Making Memories!

For some reason, this time of year makes me nostalgic!  Getting out all the homemade ornaments, baking cookies...and..very important to my kids--I don't worry as much about the house as I do about the reason for the season and having fun with them.  If you want a clean house PLEASE don't stop by without an appointment.

A few years ago, my daughter & I found another time of year for us to reconnect: The FPEA convention in Orlando.  We head over to the Gaylord Palms, just the two of us, for a girls' weekend. 



I'll spend time with my friends some of the time (and so will she) but we make a commitment to spend some time on just the two of us.  Dinner together, curriculum hall together, maybe even the pool. This year will be a really big year--it's her senior year, and probably our last convention together.

If you've never been to a convention, don't miss this awesome opportunity to make family memories.  AND the FPEA brings all the best speakers in the country to one place.  Curricula...it's all there!  But most important it's a chance to get away and have fun as a family.

Put the date on your calendar now, and  be sure to check the FPEA website frequently for updates!



Feeling blessed, how about you?

Linda

FPEA Ambassador

http://www.fpea.com/ 

Is there change in the air?

Around this time of year, there are always families who realize that their current school situation isn't working.  Then comes that wonderful feeling of falling off the "homeschool cliff"....without a parachute!

Well, have no fear, your parachute is here.  Here, in 3 easy steps I'll tell you how to homeschool in the state of Florida.

1. Join a local support group.  You're going to need people around on "those days".  When I facilitate homeschool orientation, I refer to it as "those days when you understand why some animals eat their young".  It's also great to have people you can call on when you have questions. 
2. Join the FPEA, your state support group.   We have amazing members (and some will be in your back yard!)  The convention is a MUST NOT MISS event (I'll be sure to blog more about that later).  There is a lot of strength in the FPEA, after all it's been around for over a quarter century!
3. After you join the FPEA, you can download this amazing  FPEA Guide to Homeschooling in Florida.  It has info about the law, record-keeping, learning styles....pretty much if you need to know it, it's in this little book!  I still refer to it and I've been teaching other people how to homeschool for over 5 years (and been homeschooling for 13 years).

So if you're thinking of taking up "cliff diving" this Christmas break and opening your homeschool; come on in the water's fine!  You'll have the most fun you've ever had learning...right along with your kids!
Oh, and Merry Christmas!
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Linda

FPEA Ambassador

Website: http://www.fpea.com/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FPEAHomeschool

Twitter: https://twitter.com/FPEAHomeschool

Government...up close and personal!

I grew up in a suburb of Washington DC so I've had my fill of "government".  Except I realized that I never really studied it in school.  Of course, I had the chance to study it when my son was in high school, except I let him take the class as a dual enrolled student.  So, third time's the charm, right?

I just finished teaching a government class at our homeschool co-op when I saw the info for FPEA's Day at the Capitol on Friday January 12, 2012 .  What a great way to learn about government up close and personal!  Did you know that Florida's method of government is the same as our federal government?  And do you know what method of government that is?  (Hint: Democracy is the wrong answer).  Have you ever visited Tallahassee and been invited to meet with your lawmakers?  Now is your chance for all of those opportunities!  Don't miss out!

Feeling blessed, how about you?  (BTW, the correct answer is constitutional republic)

The Very First Ever Homecoming Dance!

Wow!  What a week!  We just had our very first ever homecoming game, dance, homecoming court.  It was a week of firsts!

I am not necessarily a fan of copying what the public/private schools do.  However, I AM a fan of the high school kids in the PPEA having a great high school experience.  The teens like dances.  I like the teens (usually).  So I started planning our homecoming weekend.

First the game--we don't have a sports team.  A co-ed game is absolutely out--hands are gonna end up in places they ought not to be.  Powderpuff game...well, now would probably be a good time to admit that I don't really understand all the rules of football, so no football games.  But they love laser tag!  Ah ha!  A class on class face-off!  (BTW, seniors won!)

Fast forward to the next night--the dance!  Sock Hop theme, music from the 50s and on, pizza and snacks...did I mention the bling?

This was a big deal...to the girls! Anyone who had purchased a ticket by the deadline (and was a student member of the PPEA) was nominated for Homecoming Court!  Let the voting begin!

The whole gang!

We even did the Limbo Rock--and somehow they talked me into playing too.  OK, I crawled through.  After all, I'm old!

Feeling blessed, how about you?


http://www.fpea.com/

Whew! I need a nap!

Ever have one of those weeks when the schedule is crazy...even with your best efforts?  Oh, yeah!  Me too!

The disaster actually started in the spring.  I scheduled a visit to a local unversity for last week. We added a fall event.  I didn't think it would be a problem, because all I had to do for the university tour was to show up.  But, of course, that wasn't enough.  The Tampa Bay Rays called to see if we could provide a color guard for one of the last games of the season.

So, I'm now up to 3 events in 1 week.  But did I stop there?  Oh, no!  We still had to fit in the 18th birthday party!

So, this week...this week I'm not put anything on the schedule...no way, no how!  Well, maybe I'll have my platinum highlights retouched.  They really need it after last week..

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Living in the Past!

I've mentioned several times (my husband would say ad infinitum) about my work on Ancestry.com.  Just as I hit enough walls to discourage me from continuing my work, I'll have a breakthrough that will get me all excited again.  It's like the history course I always wished I could take.

Two weeks ago, I found relatives from Plymouth, MA; who were most likely Puritan.  Then I hit a dry spell.  Just last night I found a relative of my husband's who was on the Second Supply ship to Jamestown.  Naturally this ignited the fire again!

