Pumpkin Patch 2011 ~Updated

***Updated with pics***
The boys and I went to the pumpkin patch a while back, and what a great
time we had! There were many new things to do and try and play with, so the boys
were nearly beside themselves trying to figure out what to do first. We ate hot
dogs and cotton candy (two huge no nos at this house except about once a year)
they went sliding down the hugs slides on burlap sacks, frolicked in the
sunshine and came home happy with their choice of pumpkins. Derek liked the
Hamster Wheel, the slides and the tricycle track the best.
Pat picked the tractors that he could climb up and pretend to drive, the slides and the ducky game, mostly because he likes to get wet.
David liked the hook on a wire that you had to swing up onto a hook (and he was quite good at, as well) the slides and the gerbil tunnels. I thought the tractor tire tic-tac-toe game was quite
clever and I also enjoyed the Mystical Grove (a shaded tunnel that has misting hoses in it...get it? MYSTICAL??) Anywho, at the end of the day, we came home tired, a little sunburned and a lot happy with our day.

Simple Woman's Daybook

For Today~ November 13, 2011
Outside my window...it is overcast as cool. 60* is our high for today. Yes, I know some of you have snow already. Just keep in mind that when it's 70 at your house, it will be 110* at mine. Cool is relative : )
I am thinking...that it has been WAY too long since I took part in this great post on a regular basis.
I am thankful...that we get to enjoy EXTRA family for Thanksgiving and Christmas this year. SO excited about that!
From the learning rooms...we are wrapping up our curriculum studies at the end of this week and will be enjoying 'homeschool lite' until after the New Year. My hours are just too long and too late for this season to *teach* in the traditional sense, so we read, watch educational videos, play games, make gifts and crafts, and just enjoy the season together.
From the kitchen...potato soup simmers in the crock pot for dinner tonight. Hot tea is cooling on the counter and chicken is thawing in the fridge for something tasty later on this week.
I am wearing...brown knit capris, a coral t shirt, ankle socks and tennies. Hair is double french braided, I can't get over how quickly it's growing back out.
I am creating...secrets for Christmas, a clean house and a completed "Fall Into Reading' List
I am going...nowhere for at least 24 hours. HURRAY!
I am wondering...why bad things happen to good people. I know it's the age-old question, but sometimes it gets me down. I don't know HOW people manage to keep their spirits up when they don't know the Lord and how good He is.
I am reading...a huge list of books, but mostly, How To Be More Than a Good Bible Study Girl, curriculum books, blogs about green living, sewing and organization. Also Thanksgiving lists, meal plans and recipes. Mmmmmmmmmm
I am hoping...to try a few new recipes this week. Mostly, pumpkin goodies. Like pumpkin spice lattes, scones and whoopie pies. Also a new recipe or two before sharing at the Thanksgiving table.
I am looking forward to...the holidays, a visit from long awaited company, and a break from school.
I am hearing...Transformers 3 and little boys giggling and wrestling together. (kinda wish I could still hear Amy Grant singing the hymns, shhhh, don't tell!)
Around the house...we are getting ready for a new week to begin with a fresh, clean house. SO< to that end,

• Dishes
• Laundry
• LR tidied and vac'd
• Bathrooms swished and swiped
• Bedrooms picked up and tidy

I am pondering... more Christmas gifts, some extra cleaning projects from "31 Days to Clean: Having a Mary Heart in a Martha World" and how rapidly my boys are growing up right in front of my eyes.
One of my favorite things...autumn
A few plans for the rest of the week...a full week of school before the break, extra sleep whenever I can squeeze it in, tutoring, coffee with Karen and menu planning for the next few weeks.
Here is a picture thought I am sharing with you...

Now THAT's what a Saturday afternoon should look like : ) Have a great week, everyone!

