My corner - Can you spy w/ your little eye ...?

Sometimes I wonder where my blogger friends do their blogging from. This is the corner of my world...or is that - my corner of the world? Either way, I love this place! It's fairly organized - but I'm not obsessive that way (other ways perhaps - but not that way). It's the corner where school & home blend (actually that's the kitchen, dining & front room too) - What you don't see is a shelf full of books & stuff to the right - but when I want to "shut off" school & just have our house be home, I can tuck most of school neatly into this corner. It's where I study God's word, pray, journal, blog & it's where I connect w/ far away (& not so far away) family & friends - & to the outside world when I'm not out in it - which is much of the too cold for me winter! Brrr.

Can you spy w/ your little eye...

- Amazing Grace (framed hymn) w/ a BIG pink eraser - for BIG mistakes - in front of it?
- Sign - "I chose the road less traveled - now where the heck am I?"
- Sign - "We each leave our mark on the world every moment of every day through the choices we make & the actions we take." (gave this to Playmaker on her 1st day of High School)
- Sign - "I can't clean house and save the world at the same time!"
- Look Alikes Poster .... where things aren't always as they seem!
- My favorite books (some propped up like pictures - others on a shelf)
- Pics of my kiddos
- Butterfly collection (amazing gift from my husband! The Artist is incredible - awesome really! )
- Sign - "THYME BEGAN IN A GARDEN" (My friend gave that to me - love it!)
- Tree in full Bloom Pic (sometimes I just wanna jump into that pic - & be there!)
- Sign - "Guidance" my friend gave that to me too (She's a REALLY GOOD friend :)
stands for God, You & I dance (G-U-I-dance) - get it? :)
- My household notebook where I attempt to keep things All Together in One Place (that's the title of one my very favorite books ever too! by Jane Kirkpatrick)
- Long Term & Short Term savings banks...(Dachshund & poodle kissing :) - just had to have those...too bad they're empty!
- Microscope
- Thermometer
- Bible
- Sunflower coffee mug - this mug & I are practically one :)
- Games - love games!
- Sunflower pics my girls each drew for me. - They know what I like! :)
- One thing's missing.... a pic of me & my man! I must fix that! .. & I just threw that plant in there for looks - or m/b it's a pride thing. I'm not very good w/ plants...but this one's growing mid winter!...so I must be doin' somethin' right ;)
- It's simple - but it does have one luxury feature......the space heater beneath my desk -- that you can't see.

Seems like when you've been invited into someone's home, you instantly feel like you know them so much better...& your friendship is kicked up a notch - so - it's toward that end that I share this post w/ you :) Perhaps I'll share other stops on the nickle tour another time.

100 bucks, books & chores

When I was a kid my Dad gave me some medicine bottles (you know - the brown plastic prescription kind) to use as banks - & encouraged me to budget this way...church 10%, savings 45%, & spending 45% . The percentages didn't stick quite as well as the budgeting concept did. My parents also saved cash over time in an envelope to buy misc. things they wanted. The "envelope thing" didn't stick - but again, the budgeting concept did! With the exception of a house, I can hardly stand to buy anything...including a car(!) that I can't pay up front for.

Strike wants an IPOD Touch. Pricey! If she gets it, we'll expect her to take VERY good care of it - so - we've decided to help her earn it by giving her $1 for each chapter book she reads (recycled idea from our friends :) & $1 each for certain chores (in addition to others that are simply expected/required).

She's not a huge reader...tho' recently she's finally started reading books for her own enjoyment rather than b/c I push her & I want to encourage that spark that's taken so long to ignite. And I've seen how well she cares for/appreciates something she's purchased w/ her own money in the past so - given the expense/time/effort involved in this challenge, I'm confident she'll take good care of her IPOD if/when she finally gets it.

By requiring her to earn money & tithe, my hope is that the return on our investment will yield self discipline, fiscal responsibility, personal satisfaction from reaching a long term goal & ultimately - that making good choices & hard work will become more habitual for Strike in the whole process (ie. I hope these "stick!")

