Happy Thanksgiving!

Today was a wonderful Thanksgiving Day. Our home was filled with family and friends. We had some of the traditional food and a lot of games and laughter. My father loves "Scatergories" and there is always lots of laughs in each person's wrangling for points.

Laughing Water and Mr. Blueberry Eyes learned the game "Sorry" and loved it. Laughing Water played "The Farming Game" with her Uncle #1. Uncle # 3 was here, too, and that was extra fun because he is usually working on holidays. Uncle # 2 called from boot camp and was able to chat for a nice amount of time. He asked about the news as he doesn't get to hear the news there. Uncle #3 played a lot with Mr. Blueberry Eyes. (Uncles are listed in order of age,not lovability. They are all great Uncles!) All in all, it was a great day. Now we are sitting around visiting with our friend, "The Wanderer" solving the world's problems. I don't have the energy or mind to finish cleaning up the kitchen, so tomorrow will have to do. I chose to visit instead and it was rewarding enough. My heart is full and I wish to acknowledge my Father's blessings:

* Improving health after a difficult summer

* The tremor in my hands is slowly diminishing with thyroid therapy

* My beautiful, healthy children and the opportunity to live and learn in a gentle learning environment with them.

*A faithful husband who loves to talk to me and is an incredible support.

*Some incredible friends that bring richness to my life in so many and varied ways.

*I am so in love with nature and am continually amazed at the variety around me. (This post's picture is of one of the thermal pools in Yellowstone National Park.)

*My Heavenly Father and a great paraphrase of the Bible that I've been reading that is making His Word come alive to me once again.

A very blessed Thanksgiving weekend to each of you! -Nanette

Summer Memories

I've been reminiscing over summer memories lately. When one is collecting their thanks for the past year's blessings, it makes you kind of nostalgic. I decided to do something new this fall and put 15 or so favorite pictures on my refridgerator door. I use the magnetite rocks I've found at some gift shops to put them up. They are uniformly dark and boast strong magnetic power, so they make perfect tools for mounting pictures! There is a picture of Mr. Blueberry Eyes shooting his bow and arrow. There is one of The Wood Artist beside a campfire. There is one of me covered in mud just after I've come out of a cave. In one, Laughing Water is sitting in a laundry hamper-laughing! Memories. I love thinking about these times.
This picture represents quite a memory. My parents live on a mountain. This summer they had two grizzly bears and one black bear practically taking them hostage in their own home! The bears hung out for weeks and calls to the Fish and Game Dept. did no good. When we would go to see them, my father would meet us at the vehicle with his powerful rifle and escort us to the house a few yards away. We never did get to see the bears, but my parents did many times. Once, my mother awoke from a nap on the couch to see the smaller grizzly standing on the generator right outside her window - peeing!
In this picture, Mr. Blueberry Eyes, who loves guns, is posing with Grandpa on the way to the car.

Africa Update

Today was a good day. I've been so busy working on my project of sending this shipment of things to Kenya. But, today took the cake. I got a call today offering a whole warehouse full of hospital supplies and equipment. Now I'm in a dilemma. There is enough to fill a 40 ft. container just with these medical supplies. I can't bear to let them sit in a warehouse, but it would be $10,000, give or take, to ship another container. I'm going to lay the matter before the Lord and a couple of churches. If the money comes in, we will send it.

I just love this picture of Benson. It was taken while he was visiting us this summer. I have an untold amount of memories at this picnic area because we visit it so often, but this is right at the top of my favorites. We were introducing him to the evils of American food, and, bless his heart, he was a quite a trooper. He was greatful for everything and said he liked it all. I can only imagine how strange it was to his palate. Ever since my first trip overseas, I've enjoyed cultural experiences, but they haven't always been easy. Anything different can be a challenge to homosapiens! But how rewarding it is to try.

A Lovely Fall Day

I'm letting go of my usual frenetic pace today. The Wood Artist and I have a touch of the stomach flu now. Not bad, just enough to make me feel like taking it easy. The sun is shining and the fall day hardly seems like November! It is gorgeous, gorgeous! I had a really fun Bible class with the kids this morning. They are painting a mural of Heaven. We mixed a bunch of colors of acrylic paint into individual paper cups. Then spread newsprint on the table and they started to paint while I read Revelation 21-22 to them about Heaven from the Clear Word, a great paraphrase of the Bible. It was a really bonding time and they begged me to read more when I was done. So, we haven't got to math yet. But that is o.k. for today. I usually don't relax much on a school day because I'm afraid of falling behind, but Laughing Water is doing well and it has been one of those sicky weeks.
The Wood Artist scored big time lastnight. He got treats in town and set up our Reading Cottage (our class room) all romantic like. He started a fire in the stove and put the screen on so we could see the flames. He put candles around and brought out our wedding goblets, filled with root beer ( my favorite cold drink). We left the kids in the house with a video and their own treats. Then we read Christmas stories to each other while the other one administered a foot massage. SHWEEET! He'll be reaping brownie points for a long time! - Nanette

Up In the Night

I'm up in the middle of the night. Well, for me anyway. It was about 3:50 a.m. last time I looked. I'm not normally an early riser, but this new thyroid medication is doing strange things to me. The muscle cramps in my neck didn't help, either. I was hoping my neighbors weren't up also and wondering why I was doing Tae Bo punches in my living room that early in the night. Boxing always helps my neck cramps. Weird, I know.

