted and decorated room with

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-23082366566258903872009-12-30T14:41:00.004-05:002009-12-30T14:50:05.854-05:00

They are far from perfect, but hopefully I'm the only one who will see the imperfections. The Artist is pleased, and I expect Rick will be too. And I only had to rip out a hem twice. (Go ahead and laugh!).I'm happy the job is done, but still wishing I could have done better. I am consoling myself with the fact that the material was not wasted, and next time I will not be working completely

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-46673564317028311522009-12-24T18:00:00.001-05:002009-12-24T18:00:03.434-05:00

It is a heart warming feeling I get when I see the Christmas tree lights reflected in the bow window fourfold. May your Christmas be blessed with many heart warming moments and the certain knowledge of our greatest blessing, Christ our Savior.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-22864871090765357062009-12-22T06:59:00.001-05:002009-12-22T06:59:00.668-05:00

The hardest part of any sewing project, for me at least, is cutting the fabric. If I make a mistake I can waste big dollars in one small snip of the shears.The Artist has been waiting ever so patiently for me to put curtains up on the new french doors she has leading into her bedroom. I bought the fabric at a super sale, so I was pleased with myself. Boy, was that short-lived!Just about the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-37643457393931565722009-12-20T05:51:00.000-05:002009-12-20T05:51:00.925-05:00

The youth at church frequently hold bake sales. This year, the Artist is participating for the first time.She loves to bake, so I buy her ingredients and happily leave her alone in the kitchen. I think the Christmas Star Cookie recipe she found looks interesting. And she had fun with the process.After working solo for a little while, the Engineer pulled up a step stool to watch. Soon he was

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-69765841630115495402009-12-19T11:54:00.005-05:002009-12-19T12:05:22.794-05:00

Less than sixty seconds after I announced to the Engineer, "You got some mail today!" I found him at the piano. He had torn open the plastic cover to the latest Piano Explorer and turned right to the Music Corner.He did his best, but this one will take him some practice to master. Update:After the Artist helped our neighbor's children make their dough ornaments, she made some of her own. The

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-38158096856756309832009-12-17T17:02:00.004-05:002009-12-17T17:21:07.867-05:00

Don't get any ideas that I would be a good craft leader, or even a person to ask about fun crafts for kids. The suggestion is likely to make me turn tail and run.The Artist is a natural, however. Today when our neighbor's children came over to play she had a home made play dough for them. She led them in rolling and cutting out some ornaments. The first batch is baking in the oven as I

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-58197638705151536632009-12-12T16:07:00.003-05:002009-12-12T16:22:11.332-05:00

Congratulations to the Engineer! He received his green belt in tae kwon do at the school Christmas party last night. In an unusual belt ceremony, the most recent test takers received their belts at a party rather than in class. The previous class session, the instructor was unexpectedly unable to attend. Also, The Artist and the Engineer had been asked to demonstrate sparring with the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-4541142218908428522009-12-09T09:51:00.007-05:002009-12-09T11:00:53.951-05:00

Over the weekend it was the Engineer's turn to have a tae kwon do belt test. He was nervous and excited, both, on the morning of the test. I told him I thought that was appropriate. His nerves and excitement would help him to have a little extra energy when he started feeling tired.It must have worked. He sailed through the test with lots of energy. At the end, it was time to break boards.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-9441981542614698442009-11-30T08:17:00.002-05:002009-11-30T08:25:40.722-05:00

The Artist has been drawing for her art classes in school this year, but in her free time she has been doing some painting. This past week she made this little tray. Rick and I are so pleased with the way it came out, we will have to think of a place to display it.The photo was taken before the finish was applied, because I thought the finish might add a glare to the photo. The finish is

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-66686022414038193922009-11-27T08:06:00.002-05:002009-11-27T08:24:26.319-05:00

Yesterday, Thanksgiving Day, was filled with near and distant family, food and fun. As our meal was winding down we were talking around the table, getting ready to clear and wash some dishes before we started the coffee and brought dessert to the table. Then my brother brought up a game he had played at a gathering with his friends a while ago. It is a word game with movie titles and word

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-79733400028980937352009-11-20T11:04:00.004-05:002009-11-20T11:24:35.019-05:00

Neither the Artist nor the Engineer are particularly enamored with Grammar. It is not at the bottom of the list for them either. It is merely a school subject in the middle of the pack, slightly annoying to both of them.Interestingly, both my children prefer grammar this year, compared to past years. The difference is the curriculum. We abandoned A Beka in favor of Shurley Grammar. The

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-71995807484466853142009-11-18T10:51:00.008-05:002009-11-18T11:27:37.540-05:00

The Artist began this week's science experiments today using her Thames and Kosmos C1000 chemistry kit. She was off to a good start, but soon the instructions became ambiguous. Specifically, they said, "Add a shot of soda water." Oookaaaay. The instruction book lists the items from home that I will need to provide, and neither a shot glass or a jigger is listed. So just what do they mean by