Truth be told, this challenge will likely be as challenging for me as it is for Strike - b/c I'm a product of the same instant gratification society (my parents spoiled me & hubby does too) that makes parenting (tough love/discipline) so difficult at times. So - if/when Strike reaches her goal - I'll likely be every bit as thrilled about it... as she is :)

Presidential Prayer Team

Wanted to pass on this link to the Presidential Prayer Team. Great for homeschoolers - as you can sign up to receive a weekly e-newsletter containing a mix of current events & America's godly heritage - including impt. meetings & decisions to be made, & pressing prayer requests. You can also sign up to receive daily prayer e-prompts to cover the President and new administration during their first 100 days in office - & church bulletin inserts can be downloaded too. - Check it out.

Chuckle

Passing on some humor from a long time friend in sunny AZ. - Oh how I wish I could trade places - even for a day....bet she doesn't have to be concerned about stepping outside her door & doing the splits on ice... :)

Q. What kind of man was Boaz before he married Ruth?
A. Ruthless.

Q. What do they call pastors in Germany?
A. German Shepherds.


Q. Who was the greatest financier in the Bible?
A. Noah He was floating his stock while everyone else was in liquidation.


Q. Who was the greatest female financier in the Bible?
A. Pharaoh's daughter. She went down to the bank of the Nile and drew out a little prophet.


Q. Who was the greatest comedian in the Bible?
A. Samson. He brought the house down.

Q. What excuse did Adam give to his children as to why he no longer lived in Eden ?
A Your mother ate us out of house and home.


Q. Which servant of God was the most flagrant lawbreaker in the Bible?
A. Moses. He broke all 10 commandments at once.


Q. Which area of Middle East was especially wealthy?
A. The area around Jordan . The banks were always overflowing.


Q. Who is the greatest babysitter mentioned in the Bible?
A. David. He rocked Goliath to a very deep sleep.


Q. Which Bible character had no parents?
A. Joshua, son of Nun.


Q. Why didn't they play cards on the Ark?
A. Because Noah was standing on the deck. ( Groan.)


PS... Did you know it's a sin for a woman to make coffee?
Yup, it's in the Bible. It says . . 'He-brews'

Jewels $ can't buy

This weekend my husband received a couple of handwritten letters from two beautiful young ladies for his birthday. Wrapped in their own words was time spent trying to find just the right ones (words) & effort as they tried to be neat, spell correctly & to say what they meant in a way that would help their Daddy understand how very much they love him. - Also, tucked inside each letter was an "exquisite jewel". Every now & then we find one where & when we least expect to. These jewels are unique but we have no doubt when we've found one! They're bright (seen in the smiles they create), they sparkle (in the eyes of the beholder), are SO clear (in the understanding they convey) .. and - they look like --- well - like ... we're doing something right...priceless! :)

P.S./cut & paste from a comment my husband made after reading this post:

Please place the notes from the girls somewhere safe… they are keepers… the notes too

Unexpected Gift

Our family received yet another unexpected pkg in the mail - this time from my brother & sister-in-law who live in Africa. As I pulled out the dolls one by one I didn't realize the significance at first...but it wasn't long before I realized just what it was. Can't say I've ever seen a Nativity scene quite like this. I think it's so neat and I plan to leave it out all year. Just wanted to share.

A Gift Certificate ....

Gift Certificate

TO: The man who has given me everything I ever dreamed of and SO much more

FROM: j

GOOD FOR: 2 snowshoe rentals + 1 backpack picnic + you + me - (minus!) anyone/everyone else = one romantic trek to a view to behold while holding each other! (aka: yet another memory to be made together & added to our collection :)

and P.S. - Have I ever told you how much I enjoy this hobby (making memories ) that we share .... and ------ whoever said I wasn't good at math!? :)