cuz_He_lives's Xanga

Halloween Help

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 01:25:40 GMT

I don't get it. This Halloween thing has me seriously perplexed.

Oh, I understand dressing up like a cute, fuzzy animal or a favorite superhero. Even I'd like to do that. And I get the candy. Who doesn't enjoy an excuse to eat candy? But what I can't grasp are the ghosts, witches, skeletons and all other grotseque-looking netherworldly creatures. How is it those things are fun? Why would you want to decorate your house with cobwebs, or make punch that looks like swamp slime or cookies that resemble eyeballs?

I cannot wrap my mind around such things. And I would like to. Let me clarify: I would like to understand what drives a person to do those things. Is it all in the name of "fun"? What is it then, that makes the very same thing "fun" to some, and "un-fun" to another? Is it just preference, personality, or spiritual position? Where does good and evil play in here?

And, no, I don't ask these questions with any pre-formulated responses in mind (like I usually do in asking questions!); I'm truly curious- what is it that makes Halloween a day worth celebrating?

Autumn 2009

Tue, 20 Oct 2009 22:55:10 GMT

I couldn't stop and smell the flowers today, since there aren't any to smell this time of year. But I did stop and take some pictures.

October gave a party;
The leaves by hundreds came -
The Chestnuts, Oaks, and Maples,
And leaves of every name.
The Sunshine spread a carpet,
And everything was grand,
Miss Weather led the dancing,
Professor Wind the band.
~George Cooper, "October's Party"
_ _ _ _ _ _ _

For a fall-themed family night, go with apples!

You can do an apple race:

Each child must run with an apple on a large serving or wooden spoon from one location to another without dropping their apple!

Decorate them:

Pretzel sticks for arms or legs, marshmallows for hands or heads, raisins for buttons, grapes for noses, and cream cheese to glue it all together!

And dip them!

Using a melon baller, create apple balls. Poke onto popsicle sticks and dip in melted (and slightly cooled) chocolate or caramel. Roll in chopped nuts or coarse sprinkles.

_ _ _ _ _

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace
As I have seen in one autumnal face.

The Honest to Goodness Truth

Fri, 16 Oct 2009 11:54:04 GMT

I read a fascinating book to Julia recently (or at least as fascinating as children's books can be) called "The Honest To Goodness Truth". The little girl's mother in this book warned her to never lie but always tell the truth.

True enough.

So, the main character strove to tell the whole truth- no matter how, no matter when. This made obvious problems. Like when she saw a hole in her friend's sock and blurted it out in front of everyone on the playground! She quickly found herself friendless and frustrated at this truth telling business.

I relate, for I too have pondered exactly what it means to be honest.

Quite honestly, being honest is a complex thing. For it is more than just relaying facts; there are emotions involved.

If a friend asks me for my impression of her new house and the honest truth is less than positive, what do I say? I have enough wits about me to not spout out all the things I think are ridiculous with the place. But, I wonder, if I find a genuinely positive aspect of her abode and use that as my reply, and no more, is that truly being honest?

I also know people for whom being honest means they feel it necessary to inform me of every detail on a given subject. Whether asked about or not, they delve into a liturgy of their latest ailments, aches and pains; or the most recent findings on the life of their sister, friends, dog, or bedspread. Does the truth require me to listen? Even if I think they might be better served by the truth residing in my heart that for most circumstances, a summary is sufficient.

There's the adage that "sometimes the truth hurts". We all know this to be a true, and yet necessary part of life. So, how do you go about being the deliverer of such a truth, and yet "speak it in love"?

If we truly love someone, we won't allow fear to dictate how we communicate with them. "Perfect love drives out fear." And there's honestly an awful lot of truth-telling that's tinged with fear. It seems Jesus had plenty of negative things to say. Even to his disciples, He spoke more than just flowery words.

And yet I remain just a bit afraid. Like the story's main character, I'm not a fan of friendlessness or frustration. So still I ponder, what does telling the Honest To Goodness Truth, truly mean?

Desiderata

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:48:09 GMT

I read these words at a lawyer's office this morning. Beautiful. And much to ponder . . .

Desiderata

Go placidly amid the noise and the haste, and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even to the dull and the ignorant, they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit.

If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. Keep interested in your own career, however humble; it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.

Exercise caution in your business affairs, for the world is full of trickery. But let not this blind you to what virtue there is; many persons strive for high ideals, and everywhere life is full of heroism. Be yourself. Especially do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth.

Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. Beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself. You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.

Therefore, be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be. And whatever your labors and aspirations in the noisy confusion of life, keep peace in your soul. With all its sham, drudgery and broken dreams; it is still a beautiful world. Be cheerful.

Strive to be happy.

--- Max Ehrmann, 1927

Hmm . .

Sun, 11 Oct 2009 01:46:42 GMT

They say if you haven't ideas to blog about, just post pictures.

Well . . .

What do you do if you have neither ideas NOR pictures to work with?

Hmm.

Elise's Favorite Flip Flops

Thu, 01 Oct 2009 01:42:26 GMT

The evidence of a Summer

well

spent.

Homeschool Group Bowling

Fri, 25 Sep 2009 20:27:04 GMT

These are the shoes . .

. . . that shod the feet of the First Grader.