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-2025030490080938862009-11-17T12:52:00.003-05:002009-11-17T12:59:55.995-05:00

Here's one of our autumn pumpkins just heading into the oven to be baked. This one is destined to become breads and soups.After baking at low temperatures for a few hours the skin will easily peel or be pulled from the flesh. Then I can puree it and it will be ready for use. Maybe tomorrow we will have pumpkin soup for dinner.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-74184197457970609732009-11-11T07:32:00.003-05:002009-11-11T07:41:01.376-05:00

Setting, Mom setting the table for supper. Child, anxious for dinner, wants to sit at the table 15 minutes before the food is ready.Mom: Go make your bed, you left it unmade all day.Child: Oooohhhhhhh (whiney).Mom: You know that is something you are supposed to finish before school in the morning. Don't whine.Child goes into bedroom. Mom sets table and calls family to supper.After dinner, Mom

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-59949562077730879952009-11-05T15:00:00.002-05:002009-11-05T15:06:46.638-05:00

The neighbors are enjoying a craft time with the Artist this afternoon. She led them through making paper plate lions first. You can see them on the table. Now they are beginning some Thanksgiving turkeys.This seems to be her forte. I have little patience to lead crafts like this myself.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-5939277528657435642009-11-01T14:36:00.000-05:002009-11-01T14:36:00.606-05:00

Twice a year we have a dreaded chore -- changing the batteries in the smoke detectors. It is dreaded because the noise is bothersome, especially to the Engineer. And also because one of our alarms seems to come down easily for battery replacement, but remounting it is quite a trick. I'd like to pass this chore along to the kids, but it will be a long while before they can do it. Rick is just

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-66905736875001724532009-10-30T06:24:00.000-04:002009-10-30T06:24:00.126-04:00

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-12639785112291142692009-10-28T11:00:00.005-04:002009-10-29T14:49:57.216-04:00

Both kids are studying chemistry this year. The Engineer is working with book I of Adventures With Atoms and Molecules. The books (there are two in the set) are full of simple experiments. They do not take too long to read, prepare a write up, conduct or discuss. I'm so pleased with the way they fit the capabilities of a third grader.For most of the experiments we can go from the initial

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-80525321455601238212009-10-26T11:15:00.005-04:002009-10-26T11:35:25.564-04:00

We've had a week of very little school due to illness, but finally this morning everyone is ready to go. The kids will complete a very full work load this week as I'm giving them report cards for the first quarter on school on Friday.Until today, the Artist's seventh grade chemistry class has involved only reading, note taking, & making diagrams. Finally today she got to crack open the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-75517264209085809442009-10-15T07:30:00.017-04:002009-10-15T10:13:41.180-04:00

Last night the Artist learned whether or not she passed her black belt test. The day began like any other, but after dinner the Artist confessed to me, "I'm nervous!" Later in the evening when Rick and I were talking we both were pleased with the confidence and poise she showed during the day of the test, the month-long wait, and last night when she got her results.Before class the Artist was

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-31305228751571223452009-10-12T12:01:00.015-04:002009-10-12T14:07:17.598-04:00

Between fishing trips and jury duty and special appointments and a school retreat the last three weeks have been a whirlwind. We did get a good deal of schooling done. More than I expected, in face, although I can't prove it because I accidentally copies over one of the Artist's schedule documents. I guess I'll need to get that glitch worked out before I think about creating transcripts!Most

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-87697074124327607492009-09-29T07:03:00.005-04:002009-09-29T07:26:15.601-04:00

The kids' first ever fishing trip was a big success and a bust all in one.It was wonderful to get away from a hectic month. The weather was beautiful. The lodge at Geneva on the Lake was clean, welcoming, packed with nice amenities for children yet, except for ours, child-free. The town was pretty much closed down for the winter season. The lake was picturesque.But of all the fishermen we saw

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-57197991843203019172009-09-19T16:19:00.004-04:002009-09-19T16:37:50.725-04:00

...you give your 7 year old the camera while you go to an archery shoot?This traffic cone was used as a ground quiver.He had a rip-roaring good time! And, apparently, a spin too.I'll admit I asked for this one. I shot the two 9s and the 8 in the target on the right. And this one reminds me of Cezanne's brush strokes. I rather like it.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-13368727749363646862009-09-14T10:17:00.013-04:002009-09-14T10:56:36.551-04:00

The night before the test the Artist's best friend (who lives in TX) came up to Ohio to be here for the test. On test day, she gave the Artist a beautiful bouquet of red and yellow roses.On the morning of the test, the Artist engaged in a little stress-relief by building a house of cards. I'm glad it worked for her. I would have given up in frustration!The Artist's tae kwon do test lasted for

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-18239658889385407232009-09-12T06:08:00.003-04:002009-09-12T06:08:00.273-04:00

