eeek!!!!

I just realized that I have 20 days until Homeschool Civil War Day. That means I have 20 days to make Joe's Uniform and Lydia's dress. Plus school starts next week!!!! Wonder what I'll be doing tomorrow??

So.......

I was looking back over previous posts and I realized. The most comments I've gotten on any post was 9. My average is probably 3. So, just out of curiosity, what makes you comment on some posts and not others??

I know, I know, what's up with Katie, her last 2 post have been questions to her readers. I must be in a contemplative mood or something...

Question

What do you classify as a conversation?

Today Stephanie, Lydia, and I were at Wal-Mart. Stephanie saw someone she knew, they waved to each other and both said hello. Later she told me about it and said that was the end of our conversation. I don't classify that as a conversation. What do you think? What is a conversation, what does it consist of?

Did you know?

If you ever go to Washington D.C. here's a little tid bit you need to know ahead of time.

There is a key to the statues that involve the horses.

If the horse has all four legs on the ground it mean the rider survived the war/battle.
(General George Thomas)


If the horse has three legs on the ground, one leg up that means the rider was wounded during the war/battle.
(John Logan)

If the horse has 2 legs on the ground, 2 legs up it mean the rider died in the war/battle.

(Sorry I couldn't find a picture)

There are of course a few exceptions......

General Andrew Jackson - future president of the United States, lived and was unwounded

Of course there is a lot of speculation as to whether or not this is true.

But hey, if it worked everywhere that would be a great way to learn history.

P.S. Out tour guide said that if there are 3 legs off the ground it means the horse and rider both died ;)

Is Summer over already?

I was outside today changing the banner at work and I noticed a hint of cool autumn air in the wind.

AHH!!!!!! I'm not ready for it to be autumn yet!!!!

Indian summer where are you!

Random Fact

Random fact about me:

I go through toothbrushes like crazy. I probably wear out 8 a year.

Farmer's Market

Almost every Saturday morning mom goes to the local Farmer's Market. And 9 times out of 10 Luke goes with her. They don't get many children at the market, so Luke and Sarah are a real treat to the vendors. Hence they get a lot of attention, and few stuff. Today Luke came home with a pumpkin and a wildflower plant :)

rain, rain, rain

Well... for the last 5 days or we have had torrential rain every night. Thankfully, unlike a lot of towns in our part of the country, we haven't been flooded out.

But, when I went into work this morning. We had 2 inches of water in our basement office! So. I spent most of the morning squeegeeing water towards the drain. Apparently the back flow valve on the sump-pump was broken. So, I was also trying to empty out the sump-pump one 5 gallon bucket full up the stairs at a time. 2 buckets just got to heavy after a while. Thankfully, our plummer came quickly and fixed the sump-pump. So I only had to do cleanup. Rain is fun, and good for the ground and crops and all. But I've had enough for now. And I'm sure the rest of the mid-west would agree. I'm just very thankful that God has protected us from this.

Dress Pictures!!!

So, when we decided to go to NJ for Jenny's wedding, I didn't have anything to wear. So, yes... I made a dress, in less than a week. I finished hemming and put the ribbon on during the car trip. I totally forgot to take pictures of me in the dress. This is the closest we got.

So I pulled it out of the closet today to take pictures. Sorry it's wrinkled. I'm too lazy to iron it just to take the pictures. Besides it'd just get wrinkled when I put it away...

I used this pattern

I thought it turned out really well.

Sarah and her dolly

Sarah had a little doll,
Little doll, little doll.
Sarah had a little doll,

With PJ's white as snow.

Everywhere that Sarah went,

Sarah went, Sarah went.

Everywhere the Sarah went,

Dolly was sure to go.

Stephie bought dolly at the store,

At the store, at the store.

Stephie bought dolly at the store,

For her Sarah Bethie.

Now Sarah is overjoyed,

Is overjoyed, is overjoyed.

Now Sarah B is overjoyed,

That she has a new dolly.

A weekend with friends

I very blessed to be able to spend this last weekend with friends. Rebecca and I drove down to David and Kristi's on Friday night to spend the weekend with them. You see Joanna, my friend of mine from Colorado, whom I haven't seen in 10 years, is in Chicago the month of August. So I called D&K to see if they wouldn't mind some company and if we could go into Chicago and meet up with Joanna. They said sure and we made a weekend out of it! We went into Chicago on Saturday, picked up Joanna and headed around town. Rebecca and I managed to not get any pictures but Kristi posted some on her blog. We walked all over Chicago, probably 6 miles in all. We saw everything from the beach, to Union Station, to a huge aluminium, steel, whatever it was bean. (We didn't take this picture. I found it online)

We got to go to the World's Largest Free Air and Water Show. We saw an F-22, a Stealth Bomber, the Army Paratroopers, and the Thunderbirds among many other things. I quite enjoyed it. I had no idea that planes could be so entertaining!

