Happiness Is...

doing what *you* choose!

I have to say...digging out a creek bed wouldn't make me very happy, but Daddy is enjoying it. ; ) sitting beside the creek, reading and snacking? Not for me,today, but for Emma, great fun!

and for Anna? Playing in the *very* cold water! : )

(and *not* being in pictures at all makes me VERY happy!)

I love choosing what I want....choosing what makes me happy! I also exjoy extending that to the rest of my family! Having a CHOICE....and knowing you have a choice!....makes for happy days! : )

The apples for poppy anne blog post this week was AMAZING...so much better writing than I can do (not to mention a better picture). Go and read. (Nope. No choice. Just do it.) ; )

Hiatus

I am taking a hiatus from homeschooling....at least I *hope* it's a hiatus!

I'm going back to work, and both squirrels want to give school a try.

In a way it bothers me....wasn't our homeschooling experience "good" enough?

On the other hand, I understand their wanting to experience something new.

It happened to me at about their ages, too....I'd been in a small private school for 6 years, and decided to give public school another try.

I only stayed one day! At the end of that day I collapsed into the van and said, "Never again!" lol

In a way I want my squirrels to do that too! lol I want them to have a good experience, though...because, well, they ARE my favourite peoples ever! : )

This being an *unschooling* blog, though...I don't know that I'll post here much more. I'm thinking of starting another blog...not sure yet....maybe a "Can We Survive School After Homeschooling?" lol

Cats DO Control Humans!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/livescience/20090713/sc_livescience/catsdocontrolhumansstudyfinds

Was there ever any question?

"If you've ever wondered who's in control, you or your cat, a new study points to the obvious. It's your cat."

I've Laughed All Evening About This...

The library had a photo scavenger hunt today. The bonus clue was "I have close ties to family history where I ponder myself bald about the past."

Instead of taking a picture of the statue of the man the room's named for (you can see it in the far right-hand side of the picture), my squirrels asked a local historian if they could take his picture.

He was a good sport, and the librarians said, "Now he's got a new story to tell...and he'll tell it, too!" lol (He told three people within five minutes.) ; )

I don't know if they told him what the clue said....

(He's doing a geanology workshop Saturday. I asked the squirrels if they'd like to go and see him again. They said they would, and maybe take another picture...)

It Begins With a Colour: Circle

The apples for poppy anne "it begins with a colour" challenge for this week is...circle!

I took these pictures a couple weeks ago, but when I read the challenge I thought of them...

Daddy's....
Anna's.

The Lord is My Pace Setter

The Lord is my Pace Setter....I shall not rush

He makes me stop for quiet intervals

He provides me with images of stillness which restore my serenity

He leads me in the way of efficiency through calmness of mind and His guidance is peace

Even though I have a great many things to accomplish each day, I will not fret, for His presence is here

His timelessness, His all importance will keep me in balance

He provides refreshment and renewal in the midst of my activity by anointing my mind with His oils of tranquility

My cup of joyous energy overflows

Truly harmony and effectiveness shall be the fruits of my hours for I shall walk in the pace of my Lord and dwell in His house for ever.

*A version of the Twenty-third Psalm from Japan*

My Life, Part Two

In response to my previous post , in which I whine a lot....

I'll try a more positive spin...

We got to volunteer at the food pantry again today! It's so nice to be able to help people. : ) Daddy didn't get to go with us, because he had an opportunity to help our neighbour...and make a little extra money. Extra money is always nice. : )

The squirrels were SO well behaved today, it was amazing! One of their friends was there, and she helped them with their work, and boys kept coming in, which delighted Emma, as she enjoys seeing a good-looking fellow every now and again. ; )

I had lots to do, no time spent wondering what needs doing! That's always nice. I like having jobs. : ) Even with being so busy, I did get to have a nice chat with the director after lunch. It turns out she's a distant relative...she's so thrilled by that! lol She's a sweetheart.

