I must be a liberal.

My friend Scott asked this question “What is so wrong with being a liberal? and I have been pondering for a little while. I looked up the definition on Dictionary.com and these are the many definitions of Liberal:

1. favorable to progress or reform, as in political or religious affairs.
2. (often initial capital letter) noting or pertaining to a political party advocating measures of progressive political reform.
3. of, pertaining to, based on, or advocating liberalism.
4. favorable to or in accord with concepts of maximum individual freedom possible, esp. as guaranteed by law and secured by governmental protection of civil liberties.
5. favoring or permitting freedom of action, esp. with respect to matters of personal belief or expression: a liberal policy toward dissident artists and writers.
6. of or pertaining to representational forms of government rather than aristocracies and monarchies.
7. free from prejudice or bigotry; tolerant: a liberal attitude toward foreigners.
8. open-minded or tolerant, esp. free of or not bound by traditional or conventional ideas, values, etc.
9. characterized by generosity and willingness to give in large amounts: a liberal donor.
10. given freely or abundantly; generous: a liberal donation.
11. not strict or rigorous; free; not literal: a liberal interpretation of a rule.
12. of, pertaining to, or based on the liberal arts.
13. of, pertaining to, or befitting a freeman.

So then I looked up the definition of conservative and here is what I found:

1. disposed to preserve existing conditions, institutions, etc., or to restore traditional ones, and to limit change.
2. cautiously moderate or purposefully low: a conservative estimate.
3. traditional in style or manner; avoiding novelty or showiness: conservative suit.
4. (often initial capital letter) of or pertaining to the Conservative party.
5. (initial capital letter) of, pertaining to, or characteristic of Conservative Jews or Conservative Judaism.
6. having the power or tendency to conserve; preservative.

I have called my self a moderate as I love things that are traditional: Christmas traditions, antique furniture, college homecoming, family time but I also love progress. I love my neighborhood that looks like the United Nations. I love that I can buy milk in the middle of the night. I love penicillin and antibiotics.

I think I have been afraid of being called a liberal because it has been used like a curse word by the media and other groups. But Scott really has me thinking and if the above is the definition of liberal then yes, I am a liberal and there is nothing wrong with that.

 

Tomorrow is my Birthday and Honey’s too.

Honey and I have the same birthday. As we have been married 10 years and dated for two years, I have had to share my birthday. I exactly mind sharing but I think he does not work so hard to make it special since it is his special day too. I know I sometimes don’t make his as special.

Maybe we need to just alternate which year we get to be the “main” birthday person. When my mom was alive, she always made birthday’s special. My sister is good at making them special so I will just rely on her. I know she has sent me a package and I can’t wait to see it.

Tonight the boys made me some puff balls and homemade cards at church. My closest friend is their Wednesday night teacher so I think they were prompted.

I got some cards from the older ladies at church and from my insurance agent. Can’t wait to see what tomorrow’s mail contains.

 

Has it been that long?

So much has been going on this summer, I just didn ‘t feel like playing in the blog world. The real world had so much to offer that I stayed outside, reading up a storm and with the kids most of the summer.

We are back to homeschooling, AO modified Year 3, my own invention as the twins are not reading well enough for Year 3 and there were so many books we had not yet read so I just took all the books we had missed, added math, phonics and reading and off we went.

Why do boys take so much longer to become real proficient readers? I have racked my brain trying to find ways to get them to read but they would rather play Hot Wheels, build with Legos, play outside, ride bikes or go swimming. Maybe this is why young men in Victorian times did not get sent off to boarding schools until they were 9 or 10.

We are back to Community Bible Study this year again. I am a core group leader, the twins are in the homeschool class and Hopalong in the 4 yr old class. He loves it and they do too. We are studying Genesis and if the entire year is as great as the first 3 lessons, we are in for a treat.

The weather had cooled off and it is turning into a brilliant Texas fall, well early fall. Ike dumped a ton of rain on my yard and I am enjoying late tomatos and peppers from our garden. We have been shooting archery in the backyard the past few nights and I have the bruises to prove it. Where did I put my arm guard?

I have been trying to work on getting my fall/winter clothes together. I just can’t figure out what 40-something’s wear to be stylish, put together and yet comfortable to chase around three boys. I don’t want to dress like a teenager but definitely not like a 60 year old. Dowdy is not in my vocabulary. Dressing in style is improtant to me. I know some people don’t care about clothes and if this is you, just skip on down to the next paragraph. I really like classic tailored clothes but just can’t afford them. So I shop the sales, check out the local resale shop, make a few skirts and try to keep it all together.

I am going to try to post at least once a week and write something to keep my brain active and engaged. But I make no promices.

 

A really good writer with some really great blogs

As you can tell from the title, I have run short of adjectives for the summer. Life has been busy with all the things three little boys need to keep them busy during the long days of hot weather. We have been swimming (alot), playing video games (maybe too much), going to tennis camp, VBS, sailing with Uncle M’s new boat, cooking out, oh and fence building.

I sat down today for the first time in a while to read some email and a friend sent me the link to this bit of humor called Stuff Christians Like with posts like Donating Stuff to the Church or Father Abraham had many sons-the VBS remix version. You have to read the comments too. I think my sides hurt from laughing.