But there is also a lot of frustration!  Everyday I'll follow a lead (or in the case of Ancestry.com, a leaf) that has ridiculous info.  For example the father is born in 1640 the mother in 1645 and the son in 1650.  Are you kidding me?  The interesting part is that no less than 10 family trees have duplicated this info.  Does no one do math anymore? Your average 5 year old, no matter how precocious is not likely to be birthing children!  Just last night, I found a listing where the son is 28 years older than his parents!

Which is actually a good life lesson.  It's important to pay attention and not accept things at face value. It pays to read a document before you sign it.  Most importantly, it pays to compare what you know to be true to what someone tells you is true.

Oh, and even though I love Ancestry.com--don't drive through life looking in the rear view mirror, cuz you miss all the good stuff.  God didn't design us to live in the past, but to learn from it!

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Zero to Sixty in 1.2 Weeks

To recap, this last week Cindy completed her 2nd week of dual enrollment.  We started with just one class because I knew she'd be shocked when the full work load kicked in.  Guess what started to happen in class #4? Oh yeah, babe, let the essay questions and massive reading assignments begin.  I tried to advise her to get a bit ahead on her assignments, but that only works if the professor gives you the assignments ahead of time!

In addition to that, our co-op classes begin this coming Friday. While she has been working on her school assignments, I've been working on the PPEA high school events, and my co-op classes.  But has Cindy been working on hers?  She's been trying to fit it in between assignments, with limited success. Will she get everything done?  I have no doubt of that, she's a very tenacious young lady. But it will be an interesting few weeks as she adapts to her new schedule!

Oh, and we can't forget that this is her senior year.  So we also have senior portraits, grad meetings and all things graduation!

So fasten your seat belts, it's gonna be a bumpy ride!

More Change, Seriously?

It has been a summer of change.  I really don't enjoy change.  I'm not the adventurous sort, I'm a total stick in the mud...an oak tree in a raging river.  God keeps giving me opportunities to become more of a flexible willow.

And this is another one of those opportunities...darn it!  Tomorrow my daughter begins her senior year of high school.  Let the empty nest approach.  Actually, I'm not too worried about that, the scrap heap will keep me busy for years!

Cindy @ 6 weeks

But...tomorrow my daughter will attend her first college class.  That will be a BIG change for both of us.  Cindy is used to having support when she struggles in a class.  I won't be there.  I know she can handle it.  I'm not completely sure that I can handle it.   But I'll still be here as proofreader and listener.

One of the really big challenges of college life is that it is much less flexible than homeschool. For example, she may not be able to attend my mom's funeral because she may not be able to miss class.  Oh her instructor would tell her to go, but I don't want her to struggle to get caught up.  We'll have to see how hard the class is before we make that decision.

But it's not all work.  We have a ton of high school activities planned this year.  For DJ's senior year we didn't participate in everything.  Since I'm arranging both the high school and senior activities, I think we'll be there this time!  And we have the amazing Grand Finale 18th birthday party mystery.

OK, Lord, I'm ready now...wait...OK...yup, I can do this.  Phillipians 4:13, right!  Bring on the senior year!
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Just tell me where to go...

Last week we went to visit my MIL for her 84th birthday.  We had a rental car, and we ended up driving to lots of places we had never been to before. Fortunately , SIL had a Garmin which she loaned to us.  It was fantastic!  Not too many directions, just enough chatter to keep us on the road we needed to be on.  In fact, we only ticked "Carmen Garmin" off once (in case you haven't used one, "she" gets a little testy if she has to repeat herself).

I realized again, how much I LIKE (love, need) to know what is going to happen next.  I only do jigsaw puzzles if I have a pair of scissors.  Of course, there is much in life that doesn't cooperate.  For example, I had blood work done this morning.  If my triglycerides aren't still low, we may end up paying more for our health insurance.  But I did the best I could, so hopefully it will be good.

Which reminded me that I need to set up my lesson plans for homeschool and for co-op.  Finally after 13 years of homeschooling, I have a lesson plan grid that includes Cindy's chores.  I wish I though of designing it a few years ago, but at least I have it now.

I've also started using "baby" post-it notes on my calendar.  There are so many things that I need to remember every month/week.  I can move the post-it note to the next bring up every time.  It's amazing how much that has helped.  I can even post bring-ups for things happening at my dad's house.

Which reminds me of another reminder I need to improve on using.  Yup...you guessed it!  My Bible study.  I need to get back to basics.  Yup, summer is over, long live the routine!

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Knowing where you came from...but not necessarily where you're going...

About a week before my mother died, I signed up for Ancestry.com.  I wanted to create a family tree of all 4 branches of the family.  In fact the day before Mother collapsed, I had called her and told her that I had finally located my mother-in-law's mother's name on a ship manifest (she went through Ellis Island in 1921).  I also asked my mom for a few details about her--where was she born anyway? The joys of a military family...

Ancestry.com makes wonderful family trees.  You can even insert pictures for each family member.  Wish I had one for everybody!  They also have the option to print the tree into a book...for a price.

Fortunately...or not, depending on which side of the bank account you're on; I'm into scrapbooking.  Not digitally, I like playing with paper.  And yes, I probably run with scissors, too!  So I have started converting what I've learned into scrapbook pages.  Two branches of the family had narratives written by family members.  So, how do you scrapbook the pictures and the narratives, without taking up oodles of pages in the scrapbook? Here's what I came up with:  I created a pocket page and glued the pictures to the front of the pocket.  The narrative, of course, goes in the pocket with any pictures that don't fit on the page.

I frequently post about working on my "scrap-heap".  Most of my friends seems to think that is just a cute term.  No, good citizens, it REALLY is a heap...although it works for me!