Today the Artist is testing for her black belt in tae kwon do. We are proud of her, nervous for her, excited for her, and looking forward to the afternoon.She has worked hard and put a lot of thought into preparing for her test. She did not spar with the class last night and she went to bed early to be ready. I'm not sure how well she actually slept though!Today she will take about 5 hours to

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-83779661779659806202009-09-11T15:08:00.003-04:002009-09-11T15:28:37.459-04:00

First thing this morning, I hung our flag outside on the front porch. Today is September 11. I wanted to honor those who died 8 years ago today and encourage other Americans to be vigilant in protecting America.My son recalled one of his vocabulary words from yesterday, tribute, and used it properly in a sentence. (Good job, Kiddo!).Then I hear about turning September 11 into a day of

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-31059826758437878682009-09-08T08:56:00.007-04:002009-09-08T11:13:36.481-04:00

When we took our trip to the zoo last week we had a chance to see how the construction was coming along on the Fulton Road Bridge. This bridge spans a waterway, railroad tracks and large valley. The zoo is in the valley, affording us a rare look up at the work.This crane towers over the bridge and the zoo. I thought a photo from right underneath would look more imposing, but I guess you had to

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-25947492289532618342009-09-04T16:45:00.004-04:002009-09-04T17:02:22.608-04:00

The first week of school is finished. One down, 35 or so to go!We started off with a short schedule, each child only having a few subjects, Grammar, Math, Logic and Art. The grammar and logic curricula, and the Artist's math curriculum are new to me this year. So the slow start is to benefit me as much as to ease the kids into the school year. So far I am very pleased. Math U See seems to be

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-50073046195869987312009-09-03T11:18:00.003-04:002009-09-03T11:27:32.975-04:00

The dreaded summons came in the mail today. Rick will need to report for jury duty. I got lucky and was not selected for any jury when I was summoned to the local municipality court house. I fervently pray Rick is not on any lengthy cases or any cases requiring sequestering. And I wonder if the jury pool man's pay is enough to cover the parking fees he will rack up. These things always happen

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-76724724749372895612009-09-02T07:45:00.001-04:002009-09-02T07:45:00.705-04:00

The deer are making themselves quite comfortable in Dad's back yard. Several times in a day he will see these two napping on the lawn. They have not been bothered by the dog at all. I do wonder what the garden will look like in the spring time. Will there be anything left, or will it all be nibbled away through the winter.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-67088797081442149182009-09-01T10:29:00.004-04:002009-09-01T11:43:59.064-04:00

Yesterday was our first day back at school this school year, and we opened the year in style--with a field trip to the zoo!It had been several years since we had been to the zoo. We all enjoyed the beautiful day. The crowds were at a minimum. Some of the animals posed for photos, and others put on shows with their behavior.We were introduced to one part of the zoo we had not visited before,

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-86532865909214660342009-08-30T07:04:00.007-04:002009-08-30T07:04:00.469-04:00

The kids did not have summer reading per se, this year. Last summer we thoroughly enjoyed the works of Jules Verne read to us on CDs. The kids were fascinated by the stories, and I enjoyed listening with them and knitting, rather than reading aloud.We enjoyed it so much I wanted to do something similar this year. We started by listening to Les Miserables. I could only find an abridged version

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-40604902228554946132009-08-28T12:15:00.004-04:002009-08-28T12:45:12.763-04:00

The Artist said goodby to her cloud room last night and demolition is in progress right now. When moving data off the camera I got to see some of the videos she took. Here's a sample.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-44178356856724754622009-08-27T11:28:00.004-04:002009-08-27T12:04:31.596-04:00

Getting geared up for school this year is harder than usual. A home remodeling project is making the Artist's bedroom and the school room both unusable for a while. All the school books are scattered in various places through out the house.All the things I expect to need for the first semester have moved into the living room. The literature I used to keep on the built in living room shelving

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-18734844596802697232009-08-10T10:38:00.006-04:002009-08-10T11:31:57.993-04:00

We're getting lots of kohlrabi ripening in the garden now. We've eaten them julienne raw with Italian dressing for a while now. In fact, to the point that Rick and the Engineer will not enjoy any more.So I went in search of kohlrabi recipes. There has to be a way to serve this cooked, right? I found some ideas, such as scalloped, creamed with herb sauce, slaw salads, and several others. But

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-2810805653928184242009-08-03T14:30:00.006-04:002009-08-03T23:00:38.721-04:00

The kids' tae kwon do school participated in Radio Disney's live event at Parmatown Mall. It was a lot of work, and a lot of fun!