The commode overflowed just before we left, and thankfully we had some blankets Daddy's mother had sent down....they're wonderfully absorbant and just the thing to get water up out of the floor. They worked so well all the water was out of the floor in no time. I brought them home with me to wash....it's such a blessing to be able to do that! Up until about six months ago (probably less....I don't remember the dates exactly) I wouldn't have been able to do that, because I didn't have a dryer. Now I have a dryer, and it's SO NICE to be able to just pop them into the washer, then into the dryer and they're DONE! : ) I can take them back tomorrow all fresh and clean, ready for the next time the commode overflows. lol

On the way home we passed an injured pigeon, and my sweet girls wanted to stop and get it. I'm so glad they show compassion for animals like that! It was really badly injured...I thought it had died twice while I was holding it.....so we brought it home with us so Daddy could put it out of it's misery. Poor little thing. Daddy was wonderful, though....I'm so glad I've got him to do stuff like that! (I really could have used him during the restroom incident, too....true confession time....I don't know how to use a plunger!lol)

I made spaghetti and cheese sticks for supper (I love my crockpot! It's so nice to have food ready when you get home!). I accidentally knocked my plate in the floor, and Emma gave me hers....my squirrels are so sweet! : )

I was thinking of berry picking this evening, but I think I'll wait until tomorrow. Both girls are tired, and, truth be told, I'm a bit sleepy, myself. ; )

My Life...

Today has been like a see-saw....up and down, up and down....

We went to volunteer at the food pantry...and DH didn't go, because our neighbour came over and asked it he'd spray poison on his field. (Don't even get me started on poisons!) SO, anyway, he stayed home to do that, and we went on.

At first everything went fine...the girls didn't fight, and they had a friend there to help them with their work, and I got lots done...it was really busy today, and I was kept going, trying to keep the shelves stocked.

Anyway, just before we were going to leave I went to the restroom...and it looked like it hadn't been flushed, but there was a small girl there, so I didn't think about it, just went, and flushed...and it overflowed and KEPT ON FLOWING!!! The water wouldn't cut off in the tank, finally they had to cut it off manually. So then I had a BIG mess to clean up....about two inches of water over the entire floor, and it was beginning to seep out into the carpet. OOPS!

I got it all dried up, and volunteered to bring the blankets I'd used home with me to wash, because I felt really guilty (but, hey...they could have said, "Oh, the commode is stopped up..." as I passed the office...but I digress.)

SO, on the way home, we passed an injured pigeon in the road. And, of course, Anna had to stop and get it. It was injured too badly to live, I'm surprised it was still alive when we found it, it was in such bad shape. So we brought it home for DH to put it out of it's misery.

We got home, and I put the blankets in the washer, and Emma went to the field to get DH....and it has just now occured to me that she probably shouldn't have been out there breathing that poison....DUH, momma! And he "took care" of the bird, and I dug a hole and popped it in...and Anna is upset, because this is the second bird she's had die in two days...she was holding one yesterday when it died, and she's afraid she killed it...

I left spaghetti in the crock pot for supper this evening, but forgot to turn it on low and it was burned (not completely, but more than the girls wanted to eat), and when we got home I put cheese sticks in the oven to have with it, and they got a bit over-done, too. Neither was inedible, but Anna wouldn't eat any, and Emma just had a couple bites.

Then I knocked my plate in the floor, and Oscar ate my supper.

I was thinking of berry picking this evening, but with the day I've had, I have no doubts I'd meet up with a bear. I think I'll save the berries for another day. : )

(positive version)

It Begins With a Colour....PURPLE!

The "it begins with a colour" challenge for this week is purple.

Emma helped me find lots of purple when we walked the dog this evening....and she also posed for me. : )


I thought this beauty deserved to show off by itself. : )

Wiener Dog Wednesday

Oscar is watching Daddy make pottery...and helping himself to the jug of water. lol He was very interested in what Daddy was doing...

until he got tired. : )

Then, later, he watched Anna work on her creation.