Or maybe it was because I was troubled over the Africa project. There are exciting and fabulous things rolling in, but I'm not having good success yet at finding tools and toys they need. (I know God will send it to us, but I was trying to help God out. Not a good idea. It makes one lose sleep!) I spent a long time yesterday calling box stores and other businesses seeking donations. I got a lot of friendly voices and people excited about the project, but am currently tied up in applications, faxes, and "will call you backs". I asked for help from my church family, but so far no takers on this part. I guess everyone is just as shy about fundraising as I am. I'm not complaining. They have been an absolutely incredible support in the other facets of this project. I feel so blessed to have such a great church family.

Maybe it was because I'm having a Mommy's time out today. The Wood Artist said he would "do the math" with the kids. I get to have a cranial/sacral treatment. That should help the neck cramps. What on earth will I do with the rest of the time? I mean I do have plenty I could and need to do. But it seems that if one is being given a break, one should take it! Maybe I'll get a new book from the library and find a cozy coffee (decaf Chai) shop to read it in for a while. I'll let you know what I decided to do.

In other news, Laughing Water got the stomach flu in the middle of the night a few nights ago. Poor dumplin' was awful sick. She vomited about 12-13 times in about 15 hours. She is still dehydrated and not wanting to eat much, but is on the mend. Mr. Blueberry Eyes had had it last week in the middle of the night. (Maybe that is my problem. My body thinks this is a new trend!) I give my family activated charcoal when they get sick. And, if anyone is wondering how to get that out of carpet.... hydrogen peroxide does wonders!

Regarding this post's picture. No, I'm not still getting flowers from my garden. This was taken several weeks ago! Cheers! Hope you're all sleeping peacefully! Nanette

Climbing The Walls

Normally the term "climbing the walls" is an idiomatic statement meaning one is feeling rather restless, overwhelmed and generally in need of a change. In our house, it simply means that Mr. Blueberry Eyes is climbing the walls. There is no perfectly manicured house here. We got the house all clean for our family who are visiting this weekend. When they got here, they commented on how well the socks matched the faux finish on our wall. I looked a little closer and there, on the curtain rods, were my son's socks! That one was pretty hard to blame on the Mighty Hunting Hound!

Fall Colors

I don't live in the part of the country that is normally thought of when the subject of fall colors comes up. We have some deciduous trees, but far more evergreens. Still, it is beautiful. But the Western Larch loses its needles in the fall and the yellow stage is truly beautiful! We took a drive a few weekends ago and this is one of the pictures I took. I always think of cozy fires when I see this sight because larch is a coveted firewood around here.

This Week

I'm not feeling especially wordy tonight. It has been a busy week, but I can't think of anything to write about! I baked bread and granola, nursed a sick boy, taught my kids letters, numbers and music and words. Some of it was fun, some of it wasn't. Laughing Water kicked off a new business that she has been working on with our friend, The Wanderer. Last weekend I had a really fun weekend with some girlfriends who have their birthdays close to mine. We went to a town a few hours away and got a motel with hot tubs. We laughed and talked our way through the weekend, giving each other massages, manicures, pedicures and pep talks. It was glorious! Now The Wood Artist's parents and sister are here and we are sitting around visiting.

Spinning More Yarns

I just had to share what I've been up to in the spinning department. At my last lesson I learned how to ply what I had spun. Here are some pictures of my first actual yarn. It is two-ply. I'm having the time of my life! My teacher taught me all about setting the twist using steam or hot water, which I did lastnight. She also told me how to dye, using some natural things found in my woods and garden. I guess there are some natural dyes that require toxic mordents to set the color and some that don't. I am interested in doing it the non-toxic way, so she took me on a little explore in the woods beside my tutoring office and showed me the lichen to collect. She also said that onion skins make a good dye that sets well. I am saving the skins from my garden's red onions and when I have enough I will make a redish yarn. Laughing Water is insisting that I not dye the first yarn I did. I think she is right. I need to just keep that one simple. It is a lovely color anyway, don't you think? I will probably keep the big skein natual and dye the other two. - Nanette

Adventurer Club and Five Toes

My kids belong to a co-ed scout club sponsored by our church. Last weekend was the Investiture, where they were awarded badges for the honors they had earned during the last year. They had both worked hard and earned quite a few badges. Here they are all dressed to leave for the ceremony. It was sweet to watch and funny when Mr. Blueberry Eyes saluted with one hand before he was presented with the honors and then with the other hand right afterward. Laughing Water will turn 10 in the spring and will move up to the Pathfinder group. She announced to me that she intends to earn ALL of the Adventurer Honors that are left before she turns 10. There are 38 left! That means an average of two a week between now and April! I'm tired just thinking about it! So, this week I took a look at how we can incorporate some of them into our home school curriculum. She is now working hard at learning sign language. I really don't think this is a feasible thing, but I will not try to discourage her. (Perhaps I ought to get her into therapy for over-acheivers!)

On another note, I was working with Mr. Blueberry Eyes on his math. I would lay out various coins valued at ten cents or under and he was to make the ammount on an abacus, with tally sticks, and on his fingers. Then I laid out three nickels. He pondered that for a time because, obviously, there were not enough fingers. Then, he whipped of his sock, put his foot on the desk and put his ten fingers beside his five toes! Gotta love those developing minds! - Nanette