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-46583485522697091242009-08-03T13:48:00.007-04:002009-08-03T14:27:53.367-04:00

August 1 was a busy day! The kids had been rehearsing for weeks to prepare for a tae kwon do demonstration they were to perform on the Radio Disney stage at a local shopping mall.Both the Artist and the Engineer had roles in the demo, so it was very exciting for the two of them. As I try to think back, this may be the first time the Engineer has been on stage, performing before an audience.Both

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-88649024749179334612009-07-31T10:40:00.004-04:002009-07-31T11:04:36.198-04:00

Last night the family went to see the Ohio Shakespeare Festival's Romeo and Juliet. I really enjoy their traditional Shakespeare, with an outdoor stage under the stars on the lush grounds of Stan Hywet Hall.Photographs are prohibited during the play, but I did get a snapshot of the traveling minstrels coming towards the stage. About a half hour before the show, the cast, parades to the stage

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-77730426387325622172009-07-29T21:20:00.002-04:002009-07-29T21:29:07.383-04:00

I was sad for the Engineer when the Cleveland Indians traded his favorite player, Mark DeRosa, in June. Today I'm sad for both of us as Cliff Lee was traded. I don't even know what we got for him, as I didn't have the heart to listen. Lee is the only thing Tribe fans had pulling them into the stadium this year. His story as a come back kid over the last couple of seasons made him the heart of

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-1408340148877378552009-07-23T12:19:00.000-04:002009-07-23T12:19:00.658-04:00

This is my favorite zucchini meal. Mom used to make it, but not very often as my brother was not a fan. I do not make it often, because it is best made with some of the mid-size home grown zucchinis, not the little skinny ones stacked in mounds in the produce markets.I don't know the weight of these zucchini, but here is how they look on a 10-inch dinner plate. Once prepared, these will serve

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-90886771602692926182009-07-22T07:08:00.000-04:002009-07-22T07:08:00.974-04:00

At long last, my sweet tooth is assuaged. Last time the local specialty candy shop had Black Jack and Clove chewing gum in stock I missed it. No problem, except they can only order it every three years.There is nothing like these big bold flavors for gum chewers.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-75843996998505191272009-07-21T17:32:00.001-04:002009-07-21T17:32:00.559-04:00

Today I tried a recipe I found at Kalyn's Kitchen. When I say I tired a recipe, be advised -- I did not print it out and follow it. I read it, and a couple of days later I worked with what I remembered.I slices into ovals first. Then put them in a ziplock with some Italian dressing, crushed rosemary, and some fresh garlic put through the press. The zucchini and the dressing had been kept in

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-33660479243458568542009-07-20T07:21:00.003-04:002009-07-20T07:44:38.881-04:00

An excellent suggestion from Barb the Evil Genius, Why don't I share some recipes for those who are dubious about zucchini?A good suggestion, because I have some people close to me who would rather pass the vegetable by. One of them still does not eat the stuff, unless it comes as part of his entree and he cannot make a vegetable exchange. Another resents that he was tricked into eating it

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-83753463068798584222009-07-14T11:45:00.005-04:002009-07-14T11:59:35.813-04:00

Five, or maybe more, years ago I tried to grow zucchini. I had a beautiful, robust looking plant that bloomed well and developed some fruit. However, the little zucchinis all suffered blossom end rot, beginning when they were about four inches long. I never got to harvest even one.That was depressing. I gave up on zucchinis for a while. Then the deer discovered my kitchen garden and I gave

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-18281287161502948732009-07-10T06:32:00.001-04:002009-07-10T06:32:00.338-04:00

We planted more than just lettuce in the garden this year, but we got off to a late start. So far we have beans, peas and zucchini that looks like they will be good producers.The kohlrabi looks good but the leaves are being eaten by caterpillars and the Artist (she planted the kohlrabi in her rows) is not too interested in picking worms. She planted some banana peppers too, and they took more

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-63569013726890057572009-07-09T14:55:00.003-04:002009-07-09T15:32:10.030-04:00

The Artist received her pre-order of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows on Wednesday. She was feeling quite poorly on Wednesday, but the book still brought a smile.She lamented that she waited so very long for it, and when it finally came she was too sick to enjoy it, but I saw that she read a good hundred fifty pages on Wednesday anyway.Imagine my surprise when the postman brought a package

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-78062711212703433622009-07-08T06:09:00.000-04:002009-07-08T06:09:02.604-04:00

This makes for a loud and surprising sound when I'm working on the flower bed behind the garage and I don't know what the kids are doing! They enjoyed their simultaneous solo games of pitch and catch.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-13354960648552755092009-07-04T15:16:00.007-04:002009-07-04T16:06:23.074-04:00

We began our celebration of Independence Day a little early with a tea party. We went to the Cleveland Tea Party at Willard Park in downtown Cleveland. That's the park, ironically, that has the somewhat ridiculous sculpture of a giant "Free" stamp.We heard several speakers on the stage and lots of vocal tax protesters in the crowd. Ben Franklin spoke first! Here he is making his way to the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-83732862021680173682009-07-02T07:44:00.005-04:002009-07-02T07:58:51.867-04:00

The tiger lilies showed their full colors last week, a full three weeks behind their normal appearance.This morning the first of the Easter lilies have opened their buds to greet a dismal morning.This picture was taken on a warm T-ball day, but today the Engineer's T-ball team will be shivering in the outfield and on the bench.They may be using one of their rain dates, or everyone will be quite