Feeling blessed, how about you?  If you need me, I'll be on the scrap-heap!

Back to the Past!

I'm back home again from making arrangements for my mom.  One of my major responsiblities while I was home was to write the thank you notes.  According to etiquette web sites, you write a thank you for every card that is sent.  We're still trying to figure out if that applies to the posts on Mom's obituary.  So far the people who have posted are people we don't have addresses for...so it's kind of a moot point.

Anyway, I got taken off of "thank you note duty" when I got a little punch drunk and started wanted to address the notes to people AND their pets.  I still maintain that the family friend I was writing to would have appreciated having her dog included...I am ever the trouble maker...

So what am I doing now that I'm back home?  Well, my family wanted to be sure that I didn't feel unloved (at least they tell me that that is their reasoning) and so they left some housework for me.  So, today is my Monday.  Dusting, vacuuming, laundry...oh my!

I'm also excited to get back to my work on Ancestry.com.  I got some new pictures last night.  And now, I have to try to crop faces from pictures and post them to each person's spot on the family tree.  I'm trying to get to the point where I can print it all out in a book (a service that Ancestry.com offers).   The books are expensive enough that I'm probably only going to get 1 copy, so I'm still going to scrapbook the family tree for each of the kids' scrapbooks.  Geez, this is becoming a full time job all by itself.

This is a picture of my great-grandmother when she was 3.

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Happy Birthday, Dad-the man, the myth, the legend...

Yesterday, July 22nd, was my dad's 83rd birthday.  Not his best birthday, you understand, but still his birthday.

We had presents and went out to dinner--just he and his kids.  It wasn't the same, but it was good.  We were too stuffed for cake, so today will be birthday, the sequel!  One of the things that always happens on someone's birthday is you hear the stories.  And anyone who knows my dad, knows there are some GOOD ones...

Did ya hear the one about--

• the time Dad sledded down the streets of DC and went between the front and rear wheels of a moving city bus?  BTW, that wasn't dad's plan, that's just what happens when 2 vehicles cross an intersection at the same time.
• Dad wanted to know how the pipe organ at the cathedral worked, so he removed a pipe to look at it.  Unfortunately he couldn't get it to go back on right, and then that note on the organ wouldn't play.  Wonder how the organist knew he was responsible?
• the time Dad got impatient building a fire and used kerosene as a fire starter?  Boy howdy, did it start the fire and poor Unca Frank was stuck outside as the "fire whisperer" to keep the building from burning down.
• the time Dad advised me on my science fair project.  I wanted to build an electric map (where you flip a switch and that location lights up on the map).  I took pictures, drilled holes and the piece de resistance--soldered the connections.  The nuns disqualified me because "girls couldn't do that".  Wish I'd known that before I DID that!
• Dad's 40th birthday cake--the neighbors at the beach started calling the house because the 40 candles reflected in all the windows on the porch made them think the house was on fire!
• Dad spending time with each one of his grandkids.  I have the sweetest picture of Dad walking across a parking lot with Cindy...

Anyway, that's my Dad!  Always into something...and that's good!  Love you, Daddy!
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Elizabeth Deck 1931-2011 My awesome Mother!

Last night my precious mother died.  That statement says so little, and yet so very much!

On Monday my mother went to the emergency room with a bowel obstruction/infection.  They had that problem mostly resolved when my mother suffered a pulmonary embolism.  It took over 25 minutes to resuscitate her, and in the process her brain was irreversibly damaged.  The family was trying to decide how Mother would want things handled, a very difficult thing for my father as you can well imagine.  It appears that Mother and God had a conversation and decided to solve that conundrum for us.  At approximately 9:30 last night (Tuesday), my mother died.

All that tells you very little about the amazing person that my mother was.  She spent hours teaching us the things we struggled with in school.  She managed her household so well that I actually thought it was an easy thing to do...until I had my own household.  She had a baby present set aside for a baby due in September.  She never missed your birthday or forgot details about your personal life.  She was genuinely interested in everyone she met!

As we're planning for her funeral, I realize how much I learned at her side.  I'm using the skills that she invested years in teaching me, to honor her memory.  I'm praying that some day my children will be able to say the same of me.  Mother, heaven has an amazing angel in you.  I will continue to use all that you taught me; particularly to love God and my family well, all the days of my life! I will always love you Mom!

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Living in the Past!

I've been scrapbooking for years.  Oh, it was fairly contained at first...a picture here, an embellishment there.  Now, well now, I guess you could call it an addiction!

Originally, I was trying to record the kids' childhood.  But my mother had made a photo album for each of us in 1986, and unfortunately she used a magnetic page album.  So of course, I had to get those pictures in a different album.  But everything has to be even, so now I have to do pages for Don's childhood...

Like the ripple effect when you throw a rock into a pond, then you have to research the people who came before you...

If you've ever read "If you Give a Mouse a Cookie" you know that this process really doesn't have an end.  I have found some relatives as far back as 1840 on Ancestry.com.  I've also found information on relatives who traveled through Ellis Island in the early 1900s, I've found information about the ships that relative served on during WWII.  My father in law was on Normandy during D Day and my maternal grandfather commanded a minesweeper group that led the advance to Okinawa.

So, if you need me, you can find me on the "scrap heap".  I know a lot of people have gone digital, but I just love paper, glue and scissors!  I can do laundry tomorrow...
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Thanks for the memories!

It has been a very busy week on the scrap-heap.  Yes, I will admit that my scrap table has exploded with half done pages.  You know how it goes--you don't have the paper for this picture or the embellishments for that paper.