This is the pose . . .

. . . that allowed the First Grader to bowl a 69 and a 57 (well, and the bumpers too).

And this is the First Grader, herself . . .

. . . who said, "It was a lot of fun! And I even rolled the ball and knocked down pins TWICE IN A ROW without getting a gutter ball! Yeah- two times!"

This is the ball . . .

. . . of the little girl.

This is the little girl, herself

. . . right before she rolls the ball.

And this is the man . .

. . . who had to go rescue the ball because the little girl never threw it hard enough!

Class Change

Sun, 20 Sep 2009 23:06:38 GMT

I have one more Sunday left in my year of teaching a ladies' Sunday School class.

Oh, how I'm going to miss it.

It was such a wonderful outlet for me; one where I could feel like I was making a difference in others' lives. I loved the study, and even more so, the discussions. You know that look that crosses our faces when we attempt to process an idea or angle we'd never thought of before? Well, seeing that look on ladies' faces every Sunday was my favorite part of all. Helping people think and learn is probably THE thing that fulfills me the most.

Will I miss the 4 hours a week I put into getting the lesson together? Well, not so much. I calculated that over the past year I've spent approximately 180 hours studying for and teaching Sunday School. Can I ask you to do something? Next Sunday before you leave your Sunday School class, thank your teacher for her efforts, okay? It really does mean a lot!

So what am I going to do with all my "extra" time? Several things. One I'll tell you about in a minute, the others you'll have to ask if you really care to know.

Today I was voted one of the superintendents for the Primary Sunday School department at church. I'm not sure if that's a great fit or not. Initially I thought, "Umm, no. I'm not a fan of kids to start with, why would I want to be in charge of 80 of them?" Well, for the same reason I enjoyed my role this past year- to be an agent in helping them learn and grow.

For those of you who know me well, you know I like to change things. I've discovered that doing it just the way it's always been isn't nearly as cracked up as it claims to be. So I like to rearrange, or add something new, or take away something old. Spice it up, ya know? As you can imagine, such endeavors aren't always met with open arms. And this new assignment feels a bit like that: a system that's pretty concrete in its execution and doesn't have room for much change. Nonetheless, I'm open to all sorts of new ideas.

So, I'm curious, how is your children's Sunday School set up? What sorts of special or different things do you include? Any new ideas for me?

If I Have To

Mon, 07 Sep 2009 16:02:16 GMT

Alright, alright, I admit it-

It's Fall.

BUT, that doesn't mean I have to like it!

Oh, there are parts of fall that I'm looking forward to- like getting back into teaching Julia (and Elise some this year as well), and the more structured days that brings. You really do get more accomplished when you have a framework for your day, ya know? And there's such beautiful colors, smells, and memories fall brings.

I sorted through the fall and winter clothes I had on hand for the girls. This is always a delightful time for them. It amazes me how something like new panties can thrill a 5 year old! Elise was all excited when she uncovered a winter coat, hat, and boots. After she tugged them on, she seemed to still be missing just a bit of the ensemble!

And this pretty much sums up what I am NOT looking forward to with the coming of fall- cold weather. My body is more or less in a perpetual state of coldness from November through March. Gets old. And I wonder how, exactly I ever lived in NY?

His Happy 30th

Thu, 27 Aug 2009 14:16:02 GMT

I've been scheming for a month, now. Do you know how hard it is to keep letters, emails, phone calls, google searches, and reservations a secret for that long? Jeff's 30th birthday was Monday and I surprised him with a trip to Cincinnati for the weekend. 'Twas fun to pull strings, network, and make it all happen!

We started our weekend with a trip to the Creation Museum We had been there once previously, but with children along and enormous crowds we were hardly able to enjoy it. This time- oh bliss- just the two of us! We could take in all the shows, meander at our own pace through the exhibits, and soak in the Garden of Eden inspired grounds surrounding the facility.

T-Rex

A 1% portion of Noah's Ark gives you a small- or rather, large- idea of how enormous the original would have been!

For those of you that know either Allen Roth or Lester Swartzentruber, we found their look alikes in wax figure form. (And it made for quite a laugh between us!)

We ate dinner at the lovely Montgomery Inn at the Boathouse It afforded us a gorgeous view of the River while we ate. After we finished our famous ribs we took a romantic stroll along the water.

The restaurant

Ready for our ribs!

Saturday, I treated Jeff to an experience he loves, but hasn't had the opportunity to do in a very long time- Kings Island (and the rollercoasters that call this amusement park home!)

The view from atop this tower

I can't begin to describe how delightful our time together was! It was edged on by the fact that this is the first since we've had children (5 1/2 years) that we have been away- alone!- overnight. Enormous hugs and much love are due Derrick & Mandy for watching the girls for us! Be sure, you'll be asked to do it again. =) Jeff and I totally felt like we were dating once more- all flirty and romantic, and carefree and fun!!

Words and writing are something that seldom fail me. But when it comes to telling you just how much I love my husband; how incredibly insightful and understanding he is; how comfortable and caring he is as a Daddy; and how he has, unbeknownst, been a primary catalyst in driving and fashioning who I've become, I can't find words big enough. There are none that beautiful.

Happy 30th Birthday, Jeff!