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-91784516569177301072009-07-01T08:07:00.000-04:002009-07-01T08:07:00.456-04:00

I've had a sourdough starter going for about a year now, but the frequency with which I use it has dropped off.Recently I got a book from the library (Thanks for recommending it, Barb!) called Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a Day. The initial time is more like 15 minutes, but that happens once a week -- or every other week if you have a larger dough container than I have.The daily prep on baking

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-12448557799056233262009-06-30T14:28:00.003-04:002009-06-30T15:06:21.752-04:00

For her birthday, the Artist received a gift card to Borders. It was very convenient that we could use it at home to shop the very evening she received it. You see, she had a list ready of things she would like to use it to buy.Order placed, items received -- except one, the latest release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows due to be released July 7th. She waits and waits, trying to be

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-80802532455357729542009-06-30T07:40:00.005-04:002009-07-01T15:30:30.202-04:00

Rick's getting geared up for the next tea party. This time it will be July, so hopefully we will be leaving our jackets behind. I'll be wearing the same t-shirt as last time. We will be bringing along the same sign as last time.But Rick's new shirts have arrived! He will be sporting this one on July 3rd: These shirts plus more are available at the Blurt-Shirts store.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-16827648578360487052009-06-18T12:15:00.007-04:002009-06-18T12:58:27.664-04:00

Today we finally got around to the astronomy field trip that finishes the last of the school year. I took the children to the Cleveland Museum of Natural History.We looked through the whole first floor of the museum. Some of the galleries don't hold much value for me, but we had lots of time to spend before our planetarium show was to begin, so we looked. The kids enjoyed making potato

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-21007750454755584932009-06-12T16:39:00.003-04:002009-06-12T16:54:58.346-04:00

I almost don't know what to do with myself! Today was the last day of school for our school year. I ignored the uncorrected school work and the books I need to add to my Book List of the children's reading for the year. I also ignored the report card grades I have not yet begun compiling. I paid my full attention to 5 hours of Pride and Prejudice on DVD and I reveled in it. That was a nice

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-494937694083258832009-06-09T08:25:00.005-04:002009-06-09T08:44:06.707-04:00

Our school year is winding down, with just a few lessons in math and history to go. Our study of the Middle Ages, Reformation and Renaissance has brought us to study Martin Luther.Today in history class we read an English translation of Luther's 95 Theses. Phew!In my mind, images from movies, books, woodcuts and engravings fill in the scene. I can picture a resolute, robed monk tacking his

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-26454680791586362182009-06-05T14:30:00.004-04:002009-06-05T14:44:18.741-04:00

Some see art everywhere. My daughter, ever the artist, would have to be included in those who see the world a little differently.Our family enjoyed a particularly seed-laden watermelon after dinner yesterday. As Rick and I were wiping our chins and carefully avoiding crunching those pesky seeds, we noticed the Artist was busy.And she'd found a new medium in which to work: watermelon

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-88565894132228758192009-06-03T13:14:00.003-04:002009-06-03T13:33:07.424-04:00

Last night I started watching the movie The Woman in White. Admittedly, I had high expectations. But they were elevated and dashed in the space of one sentence!I popped the DVD into the machine and soon learned I would be watching a Masterpiece Theater production. Hooray! In the next moment I learned the production would last only two hours. Gasp!This story! In only two hours! How could

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-12500366290348235322009-06-02T09:55:00.002-04:002009-06-02T10:04:02.372-04:00

My math woes continue. Math seems to be the least favorite subject for the Artist, as it was for me. I recall first being aware of how much I hated math when I was in fourth grade. The Artist has known of her math aversion for at least as long too.When we finish the school year I'll be beginning in earnest my search for another curriculum. The A Beka books are great for those for whom math

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-5563494716633778282009-05-29T00:37:00.000-04:002009-05-29T00:37:00.708-04:00

Gotta love Daily Lit dot com. I just finished The Woman in White by Wilkie Collins, and again I say Wow!The story takes place in 1870s England. The plot has intrigue, mystery, betrayal, romance, crime and superb development of some of the characters.While reading I found myself hoping this book had been made into a film. As luck would have it, the DVD is available in my library system.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-5031915126949893762009-05-27T09:01:00.003-04:002009-05-27T09:28:19.859-04:00

At first I was tempted to make this a caption contest, but from the photo only, with no sound it is not possible to guess what is going on here.In-obviously, it is history class!The kids are under the blanket because the Artist did not dress for the weather today. They are sitting together on the couch because they are looking at their history outline in the form of a stack of cards.The dynamics

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-54639023038663024832009-05-25T09:26:00.001-04:002009-05-25T09:27:48.107-04:00

Rick wrote an anniversary post! Thanks, Hon!(((hugs)))

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-53478220622147755462009-05-22T07:33:00.005-04:002009-05-22T16:30:09.376-04:00