Fall Into Reading Question #4

Aha, I finally found question 4. Here it is : )
How large is your personal/family collection of books? And where do you keep them?
Oh my, I don't even want to answer this question! SO so SO many books! I'd have to say several hundred books, not counting curriculum for Home School. >.< And they are everywhere! I have a large bookshelf in my room, 5 shelves high, stuffed to the gills. I have several boxes of books in my rooms also, where there is no room for them. Each of our boys has a bookshelf in his room stuffed, and a few here and there laying about in their rooms as well. There is a basket full of 'seasonally appropriate/school subject' books in the LR to encourage reading ON TOPIC during book basket time. Add in the Library basket that normally has close to 50 books in it each week and we've got, (Dare I even say it?) Too many books. As if there IS such a thing. And actually, now that I think of it, we've got several Rubbermaid Totes out in the garage full of books that never made it into the house when we moved here several months ago. Yikes! AND, there are 2 bookshelves in our DR/schoolroom with our current homeschool materials. Oh dear, I have even more than I thought. But, at our house, books are friends so you can never have too many friends, right?? SOMEDAY, when my boys are grown and gone, living their own exciting lives, I'm going to have a room dedicated to just books, a comfy chair and a snuggly blanket. Now THAT sounds great! However, between now and then, I probably ought to get rid of a few since I already have enough to fill a room, a large room in fact. Thanks for the nudge in the right direction!
Having fun reading this? Head over to www.callapidderdays.com and join the fun!

Fall Into Reading Question #7

Is there a book that has had a tremendous impact on your life? One that made you look at life in a whole new way, or caused you to completely change something in your life?

Oh my, so many choices! As a Christian, I would say first off the Bible has completely changed my life. The wisdom, love and grace in those pages offers it's gifts to all who would read it. Aside from the Bible, books by Elizabeth George have caused me to change some of my thinking patterns and actions towards my husband and family. Books that make me laugh, either in general or at myself are always great. It's important to encourage your sense of humor, it helps deal with the 'bumps' that life brings your way. Life Made from Scratch made me want to become a Homesteader, which would be a rather LARGE change for us. But baby steps can take you where you want to go : )
**Bonus Question: How is your Fall Into Reading coming along? Are you on track? Ahead of schedule? Falling behind?**

Hmmm, not really sure. I haven't looked at my actual list in a while. Let's see if I can find it quickly. Oh good. Here is my list, in no particular order : )
DONE~My Father's World curriculum books. I know that required reading, but it
still needs to get done, so I might as well make it more fun, right?? Included
with that, I'll be reading the recommended books that come along with Pat's
lesson plans. *the total of these books will be counted as 5*
Not Yet~I bought a large box of books off of eBay to compliment our History of the
World book 1. There are about 20 in there, however, most of them are less than
5th grade reading level, so I can probably polish them off in just a few hours,
so I'm only counting them as one. ; )
DONE~I won a gift package that had 2 magazines in it, called Ladies Journal (Not
to be confused with Ladies HOME Journal) and Where Women Cook. Can't wait to dig
into those!
DONE~Also in the package were 2 books called More Than A Good Bible Study Girl
(looks great) and Made From Scratch which is about homesteading. : )
The Debt
CURRENT~World Magazine to keep up with current events with the BIGS for school. Love
this magazine, keeps us up to date on everything happening in the world, and
with a Christian worldview~ LOVE IT
A few Christmas books, like A Christmas Carol, Christmas in the Big Woods,
The Gift of the Magi, The Night Before Christmas and such. Plus the children's
books that they love so much.
DONE~Fireman Dad, Love Finds a Home, Doctor Right, Rancher's Promise, Family by
Design, and The Cowboys Homecoming
Hmm, I'm doing better than I thought. I've also read several books from the library that I forgot to write down, so I guess I'll have to say that I'm doing well, I'm ahead of schedule and that I'll be able to add several more books to the list through the next 6 weeks. Yeah me!
There's still time to join if you want. Head on over to www.callapidderdays.com and join us!

Fall Into Reading Question #6

When it comes to fiction, are you more of a “plot person” or a “character person”? If you had to choose, which concept would win out when it comes to picking and loving a book: plot or character?
I think I would have to say that plot is more important simply because a plot that makes no sense or is just dragging along is rather un-fixable, whereas a poorly fleshed out character can be imagined while the books goes on with the plot. You can even guess that the character will develop as the book continues. Now, this is not to mean that I don't like good characters, it's just easier to "fix" them in my head versus trying to rewrite the whole book due to a poor plot line.