I have unearthed all of DJs portraits.  These are fairly easy to scrap--just the picture with a heading with the year on a pretty piece of paper.  And therein lies the problem.  I forgot to write the year on most of the portraits.  You know, at the time, you figure you'll never forget. And you're busy, in my case with a premature baby who turned into an active toddler.  So here I am 16 years later, trying to figure out if this picture was the 3rd grade school picture or the 4th grade school picture...I have discovered I am NOT a good guesser.

So the moral of the story is--put the date stamp on your camera and leave it set.  Jot the year on the portraits as soon as you get them.  And maybe, just maybe, it would be good to stay caught up with your scrapping so you don't have time to forget!  Nahhhhh.....

Feeling blessed, how about you?

It's a Dog's Life!

This is a tough week to be a dog...or cat...or horse...

Most animals don't like fireworks.  Our dog is elderly and easily traumatized.  She was abused as a puppy and has had separation anxiety for as long as we've owned her.  And of course, as we age, symptoms magnify.  So as she ages, she has become more anxious.  We have now reached a point where it is difficult to leave her alone for more than a few hours.  When people are using fireworks, or if there are a lot of thunder storms; she doesn't do well if left for more than an hour.

Obviously this is life changing.  I might be able to convince everyone in town not to use fireworks (yeah, right!) but I definitely don't have control over the weather!

Last fall, our vet prescribed a homeopathic remedy for the dog.  He felt that this would be best for her, since she's on several other medications. We have not had good luck with homeopathic remedies in this family, but this one is a Godsend!

The last couple of nights the dog has paced all night long.  Since she tends to want company while she paces, we haven't slept too well.  So we broke out the Calm Spirit.  After about 20 minutes, she laid down and slept till morning.  We're trying it again tonight and praying she has another good night.

As I write this she is snoozing at my feet!
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Family & Fotos!

I would say that this week has been a weird week, but since I say that EVERY week that must mean that this week is normal...

School is over for the year, so this leaves a big hole in our calendar.  At least it should.  I haven't noticed the extra time yet.  Here's what happened to fill  my week this week.

We did try a couple of new recipes, baked some bread, and cleared some clutter out of the kitchen.  That's OK, new clutter will be along any day now!

My mother called "just to say hi".  Which is, of course, guilt inducing.  That means it's been too many days since I called her...sigh.  Turns out Dad has an infection and had to be taken to the emergency room a week ago Saturday night. Dad had to go back to the hospital for some tests.  Mother slipped and fell in the hallway and banged up her head and broke her nose.  They gave her the special drugs, and she was feeling fi-ine when I talked to her. I'm guessing that she's not feeling quite as well today.  Apparently she has two of the most gorgeous black eyes you've ever seen.

The best part of the week is the scrapbooking.  The table was empty and now it's full of old pictures and scraps of paper.  I'm starting on a scrapbook for Cindy's senior table at graduation next year.

I also need to make photo boards for high school and senior activities for our back to school meeting in August.

It's gonna be a fun week!  Feeling blessed, how about you?

It's Summertime in the City!

Wow!  It's been a crazy few weeks!  Ever since the convention, it has felt more like life is leading me, rather than the other way around.

 

Please understand, I am not leaving God's control of my life out of any of this...merely saying that I've been buffeted about lately.  This usually happens we have a lot of activities on the calendar.  We had the homeschool convention and enrolling Cindy in dual enrollment at St. Pete College, as well as our anniversary and Cindy's final in chemistry.  We also had our first senior class meeting and the PPEA homeschool support group meeting, which was at our house. There was also a planning meeting for VBS, and the end of year survey for the PPEA.

But all the paperwork is now submitted to SPC, and Cindy has her A in chemistry.  The board meeting is done, along with all the other PPEA tasks.  The house is reasonably clean, thanks to the board meeting.

So today is "back to normal", such as that is!  Back to laundry, and entering receipts into Quicken, and couponing.  Back to staying indoors because it's simply too hot to run around outside (not that I enjoy the great outdoors when it's not hot) Back to running the house...and maybe trying a new recipe or two.

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Happy Anniversary to Us!

I remember bits and pieces of my wedding well.  I must say I learned a lot about planning a wedding.  It was a time before wedding planners, manicures, facials and designer dresses.  The big tip in those days was to practice your makeup before you did it on your wedding day.  I probably should have figured that that meant you didn't get your hair cut on your wedding day. Oh well!

I had $1000 to spend.  That included my dress, all facility rentals, all my family's tuxes, dresses and other attire.  It also included the  photographer, the preacher, the reception, the cake and the flowers.  Even in 1979, this was a challenge.

As I've stated before I only had 20 minutes to get dressed. Couldn't find my contact lenses...went through the wedding and receiption in a blurry haze.Important tip: if you make your own dress and don't have your contact lenses; bustling the train is VERY important. Otherwise (believe it or not) people will actually walk across your train like it is the short cut to the winning lottery ticket! Another lesson learned!

Our wedding was in the War Memorial Chapel at Va. Tech on graduation day. By the way, fun factoid--my great uncle was one of the architects in the building of the chapel.  The relief sculpture behind us is called the "Gift of Life".

There was only one baker in town.  It never occurred to me to taste the cake.  It should have.  Lesson learned.  I can't remember if there was more than one florist, but I didn't have a car, so everything had to be in walking distance.  We chose to have floral arrangements with candles so that we could carry them to the reception....save those $$.

I've already told the story about the dress.  I made my sister's dress too.  The bridesmaids each spent $25 on their outfits.

So girls, it is possible to have a wedding without all the bells and whistles.  My biggest budget item was the photographer.  I have 12 good 8X10 pix of the wedding.  And brides, I look at them every year on my anniversary, I really don't need a bazillion. Sorry to all my photographer friends.  Having said that, the day after your wedding all you really have are the guy and the pictures.  Make sure you get good pix!  Neither you or the guy are gonna look the same in 30 years.