The Artist's thrill of the week was the trapeze!Trapeze lessons were included in the resort package and the Artist was not shy about taking advantage of them. From the first time we saw the trapeze crew she was excited to return at the appropriate time for lessons.First a teacher took her aside to a practice trapeze that hangs at about adult eye level from the ground. Here the Artist was

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-30681110374558093762009-05-20T14:58:00.007-04:002009-05-20T15:39:37.515-04:00

When I first read that the resort where we were staying offered archery as an activity I wanted to check it out.Archery had always been a mild interest of mine, but something I've never gotten closer to than admiration of those who practice sport shooting or bow hunting. With complimentary lessons as part of the vacation package, how could I resist?From the first time I held the bow, I was

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-78390118583433727092009-05-17T13:44:00.010-04:002009-05-18T07:43:58.946-04:00

The pre-vacation nightmare past, Rick was all set to have fun in the sun. The biggest goal for this whole trip was for Rick to experience windsurfing. And windsurf he did! The weather was perfect for it and the lessons were included with our resort. Hooray!Lessons begin on shore:Once they learned to pull up the sale and practice how to handle and maneuver it, they moved to the water:After the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-16676656374684693402009-05-16T08:51:00.006-04:002009-05-16T09:13:40.444-04:00

Our trip the Grand Bahama Island held exciting new adventures for everyone in our family.The Ocean -- the kids have seen the Atlantic and the Pacific before. But never before have they been able to swim in the ocean. Previous visits to the sea were in 40 or 60 degree weather, so we were all decked out in long pants and jackets. They loved it! The Artist spent most of her time looking for

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-28206393579163600552009-05-13T16:34:00.004-04:002009-05-13T17:14:12.873-04:00

We all had an exciting and relaxing time on vacation. I'll have several posts of details when I go through all the photos.In the mean time, here's the story of our getting ready to go. You'll either shake your head in dismay, or laugh at all our misfortunes that turned out all right in the end. Special thanks to A Round Unvarnish'd Tale for prodding me to post this draft!P { MARGIN: 0px }

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-28598424826394884202009-04-26T12:56:00.006-04:002009-04-26T13:13:32.022-04:00

I love the heat, and the weather is perfect for me this weekend. It was a great weekend for the kids too. Tae Kwon Do had a fundraiser car wash.The car wash was a big success, but so early in the season I did not have sun block on the brain and the Artist suffered for it. She held signs and washed cars for nearly four hours yesterday, so today she is bright pink.The Engineer might still be

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-16599514998189915732009-04-21T19:37:00.003-04:002009-04-21T19:52:58.709-04:00

No sunshine around here. There was some earlier in the day, but tonight's baseball game is weather threatened. Such is April in Cleveland. This week is chock full of swim lessons, two field trips, a physical therapy appointment, a last minute doctor appointment for the Engineer and dental appointments. There were two full school days planned. Monday was one of them, and it worked out that we

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-56482814837477665722009-04-16T07:58:00.005-04:002009-04-16T08:23:36.402-04:00

Yesterday was cold, gray and damp, a perfect day for a hot cup of tea. But instead we went to a full fledged tea party along with around 5000 other folks from northeast Ohio.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-84352326433342129042009-04-09T07:20:00.003-04:002009-04-09T07:34:26.024-04:00

And it's creator is so proud!My cousin's youngest son participated in a car competition with his Boy Scout group. He won the trophy for Best Tiger Theme on the Pack level, and the trophy for Best Scout Theme at the district level. Way to go, Kiddo! Every time I've been around Boy Scouts events I've been very impressed with the people involved and the activities they've participated in.

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-18601304755268792712009-04-06T06:27:00.002-04:002009-04-06T06:35:05.558-04:00

At 1:05 Cleveland time my radio will be on, school will be done for the day and I'll bring out my knitting. It is time for Baseball!I suppose the forecast for 2 - 6 inches of snow around the radio station's listening area confirm that it is a good thing the Tribe is opening in Texas. Hopefully our weather will do that typical Cleveland thing and it will be 60 degrees and sunny for the home

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-38011630517594616682009-03-30T12:15:00.006-04:002009-03-30T12:31:19.114-04:00

I'd been thinking lately that I should go and refresh the deer repellent that I strew around our shrubs in the back yard. The snow is gone, mostly for good. The bushes look like they have sustained some nibbling, but they are not completely devastated.After refreshing the repellent, I looked around the rest of the garden beds. There is lots of work to do. The dozen or so bags of yard waste we

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-3789264665669936452009-03-29T18:17:00.004-04:002009-03-29T18:54:15.559-04:00

Every once in a great while we will go see a movie at the cinema. We're on the once-a-year plan or there abouts. When we have a special occasion, such as this weekend, though we sometimes head out to see a show.With family visiting from out of town, we headed off to the cinema. There were two offerings available to us, being that we were a party of four adults and two children. "Monsters

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-32471908064375196942009-03-24T07:35:00.003-04:002009-03-24T07:56:38.947-04:00