It rained on and off all day. My favorite part was when we took Joanna back to Union Station and had to run a couple blocks in the pouring rain. Needless to say, we were soaking wet, but Joshua and I were enjoying ourselves.

After dropping Joanna off we went out to eat at a Greek restaurant in Greektown, Chicago. It was called Artropolis. It not only gave us a chance to dry off but the food was wonderful! Thanks Dave!!!!

This is the only picture Rebecca and I took the whole weekend. 2 wet, and happy friends!

All in all I had a wonderful time. Thank God for friends.

a little announcement

So, after much thought, prayer, and debate. I have decided to not try out for the DBQ Symphony. For a variety of reasons.... let's just say that was the peaceable solution.

Also, for those of you who I've talked to about my violin teacher (Ruth) who was wonderful. She won't be back at the U this year teaching. She got a music research job and it won't work with her schedule to teach. So... I'm not sure what will be happening.... I'm very unsure about taking lessons from yet another teacher who I don't know... So.... anyway.... I don't know what is happening there. I would appreciate your prayers that I would know what to do in the situation. Oh, and my recital is probably on hold, until we get this all straightened out. Life in regards to music has been quite interesting and trying the last week or so. So, that's what going on, I just thought I would let you all know.

Les Mis Quiz

I'm Jean Valjean!

(No, really.) Some people may see me as a little sanctimonious, but though I care deeply about doing right, I'm not above a little skulduggery in a good cause. Being in touch with my spiritual side doesn't make me an easy target... on the contrary, in fact. Which Les Miserables Character Are You?

Quote of the Day (Lincoln)

I have been driven many times upon my knees
by the overwhelming conviction
that I had nowhere else to go.
~Abraham Lincoln

- As I was standing in the Lincoln Memorial reading the speeches he gave and thinking about the world today and the world then, and what President Lincoln said, I was reminded of this quote and it really got me thinking about how it is so true and how I really need to get on my knees.

Quote of the Day (Chambers)

"Faith is deliberate confidence in the character of God
whose ways you may not understand at the time."

—Oswald Chambers

I was looking over the quotes I have saved for future quotes of the day, or at this rate, week.... and when I read this one I knew it was the one I wanted to post. I really need to remind myself of this one.. and this was the best picture I could find, sorry..

The picture I promised!

So... these are the pictures of one of the most beautiful things ever!!!! I know some of you could argue with me about that, but just humor me!











One of the 4 original decorated Stradivarius violins!!!!!!!!! Yes, an original!!!!!!

It was beautiful!!!!

Home Sweet Home

O.k. right here and now I am going to make an announcement:

OK, 2 announcements

#1 We are home!!!!

#2 I am a country girl and I LOVE it!
I know without a shadow of a doubt that I do NOT like big cities, nor ever want to live in a big city, they are confusing, ridiculous and totally unpersonal! I would gladly live the rest of my days in a small town. DBQ isn't too big, PV is great. I tell you, being able to turn around when you want, actually knowing where you are going, not being beeped at, and just the peace that goes with living in a small town is totally worth it! I don't care if the shopping is better and there are more opportunities small towns are the way to go!

There, now I will get off my soapbox.

oh, no I haven't forgotten about the beautiful thing I was going to show you all, I just haven't gotten to the picture yet.

Giveaway!!!

Beautiful Womanhood is giving away a $25 Vision Forum gift certificate!

Click here for details

Hello from New Jersey

Ahoy all!!!!!

As of around 9:00 P.M. ET today I am in New Jersey.

Washington D.C. was amazing!!!! We saw the

• National Air and Space Museum (Smithsonian)
  
• The National Archives (Totally awesome! we saw, the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and one of the four copies of the Magna Charta, it was almost 800 years old!) it you ever go to D.C. you have to go to the Archives.
  
• All the monuments, (Washington, FDR, Jefferson, WW2 (twas beautiful!), the Lincoln Memorial was amazing!!! our best president ever!!! I didn't want to leave!)
• The Capitol
• The White House
• Ford's Theater
• Arlington National Cemetery and the changing of the guard at the top of the Unknown Solider.
• ummm and a bunch of other stuff but I am tired and can't think of anymore right now.
  

We wanted to go to the National American History Museum but it's closed until 2008 for major renovations :( thankfully they had moved 150 of their most popular artifacts to a special display at the Air and Space Museum. So well... I'll tell later when I can actually post a picture but I saw the most beautiful thing!!!!!

So I had lots of fun, but I am definitely tired :)