But 33 years ago, I saw Don in one of my classes and well, "Linda like"!  I didn't know it at the time but he had mono.  A free range man with mono is actually fairly easy to catch!  So I did.

We had our first date on April 30, 1978.  We were going to a movie.  Don was on the Va. Tech Rescue Squad.  He had a scanner in his car.   A guy on a motorcyle cut off a semi going downhill.  Motorcyclist lost.  Guess where we were on our first date?  You got it!  We went to a traffic fatality!

So, of course, 13 months later I married him!  I mean, who wouldn't?  And 32 years later, we've been through a lemon car (almost killed us twice), 6 houses, 9 moves, 1 kid who almost died at 5 weeks and had 3 surgeries by age 3, 1 kid who was 10 weeks premature, 2 sudden layoffs, various hospital stays, 1 kid moving cross country...and I can honestly say that knowing all that, I'd do it again in a heart beat!
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Someone's in the kitchen with Mama...

My grandmother was an amazing country cook.  My mother didn't enjoy being in the kitchen.  In addition, we were growing up during the grand "we can freeze it or can it and put it in the grocery stores, and it's almost like fresh" marketing adventure.  It wasn't.  The final straw was that my mother had to stop adding salt and reduce fat in our food in about 1966.  We were eating healthy when healthy wasn't cool...or tasty.

My mother wasn't a huge fan of help with housework.  In her mind, an appliance used by children wouldn't last 35 years.  This was probably an accurate statement.  So we didn't help Mom in the kitchen.

Consequently, when I got married in 1979, I didn't have a lot of "housewife" experience.  I was sooo excited to have my own space.  I actually polished the copper bottom off of one of my pans the first year I was married!  However, I had grown up in a house that had a microwave in 1968 (Dad built it for my mom at Christmas).  I had the best of intentions but I kept forgetting to defrost the meat for dinner.  Eventually I got it together.  Actually I got a microwave...but it worked out the same!

When I had children, I decided that they needed to be functional in the kitchen.  Not cordon bleu, but able to prevent starvation.  For DJ, this was (and is) as good as it got.  He subscribes to my mother's philosphy of cooking--get in, get r done, get out!  Cindy is a totally different child.  She loves to cook, as long as it is a menu of her choice.

We have been collecting recipes for years.  We live on a sugar free, egg free, shellfish free diet.  This does add a few challenges, especially with baking.  We usually print our recipes on 8 1/2 by 11 paper and stick them in a binder.  About a year ago, it occurred to me that we should start copying our favorites and create a binder for Cindy.  And include information such as--copper bottom pans do not need to be polished weekly and don't forget to defrost the meat for dinner.
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Suitcase Cuisine...

We're back from convention!  We actually ate out very little, our suitcase came in VERY handy!  Several people at the convention were surprised at what we could pull off in our room.  So, here are a few of my "suitcase cuisine" secrets.

The first thing for me is stealth.  Hotels are not going to encourage you to cook in your room, in most cases.  Occasionally you will be blessed with a room with a kitchenette, but I am rarely that lucky.  Although part of the reason they don't want you cooking in your room is because they want you to spend money in their restaurants; they also have to make their rules for the "village idiot", since they stay in hotels too.  In one of the hotels my husband has worked in, the VI (village idiot) decided to fire up a hibachi in the bathtub.  Of course that would set off smoke detectors, sprinklers and all manner of fun things!

The second thing is to try to figure out what appliances the hotel will have in your room.  I usually check the website for that info.  On this trip we had a small "dorm-size" refrigerator.  There was no microwave, unfortunately.  If the hotel advertises the fridge as a mini bar, that means it will be full of $5 sodas and candy bars and may mean that it will trigger an alert to be checked everytime you open it (which means you can't take their stuff out of it and put your stuff in).

I try not to advertise the volume of food that I'm bringing with me. I usually pack the majority of our food in the large suitcase (we only have 3, sort of like the 3 bears).  First thing in is a 12 pack of soda.  A can of soda is usually $2-3 each in a hotel!  I also take a 24 pack of bottled water, but I don't worry about disguising that.

The lesson I learned early on was not to pack a loaf of bread or chips (unless they're in canisters, like Pringles) in the big suitcase.  The bottom line is that no one wants to eat bread that has been compressed to 2 inches tall. 

What I DO pack are convenience foods. In our house, this is also known as the hurricane stash.  These are foods that have a long shelf life.  This time we took mac and cheese, but not the blue box kind. We took Velveeta shells and cheese, because you don't need milk and butter to mix those.  We also took some pre cooked bacon, and Bisquick Shake & Pour pancake mix.  Anything liquid gets packed in a storage bag with zipper seal.  Can you imagine how wonderful it would be to open your suitcase and find out that the syrup had exploded while you were traveling?  Anything that comes home will go into the stash for future use.

I tried something new this time and it worked really well.  I took 2 caesar salad kits.  I had a box of  gallon size storage bags.  I found that if I put the lettuce in first, and then added the other igredients with the dressing on top, it was good to let it sit for a couple of minutes and let the dressing sink down into the lettuce.  Then I shook the bag to mix everything. The first time I shook the bag right away,and since the dressing was still on top, it stuck to the top of the bag by the seal.  It was hard to get a good mix.  Now I let gravity do the work for me.  Easy to serve and clean up!