Come on over and join the Fall Into Reading challenge over at www.callapidderdays.com It's a hoot!

Fall Into Reading Question #5

What about you? Are you dedicated to reading every word (even the boring ones)? Or have you been known to skim over some passages?

Ummm, may I please plead the 5th on this one? As a parent, and especially as a teacher that insists my students read every last word, even the super boring parts, I want to say that of course I read every last word, including the dedication, the appendix and the table of contents. However, that would not be truth, and truth is more important that skimming over a few paragraphs, right? RIGHT. So, in honesty, I have to say that sometimes if the writer goes off on a tangent, or starts describing the scenery in flowery terms or worse yet, if it's a historical fiction book and they spend 3 pages setting the scene for a gory war battle, I skip that and move on in a hurry. Generally speaking though, I plod through even that, lest I miss some tidbit that might be relevant later. : ) Another great question!
If you are enjoying these questions and want to join the fun, head over to www.callapiddardays.com and sign up for Fall Into Reading 2011

Fall Into Reading Question #3

This week, we get a little techy:
On what devices, if any, do you read books? Or are you strictly a “physical book” reader?

I am an all physical books, all the time girl. Real, actual, paper, physical books. I can do an ebook once in a while, but I don't have a nook or a kindle or anything like that, so I get tired of sitting at the computer and staring at the screen, so even then I tend to print it out, bind it together somehow and then I've got a 'real' book anyway : )

Come check out Fall Into Reading over at www.callapidderdays.com for more fun questions!

He's Working Again!!

Praise God for answered prayers! After being off of work for June and 1/2 of July, and then from mid August through November 1st, Dan is back at work today! It's right here in town, with lots of people that he's worked with before and he is excited! I am so glad for him :) Thank you Lord for providing for our needs in the meantime, and continuing to do so through a job for Dan.

Pumpkin Patch 2011

The boys and I went to the pumpkin patch a while back, and what a great time we had! There were many new things to do and try and play with, so the boys were nearly beside themselves trying to figure out what to do first. We ate hot dogs and cotton candy (two huge no nos at this house except about once a year) they went sliding down the hugs slides on burlap sacks, frolicked in the sunshine and came home happy with their choice of pumpkins. Derek liked the Hamster Wheel, the slides and the tricycle track the best. Pat picked the tractors that he could climb up and pretend to drive, the slides and the ducky game, mostly because he likes to get wet. David liked the hook on a wire that you had to swing up onto a hook (and he was quite good at, as well) the slides and the gerbil tunnels. I thought the tractor tire tic-tac-toe game was quite clever and I also enjoyed the Mystical Grove (a shaded tunnel that has misting hoses in it...get it? MYSTICAL??) Anywho, at the end of the day, we came home tired, a little sunburned and a lot happy with our day.
PS> Jodi has my camera right now, so I'll have to add the pics later, but I wanted to get this posted while I had a chance : )

Happy Birthday 'Shua!

I'm not AS late with this one, but still tardy. Happy 23rd Birthday 'Shua! We didn't get to spend the day together, of course, but we did have a nice chat. I am so proud of him and Lauren doing so well up there in IL. Working hard, loving each other and enjoying their families up there. It's good, even if I do miss them terribly. Hugs to you, Young Man. You deserve every bit of happiness you can find. I love you!

Wordless Wednesday

Oh my gravy, this made me laugh! : )

Happy 14th Birthday David!

I know, I'm crazy late, but David turned 14 October 3rd, the same day that Mambo had hop replacement surgery. We skipped school, rested after camping and just hung out together as a family. Friday Game Night was our actual celebration of his birthday and we let the good times roll! Mama made graham cracker cake, friends joined us and David brought a few extras home from the gym. We had a ball!! He received some very thoughtful gifts and has enjoyed them all. The money he has been saving for this weekend at the Renaissance Festival at Young Park, he wants to buy a sword (oh my heavens!) Just a few pics as he's getting "too old" for birthday silliness. *sigh* He's my boy, not into the pomp and circumstances, and is much more concerned that everyone else has a good time. And we did! Happy Birthday Son!