I suspect the Artist may have strep throat again. It looks like the Engineer and I will be having school alone today. The past few weeks have been a hurried conglomerate of the family moving from appointment to appointment and event to event. The end is in sight though, the first week of May will bring us to a family vacation. I'll write more about that later. Besides school, upcoming visits

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-16800500527665369012009-03-06T11:12:00.002-05:002009-03-06T11:33:44.281-05:00

Wednesday was a clear night in northeast Ohio. But things did not completely clear up for the Artist's science experiment.The easiest constellation for me to find is Orion. We located Orion--hello old friend!-- and looked across the sky to where the big dipper was. So far, so good. Finding the little dipper proved to be more difficult. The six ancient oaks in our back yard did not help

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-48005143860436546732009-03-03T10:20:00.003-05:002009-03-03T10:49:17.871-05:00

It is science experiment time at Homestead Lutheran Academy again today. The Artist's astronomy text, How the Universe Works, included this interesting experiment.I'm slightly irked that we have not been able to finish the last experiment yet! We're still waiting to see Polaris! The rare cloudless nights have been unaccommodating in their cold. The remainder of the nights we have either

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-25921546470060270672009-02-28T06:50:00.000-05:002009-02-28T06:50:00.712-05:00

This week I received the newsletter from my local school district. I believe the Superintendent in my district has a tough road ahead, as well as behind recently, and furthermore, she is doing an admirable job with the less-than-ideal conditions that exist now. For example, I really do appreciate that I was called to participate in a poll. I, as the mother of elementary school age children, was

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-74880715380358399912009-02-26T10:08:00.007-05:002009-02-26T11:48:08.799-05:00

Saying what's on your mind never looked so good.My husband, aka the Quipper, has begun putting his quips to work for himself with the opening of his tee shirt store at www.Blurt-Shirts.com.He has several departments available now, some in development, and more ideas in the hopper all the time. My favorites, and I think his favorites too, are the political shirts, specifically his Revolution 2010

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-26324311095327577182009-02-24T11:46:00.003-05:002009-02-24T11:59:59.070-05:00

...It is different this year.I love making the first on-air ball game of spring training my own personal school holiday. This year I've been cheated out of that holiday.Not that that will impact my listening to the game. With the Tribe moving to Goodyear, AZ, they are in a different time zone. Their game will not start until 3:05 in the afternoon Cleveland time. Hopefully, the kids will have

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-3060013558652332742009-02-23T09:12:00.002-05:002009-02-23T09:22:31.802-05:00

This weekend Rick opened one of the puzzles we were given at Christmas. He got started on the Statue of Liberty with a little help from the Engineer and me. Shortly after he started, the Artist and I had to leave for catechism classes. when we arrived back home the guys had made some significant progress.Later in the weekend, I got to take a crack at the puzzle myself. Rick had done enough

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-70441057951633374922009-02-16T11:35:00.003-05:002009-02-16T11:48:17.652-05:00

When there are not enough leftovers from the previous day's meals to supply lunch for myself and the kiddos, we sometimes have a frozen pizza to accompany the leftovers that are around.Today is one of those days, but a complication has arisen. Either the lower element in my electric oven has broken, or the thermostat has quit, or both. The broiler element on the top of the oven works, but the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-45906161798487447422009-02-12T08:56:00.004-05:002009-02-12T09:35:21.256-05:00

We're still waiting. Let's hope it is not as tedious as waiting for Gadeaux.We've enjoyed some wonderfully warm days this week, but the accompanying low cloud cover and the ambient city light around 8 pm hindered our spying Polaris. If fact we've seen nothing but airplanes and Venus, and the occasional star that I can't place because I know so few of them.Eventually this science project will be

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-40242853636039564622009-02-05T13:29:00.003-05:002009-02-05T14:04:03.457-05:00

Last week the Artist made a device for determining latitude in her science class. All that remains to be done is to locate Polaris through the sighter and take a reading. Enter clouds and extreme cold temperatures. With the trees barren of their leaves and a sky barren of clouds we can see Polaris from our driveway. It is best if we wait outside until the sensor lights turn off. That's not

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-89500780779034066242009-02-02T14:29:00.000-05:002009-02-02T14:31:54.428-05:00

I made a mistake in where I published my super bowl ad comments. For some reason I thought all the knitters out there would like to read them. Sorry!You can find them here at Picking Up Pen and Needle.What were your Bests and Worsts from last night's ads?