Another thing I've learned over the years is to watch foods with strong fragrances.  Grapes are awesome, apples are pretty good, oranges not so much.  Depending on how full the hotel is, your room may not be serviced for 24 hours.  That fruit can get pretty rank with that amount of time in the trash, taking the room's ambience with it!  And you may have to walk quite a ways with that stinky trash to find a trash can to dump it in.  Also remember that hotel rooms have trash cans the size of postage stamps, so you don't want meals that generate a ton of trash.

So what did we take?  We had

• a box of crackers and a jar of peanut butter (never used, this time)
• 3 boxes of velveeta shells and cheese
• pack of hot dogs and buns (I acquired some condiments when I went to fast food restaurants)
• BBQ chicken quesadillas (burrito shells, sm. tub of BBQ sauce, deli sliced chicken breast, baggie of shredded cheddar-also used for hot dogs)
• 2 breakfasts of pancakes & bacon
• individual bottles of apple juice
• poptarts
• chocolate, chocolate and more chocolate
• disposable tableware--cups, plates, silverware
• electric single burner and pan (an electric skillet works well too), spatula, wooden spoon, & collapsible colander

• dishtowel and detergent, paper towels (I use a roll that has been cut in half and had the core removed so that it's easy to pack.)

Which brings up another point.  Once the pan has cooled completely, use a paper towel to wipe all the debris into the trash.  Remember that you will be doing your dishes in the bathroom sink and you will not have much counter space to dry the dishes on, so less is definitely more.  Plan your menus to use as few dishes as possible.

And that's it!  I've been refining my menu for about 25 years.  We usually try something new everytime.  This time it was the caesar salad and the BBQ chicken quesadillas.  Both are definitely do overs.

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Valise de cuisine!

My mother is a brilliant packer!  I've said it before and I'll say it again.  We had suitcases when I was a child...big heavy ones.  We rarely used them.  We packed in paper grocery sacks.  My mother referred to it as "matching luggage".  The sacks compressed nicely in the back of the station wagon.  It was easy to sort like objects--linens, towels, each child's clothes, etc.  Remember that in the 60's we didn't travel by plane, train or boat...we went on a road trip!

I can pack light, if I need to.  When I travel by plane, I love to fit everything in my carry-on.  Less money and I don't have to wait at baggage claim.

But this week is the homeschool convention!  I'm entering the world of $36 dinners and $15 hamburgers.  Are they serious?  If I spend that kind of money, I won't be able to buy books!  Oh sure, they have a food court for homeschoolers, but I'd still spend a fortune if I bought all my meals there.

I didn't watch my mom pack for all those trips for nothing!  Whenever we stay in a hotel, we always take our "suitcase de chow".  It's mostly snack foods, including bottled water and soda.  And of course, the jar of peanut butter and crackers.  I have some quick and easy meals...but I've learned an important lesson!  Don't spend a fortune on "real food", because you'll have excessive guilt over wasted food when your girlfriends want to go out to eat.  I buy things that I can take back home and put in the hurricane stash if we don't use it.

But  I will still be able to create a meal, for those times when we don't want to break the bank OR when we want to get away from the crowd.
Today is the day we bring out the clothes suitcase.  We can't bring it out too early, because it upsets the dog.  As the laundry dries we can pack!  Yup, I'm so ready for some girl time!
Feeling blessed, how about you?

Homeskool Gradjimication!

There are certain subjects which are conversational "hot buttons".  Politics, religion and of course, homeschooling.  Homeschoolers have been accused of under-educating, over-educating and under/over socializing our children for years.

I have been approached in grocery stores by people I have never met (truthfully, still haven't) and given their opinion on why I shouldn't homeschool.  One little old lady told me "I do NOT approve of homeschooling".  Remind me again why I should care about her opinion?

Anyway, yesterday was our support group's 14th graduation ceremony (over 25 years, not all in one year!).  We had 34 graduates.  Some were ready to dance on the stage and get the party started.  A couple looked like they were ready to throw up!  But they all did a beautiful job.

Cindy went with me.  She was there to see her friends graduate.  She was also there to see how she might want to decorate her senior table next year.  Yes, it is rapidly approaching that time.  I wish I had a nickel for every parent who told me yesterday how quickly her senior year will go.

So, to the brave parents of the PPEA Class of 2011 whose little birds are preparing to leave the nest; I salute you!  I'm also praying for you.  Please return the favor for me next year!

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Today is MY birthday!

And a wonderful day it was too.  Cindy & I went to sell papers at the Rays baseball game.  It was a fun group of people and the Rays WON!  Appreciate you guys  doing that just for me...

Since we had to be at the game early, and were there for lunch, I got out of prepping those 2 meals.  When hubby came home from work, he and Cindy went out and picked up chinese for dinner.  I didn't have to cook ALL DAY!  The hallmark of a great birthday!

It was also National Day of Prayer.  I feel privileged to share my day with such an awesome event.

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Fashion Forward....NOT!

The royal wedding is all the talk on TV today.  What a fashion extravangaza!  Good thing I wasn't invited (not that that was ever up for discussion).

I remember my own wedding almost 32 years ago.  My dad gave me $1000 for the entire event.  To him this was a huge amount of money as I was just graduating from college, my brother was still in college and my sister was heading into her senior year in high school (more college $$).  I ended up making my own dress and veil ($85), and my sister's maid of honor dress ($20).

In fact, that was quite the story of the wedding.  My roommate was an art major, so I couldn't sew with yards of fabric in our dorm room.  I ended up going home for spring break and making BOTH dresses in one weekend.  I sewed about 18 hours a day for the whole 3 days I was home.  In one of the close-ups, you can see a spot of blood on my headpiece where I pricked my finger attaching the ribbon.

By the way, the wedding took place in the Memorial Chapel at Va. Tech on the day we graduated from college. My great-uncle was the architect for the chapel.