Then, I clicked over to another of Prodigal Jon’s sites and laughed and cried at the same time! Of course there is the main site at ProdigalJon. As I was reading, I kept thinking, I wish I had a book of this stuff to read late at night in bed after the kids go to sleep and I can think about it. It looks as if I may be in luck in the near future.

 

If you visited our house…

Tim’s mom has created a cute new meme and I have been challenged to post. I think we would love a visit to her home. Of course, the fact that there are three big boys who like knights and stuff would just thrill my boys.

Come on in and enjoy the visit.

You would see:
shoes by door, toys on the stairs, some pokemon cards on the floor, a bowl of fruit in the kitchen, computer parts in the dining room, extra moniters on the family room floor, some laundry on the couch, pictures of the kids, family and friends all around the rooms, pictures of cowboy boots, bluebonnets and wildflowers, a house full of antique furniture from my grandmother and Aunties

We’d probably feed you:
cruidite with Ranch dressing
sliced apples
fruit snacks

And offer you this to drink:
milk, water or Sugar Free Grape Koolaide
I usually have a pitcher of tea made with Splenda in the fridge

We’d undoubtedly ask if you’d read:
Amelia Bedilia
The latest joke book

We’d want to play this music for you:
whatever is playing on KLTY, our local Christian music station or the FIrebird.

We’d want to tell you the latest about:
The Prince Caspian movie we recently saw
Webkins
Pokemon cards
what we studied in Bible Study that week

We’d probably suggest a game of:
pokemon (inside) or The unbeatable Banzuke (outside)

We might show off:
Our veggie garden we just planted, Our Webkins, newest Banzuke course out in the yard, our fence that got blown down in a tornado,

We might get on the computer and show you:
Webkins

If it was a long enough visit, we might watch:
Star Wars episode 1-6 (stay a long time)
Japanese anime

I hope you enjoy a visit into our home…now if you were to visit inside the minivan..that would be a whole different story

Since Tim’s Mom challenged everyone I would think of, I will just wait to read their list.

 

Praying for the Chapman Family

Praying for the Steven Curtis Chapman Family in their great loss of Maria. May the Comforter cover them in His love. May their son find the peace that can only come from Jesus.

I have come to this ocean
And the waves of fear are starting to grow
The doubts and questions are rising with the tide
So I’ll clinging to the one sure thing I know

I will hold on to the hand of my Savior
And I will hold on with all my might
I will hold loosely to things that are fleeting
And hold on to Jesus
I will hold on to Jesus for life

I’ve tried to hold many treasures
They just keep slipping through my fingers like sand
But there’s one treasure that means more than breath itself
So I’m clinging to it with everything I am

Like a child holding on to a promise
I will cling to His word and believe
As I press on to take hold of that
for which Christ Jesus took hold of me

Hold on for life

 

What kind of mother hen am I?

What type of Mother Hen Are You?
by Montessorimom.com: Educational Resource

HT to Beth at Brew*Crew Adventure.

I really am a gentle mother hen. When I was in college and grad school studying classroom management, I would cringe when we studied methods that used fear, shame and guilt. I was so glad when we learned about the Discipline with Dignity which promotes responsible thinking, cooperation, mutual respect, and shared decision-making. I use this same method with my own kiddos. It is not a quick fix but a slow process for teaching and modeling appropriate behavior.

 

Yep, I am still Elinor Dashwood.

Take the Quiz here!

 

This is great!! Lai Dao Thi needs our help.

Lai Dao Thi is a young girl who lives in the mountains of Vietnam. She is 15 years old and has been living with a benign tumor growing on her tongue for over 10 years. There is an article about her in the Miami Herald which tells the whole story. The International Children’s Fund is going to provide the life saving surgery. You can donate to her hospital bills at their website.

What is awesome about this story is how small the world actually is. Geoff Le (or Anh as he is known to me) who has helped bring Lai over for the surgery was one of my best friends in high school. He is a wonderful guy and this is just more proof. We keep in touch as he still lives in Fort Worth and I see him one in a while when we are there. He has a lovely family. His mother, who spoke very little English when we were kids, would make us Vietnamese egg rolls and lovely rice and lots of good things to eat when we were teenagers. He has a heart and compassion bigger than he is.

If you can make a donation, please do. This is one of those causes I know is legitimate.

 

Because I love these Memes

I have been tagged and I am so excited. I just love doing these and finding out little tid bits about people. I was tagged by Veronica Mitchell at Toddled DredgeThough she and I have never met, I feel a special connection with her as her younger sister is one of my dear friends. Today we enjoyed an afternoon at the roller rink watching the young’uns wheel around and around and around.

Here are 3 random things about me:

1. I have probably forgotten more novels than most people have ever read. I am a voracious reader and I enjoy books over and over because I get to about page 50 before I realize I have already read it. This frustrates my sister who is an English instructor.

2. I have a crooked top lip. It is also very thin. My brother and sister love to make fun of it. Make up ladies are always trying to sell me products to make my lips look fuller or larger. I just smile and say “no thank you, they are hopeless.”

3. I love to play video games. In middle school, I would save quarters from lunch to play Frogger and Centipede in the arcade which was near the bus stop. In college, Mrs. Pac Man took up my laundry quarters. Honey and I bought a Playstation as a wedding present to each other and this year we added a Wii to our collection. I love it!! We rarely buy new games but wait to buy them second hand.

Now, I am suppose to tag five more people. Let me think….How about Beaver, Mom of 3 kids ,Frazzled , The Mom, and Katie .