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-40019869568780097172009-01-30T06:50:00.003-05:002009-01-30T07:06:54.136-05:00

Each year since taking an excellent public relations class in college, I've eagerly awaited the Superbowl ads.I printed my score sheet from Spotbowl dot com and I plan to vote at the same site on Monday. Hopefully I can add my voice to the choir that votes against tasteless, childish ads that are not funny. Those ads make sitting through the game (when your team is not in it) a real drag. But

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-18424422101659415092009-01-26T16:30:00.004-05:002009-01-26T16:49:01.219-05:00

Last post was during a frigid cold snap. It is not quite so cold any more, but the snow is still solidly on the ground. I'm reminded of a conversation I had with my cousin from Louisiana over the summer. We were talking about the winters of our childhood when it seemed the snow fell in December and stayed around until March. There may be a brief thaw, but it was quickly remedied by another 6

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-45856568990285495102009-01-16T11:41:00.004-05:002009-01-16T11:48:24.573-05:00

Here's why I'll forgo mopping the front vestibule today:Frost creeping under the doorway and on the hinges...and even onto the interior frame!Not that I needed too much of an excuse. Mopping the vestibule is more of an every other Saturday chore.I have not checked the Florida room to see what it looks like. I have laid some wool sweaters on the snow to experiment with the self-cleaning I've read

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-82364706050724441302009-01-14T07:24:00.004-05:002009-01-14T08:15:25.293-05:00

The Engineer recently turned 7. He wanted to be a king for his birthday. That one stumped me for a while, but in time I latched on to a Mardi Gras theme.We decorated with purple, green and gold, the Artist made a beautifully festive cake (sans little plastic baby bauble). The Engineer approves! And he got to arrange his candles. The kids all made mardi gras crowns with a vast selection of

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-62735125341994929002009-01-08T08:15:00.002-05:002009-01-08T08:20:58.117-05:00

School will be interrupted today for the beginning of the Artist's orthodontic adventure. I hope she does not have too tough a time of it. When I was 15 I got my braces. I didn't have the extreme discomfort some of my acquaintances complained about, but there were two or three days following each appointment when my mouth would be sore and tender and I only wanted to eat soup. Perhaps I didn't

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-72374659493519521772009-01-06T12:25:00.003-05:002009-01-06T12:49:34.370-05:00

Winter weather recess from the school day has never been so anticipated as yesterday and today. The Wii system that made its appearance on Christmas morning has a lot to do with that!I am thrilled that the meager half hour I can give the kids for recess does not lose ten minutes to donning coats and boots. I am happy they are playing together rather than arguing together. I'm glad they are

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-36279808625322861202009-01-02T16:43:00.003-05:002009-01-02T16:58:53.653-05:00

The whole house smells so good right now, because I just finished making my first loaf of bread in my new bread maker. The work was done by the machine, so I did not have to set the timer to check on bread rising in the oven or worry about getting bread into the oven before I'd need to run errands and such.But the bread is not without surprises. Here it is, three days shy of Epiphany, but we

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-8634224748049017352008-12-24T12:26:00.002-05:002008-12-24T12:33:40.738-05:00

Merry Christmas Fröhliches Weihnachten Joyeux Noel Hauska Joulu Vrolijke Kerstmis Buon Natale

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-68578003890210739832008-12-22T15:24:00.003-05:002008-12-22T15:43:11.661-05:00

My poor son is twisted like a pretzel. He awoke Sunday morning just fine, but while getting dressed he got a spasm in his neck. Through the day Sunday he whined, cried, and lay on the floor or on the pew at church. At home he went to bed early.I had great hopes that, being still only six years old, one good night of sleep would ease the tension in his neck and he would be greatly improved

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-34258771244900886002008-12-18T06:48:00.001-05:002008-12-18T06:48:02.440-05:00

I'm one of those who is spoiled by modern appliances. For years I've taken it for granted that I can do my family's laundry at home in my own basement.Last week there was a crack in my confidence. The washing machine wasn't emptying the soapy water or the rinse water unless I went downstairs to open and close the lid a couple of times. I wondered how long I could cruise with the machine

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-7452142376839872182008-12-16T14:21:00.003-05:002008-12-16T14:28:15.120-05:00

The UPS driver brought me a beautiful surprise today:A delectable birthday present from my brother- and sister-in-law!My actual birthday is Thursday, but the family is getting together tonight to celebrate. And this gift will be enjoyed all week long!

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-73130277656444428152008-12-15T08:05:00.004-05:002008-12-15T11:24:10.239-05:00

Saturday we went back to our Christmas tree tradition. We had taken a break from having a live tree for a couple of years due to the small children I babysit.This year I don't foresee any toddlers trying to pull themselves up on our tree, so we went back to the tree farm and searched for the perfect tree for us. Not too tall, not too wide, straight trunk. The straight trunk is always the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-22391884.post-26685560051783468742008-12-11T07:34:00.005-05:002008-12-15T08:04:04.521-05:00

The last time the Tribe made a trade, we had a remarkable coincidence: The Engineer's rally towel had fallen from its mounting and lay heaped on the floor doing a laundry impersonation. I wrote about it here.This morning I woke to the news that the Indians had made a 12-player deal with the Mariners and the Mets. Before I heard any details coming over the airwaves I went downstairs to greet the

Marie N.http://www.blogger.com/profile/02358976552469177345noreply@blogger.com2