And as a point of reference, I do NOT recommend combining the wedding and graduation.  Don had to start his job the next day; so it was a blessing but, graduation ceremony, moving out of the dorm (times 2) and prepping for the wedding is a lot for one day.

Which brings us to the fashion forward part of the this post.  I do not worry about fashion.  I love classic styles because I don't have to shop frequently.  I will keep the same clothes for years.  And on my wedding day that was a good thing.  I had...are you ready....wait for it...almost 20 minutes to get ready for my wedding.   I was actually at the hotel room for 45 minutes, but I was sharing the bathroom with 5 people.!  I remember my dad saying to me "Do you think you're someone special because it's your wedding day?"  Ummm...DUH!

So it was good to be low maintenance.  But I look at the fascinators (good name, I was either fascinated or horrified by them) and say...I guess you spent more than 20 minutes getting ready

I'm guessing that most of the guests didn't have to say to their bosses "could I not make sandwiches the week before the wedding?  I don't want to have mustard stains under my nails".  Ah, well, 30 years later, I think I have better stories!

And I still have the same guy, 32 years later!  And when we kiss it lasts way longer...

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Only Friends We Haven't Met Yet...

This weekend, hubby and I went to visit my parents to celebrate my mother's 80th birthday.  We also celebrated Don's "fifty-something-th" birthday.  I have to be good to him on his birthday, because exactly 2 weeks after his day I turn the same age.

Anyway, back to my mom.  Mother's request was that all of her kids and as many of the grand kids as possible get together to celebrate her birthday...Easter weekend.  This sounds fairly simple, but of course it isn't.  DJ is in California, and literally could not afford to travel. Since all of his work is on an "on-call" basis, being away from home can be costly.  My nephew Jared did not have spring break that week.  Someone had to stay at our house to tend to the dog, so Cindy volunteered to do this round.  First Don was able to get away from work, then he couldn't...but with a major last minute PUSH, he got away.

So, off we went to visit the "old people".  We got everything in our allotted carry-ons.  We got to the airport on time AND the flight took off on time.  The subway ride to mother's house was uneventful.

The day after we arrived, we got to go to Mount Vernon.  I hadn't been since I was a little girl (which was probably about the same time George lived there).  Don wanted to walk through a park or garden and I love to see historical sites, so this was the perfect combo.  We even had lunch at the Mount Vernon Inn (peanut soup--YUM)!

Don celebrated his birthday while we were there.  I make most of Don's desserts from scratch, because of food allergies.  We had decided that Don's birthday cake would be a no-bake cheesecake.  I usually make my graham cracker crust from scratch too.  I asked my mother for a rolling pin.  She doesn't have one (she doesn't cook from scratch).  So I improvised...

Since we were there during Holy Week, we had to adapt the family dining schedule.  My sister is an elementary school band teacher, who is also in demand as a flutist.  She had been hired by her church to play at all the Holy Week services.  She is also camera shy...

 

My sister warned us that Dad's "mental belts" were slipping a bit more than last year.  It's really hard to watch your parents age.  Dad has had a heart condition for the last 20 years that should not have been survivable.  The doctors would not even talk to Mother about a long term prognosis.  Fortunately, God wasn't done with my dad yet.  One of the things they did was to slow my dad's heart rate waaayyy down.  The theory at the time was along the lines of "the heart only has so many beats in it...let's not waste 'em".  Of course, for every action, there is an equal but opposite reaction.  Slowing the heart rate slows the blood flow to the brain, which plays havoc with your short term memory.    Fortunately, this is NOT a dementia and Dad is aware of his challenges.  But it is still hard to see the changes in my parents.  

Mother is in need of having both shoulders and both hips replaced (for one hip this would be the 3rd replacement).  Unfortunately, because of other health issues she is not a good candidate to have any of them replaced.  She also has several joints that are fusing. 

Having said all of that, my parents are still a lot of fun....once you get used to the way things are.  Aging is definitely NOT for wimps.

So, back to where I started.  On Saturday, we all went to Houlihan's at the Springfield Hilton.  Mother wanted to choose a place with a private dining room that was close to the Beltway, so it didn't take my brother too far out of his way.  His family was driving straight through from North Carolina to New York.

By the time lunch was over, our waiter Sami, had been voted into the family.  We even left him a big piece of birthday cake, as he was fasting until Easter.

My sister had seen a spot in the lobby that was "perfect for a family picture".  Never mind that we had already taken about 100 shots!  But of course, for it to be a family picture you have to find someone outside of the family to take the picture!  So my sister went up to a group in the lobby and asked them if one of them would be so kind.

A lovely gentlemen, who was wearing a WW2 baseball cap, agreed to help us out.  He told Mother that she was a "young one" at 80, since he was 87,  He also said that he was here with some friends for their Negro Baseball League reunion.  One of the players was a friend of his.  At that point, I was talking to him about his WW2 history, while my brother, nephew and sister were talking to one of the baseball players.  I believe my nephew was even given a baseball card by one of the players.  In fact, knowing my family, I probably now have some "cousins" who were in the Negro Baseball League.  My parents tend to make more friends everywhere they go...

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Mother turns 80!

Normally my mother's age would be a "state secret".  Only those privy to her birth certificate or who were present at her birth would know her true age.  My grandmother didn't tell her age, so my mother kept hers under wraps too.  I never understood that concept.  My dad's mother would walk up to you on the street and tell perfect strangers how old she was.  She was proud of her years!

But this is a big birthday and my mother wanted to PARTY!  Therefore I will be traveling to visit the "old people" this week.  While the timing isn't idea for me because it's also Easter week; my brother can get down to see her this week too.

So, as I plan to pack for the trip, I think a lot about my mom.  In a previous blog post, I mentioned that my mother is a "super packer".  She has everything she needs for every occasion. In very, VERY large and heavy suitcases.  I don't have that option.  Not only because I'm too cheap to pay to check a bag.  Mostly because I leave the airport to board the subway. Inevitably the subway is crowded and my big old suitcase really blocks the aisle.  It's also hard to wrestle on and off the escalators.  So the challenge is to pack for 5 days in a carry-on.  And my parents have planned at least one event at a nice restaurant, so I need something other than jeans. Preferably something that doesn't need ironing, since my mother doesn't use an iron.

The big thing on the list is always the meds. What possible situations could crop up that I might need meds for?  I still remember being in a hotel room for a business trip and having an allergic reaction to something.  I spent the whole night sitting up coughing.  I was in really great shape for the business meetings the next day.  There was also one of DJ's mission trips, where everyone laughed at the "med kit" I packed for him.  He was mortified until two days later, when the leaders needed something I had packed. After all, I am my mother's daughter!

Sort of...if I were as orgainized as my mother, I would pull out last years list and pack from it. If I knew where it was.  Sigh...

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Transcript Trauma

I have always thought of myself as a reasonable intelligent person.  I remember where I park my car,  I've never forgotten to feed the family or the dog,  I even managed to homeschool 2 children.

So why can't I remember how to enter things into our transcript program?   Every spring, without fail, I enter the year's classes and grades.  And every year, without fail, I can't remember how to do it.  So I have to search through the "help file".  Now can anyone explain to me WHY they call it that, when it's not at all helpful?  It took me almost 3 hours to find the EXACT combination of words that caused the answer to spew forth.

There's always good news, of course!  In the process I was able to find and fix a problem that I wasn't able to resolve last year.  And I'm done for one more year...at which point the process will begin again...for the very last time.  And I find that idea a little sad...

Feeling blessed...how about you?

Voila! It's Prom!

Since September of 2010, I've been working on our prom.  It's a really big deal to seniors, even though they can come back as alumni, not too many do.  The class of 2011 may be the exception to that rule!

I've never actually attended a prom since my own, which was a few years back!  Our son did not feel that he needed his mommy to go with him. Actually, neither does our daughter.  But this year, we needed someone to do prom, and last I checked, I am someone!  And our daughter wanted a prom!

So here's the final result!  Many thanks to Tradewinds Island Grand, Moorman Photographics and Expert DJ & Video!

I had 3 whole days to choose the theme so I went with the simply elegant "Black & White Ball".  I picked up table decorations at Christmas. I found a wonderful prom supply company for the rest.  The hotel was wonderful.  I dropped off the decorations the day before and everything was set up when I got there.  The DJ and photographer had set up their areas. Of course, there was still plenty to do!

We had a wonderful buffet dinner.  I know it was wonderful because I couldn't pronounce the names of any of the main dishes AND it tasted good!

And then they danced

and danced

and danced!

Our photographer caught a picture of the whole group

The general consensus is that we need to do it again next year!  This time the prom committee picks the theme and plans the event...whew!

Feeling blessed, how about you?

Under the Big Top!

You know how from a distance things look smaller?  Things like...proms...perhaps?  Last fall, it seemed sooo simple.  Set up the ballroom-check, set up the DJ-check (took a lot of research, but still-check), find someone to create the playlist (thank you Brandon! :D ), spend 2 months creating the prom booklet (still had 2 misspellings...grr), and follow up with all the registrations/payments.

In the rear view mirror that all seems simple now.  We have now reached the week of the EVENT! (cue orchestra)  It's crunch time.  My family has banned the word "prom" from the house.  Pieces of furniture are disappearing under the volumes of merchandise.  Stuff is spilling onto the floor and is in danger of becoming lost.  Or maybe it's running away from home, I'm not sure.

Perhaps, sometime down the road, this will look like preparation for a wedding reception or something other big event.  Note to self: In the future, do NOT be seduced by the coolness of a place card that has "some assembly required". No matter how gorgeous it is, don't do it!  Just write the names on tented index cards...everyone will understand!

Back to Nature--NOT!

As I have posted before, I am NOT a nature girl.  I used to tell my Girl Scout troop that my idea of roughing it was a hotel without room service.  I don't use the room service, but having it indicates a certain level of accomodation!

In addition, my favorite thing to make for dinner is...reservations!  As I said in one of my first posts, I do cook.  But it's not a passion of mine.

So you can imagine how I feel about gardening!  It's hot, sweaty (we live in Florida), dirty and well...I kill plants.  I don't mean to, but I definitely have a "black thumb"!  I can keep an animal alive forever, but I am death to plants.  We had a garden in the back yard for a while, but when you forget to water the plants...

The difficulty is that I LOVE fresh produce.  When I was a girl, we spent our summers in Delaware, we got our produce from a nearby farmer.  He sold his produce from his garage.  But Dad got to know him and was eventually permitted to go out into the fields and pick his own.   We learned how find great tomatoes, cukes and the corn was out of this world!

Naturally, a store bought tomato is just not the same.  Last summer we came up with a solution.   We leave our tomato plants in containers and put them on the front porch.   I have remembered to water them...so far!  And we have tomatoes on them...so far.  Some of you may remember that my fall tomatoes had to be put in the garage during a cold snap, and a citrus rat ate the only tomato the plants produced.  Any rat that eats my only tomato is a DEAD rat!   If this "crop" comes in decently, I may expand my porch garden in the fall!

Now to learn about container gardening and cucumbers...
Feeling blessed!  How about you?