Our Backyard

The Winter of our Discontent

2012-01-23T20:50:00.003-05:00

Winter, if you could call it that, has been a huge let down for me this year. Last year we had roughly nine snowfalls. I love winter. I anticipate the possibility of a flurry or even some accumulation. I search the weather channel daily, hoping to see a little snowflake emblem. When we lived in Louisiana, I would often call home to Pennsylvania to live vicariously through my family and friends. I wanted details about how much snow they were getting, how much was on the ground and how much were they expecting. In some ways, it was euphoric. It reminded me of days long ago when I would spend the winter sledding and sliding and frolicking about with my dear friends. Hot chocolate, warming your mittens on the heater and rosy, red cheeks were the daily norm. This winter has been strange. It has been grey and dreary and thundery and WARM. Last night the wind was whipping about and flashes of lightening lit up the room. The storms sent Levi, our dog, into a panic and kept me awake.

As I lay awake, listening to the storm, it dawned on me that spring could very easily arrive early and then we could get hit with some frost, thus killing our any new greenery. I really hope that doesn't happen, because that would mean we were not only robbed of our winter, but may also be robbed of our spring.

I know you can't control the weather, but this is one time I wish I could. I would send a blustery day, full of large, wet snowflakes. I want to make some snowballs and some snowmen. I want to slide down our hill at least once. Just once, that is all I ask. There is still hope, but if we Georgians get slighted, we will look ahead to next winter with hope.

I hope you are enjoying your winter time! Here's to gumbo weather for all!

Epic Milestones

2011-12-29T09:46:00.003-05:00

At least they are epic to us. Chris turned 18 this month, graduated from high school and finished his first semester of college. Epic, I tell you, epic. We now have three adult aged people in the house, and occasionally, one or two of us will act like an adult, but never simultaneously... That would be too dull. Chris registered to vote and got his adult driver's license all on the same day. Epic.

Andrew now has his learner's permit and is working hard towards earning his Mitchell promotion in Civil Air Patrol. This will give him the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, an officer, and will give him the epic ability to enlist in the United States Air Force as an E3, which is the equivalent to being in the Air Force for about two years. They will even register him as having served for two years, thus allowing him many benefits and privileges. Epic and honoring, all at once... at least to me.

Michael finished out his first semester of high school with great success. He is not certain what direction he wants to take later in life, and thankfully, he doesn't have to decide yet. He has really blossomed into a young man lately and is so honoring and respectful to me and Keith. He has such a good heart and still adores James in an epic way.

James is playing rink hockey (I know this is very surprising, especially if you know James) but he loves it. He has scored two goals and has some assists. I think he prefers playing defense, but is flexible and and humble enough to play where needed. We try to all go as a family and cheer him on each week. Epic.

Keith, now well into his 50th year, cackle, cackle, has the plant looking and running epically. He has changed virtually every building, railroad track, vessel, gear and all that other plant stuff over the nearly five years he has been there. If you could see all of the before and after pictures, you would be epically impressed. I am sure I have mentioned this before, but this time it looks more tangible: an expansion is on the books!!! The company has hired an architect firm and some engineers to begin the early phase of expanding. This would be epic, indeed. It would also open the door of opportunity to one or more of our sons to work with their dad at the plant. Epic.

Me? Nothing epic to report, but I do feel in my heart that I am blessed beyond epic proportions. We are all healthy, we have fabulous friends, and we are not hungry. I've made a few quilts this fall and knitted a few things here and there, but mainly I dedicate much of my life to completing this marathon of being a mom at home. Perhaps that is sort of epic, but for now I will simply call it life.

Happy New Year to all of you! I pray for health and wisdom for each of you, and if you are lucky, maybe you will also have an epic year.

WINNER!

2011-12-14T07:16:00.002-05:00

I typed in all of the names using random.org's raffle feature. It really was quite easy if you ever need to do something similarly. The winner is Marj Thomas! Marj please e-mail me so I will know you have received this information. I have your address and will ship the quilt as soon as I get the binding applied.... I got it back from the quilter yesterday and it looks fabulous!!! I really think you will love it.

MANY, MANY thanks to all who helped me to multiply the amount I was able to give. It really is a blessing to know so many compassionate, generous people. I give all of the glory to God for equipping each of us in this loving endeavor. Let us continue to pray for this family.

God Bless you all!

Quilt Raffle Closed!

2011-12-13T21:25:00.002-05:00

Please do not send any more contributions - the quilt raffle has been closed! We have gathered a total of $530 to bless the Hooker family!! I am so full of sincere gratitude and thankfulness from each of you who contributed! I truly wish I could send each of you a homemade gift, but I think my husband would kill me. I will use random.org to shuffle all of the names and I will announce a winner in the morning!!

Again, thank you so very much! I am overwhelmed by your generosity and kindness!

God Bless each of you!!!

Many thanks,
Elizabeth

2011-11-07T21:44:00.001-05:00

Quilt Raffle to benefit local family

2011-11-07T21:10:00.004-05:00

Dear friends, our home school community was rocked last month at the sudden death of a dear home school mom to five daughters. Christina was the Proverbial woman in every sense. I only met her a few times, but everyone who knew her echoes the same sentiment about her. She was an adoring wife to Christian, whom is no doubt devastated with her loss. Although I did not know her well, several of my close friends are in deep mourning. I have been praying and praying for all of them and have felt so helpless. I would imagine any monetary help is greatly appreciated and I think a raffle would increase the amount our family could contribute to them. Please consider a $10 donation and you also get a chance to win this quilt. For every $10 you donate, you will get another chance. $50 would be five chances!!!

Here is the quilt:

It would be perfect for any young girl or teen, or any young at heart woman. The blocks contain unique graphics of a girl or princess, and is a 60" square. It is very whimsical and HAPPY!! I pieced this by hand using fabric from our local quilt store, Sew Bee It!, and will have it professionally machine quilted. The quilt will be back from the quilter on December 13th and I will then apply the binding, having it completed in time for a Christmas gift!

I can receive entries up until the 13th of December and will announce a winner on Wednesday, the 14th in the morning. Please e-mail me and I will forward my mailing address so you can send a check, or click the "chip-in" button and pay with Paypal.

Thank you so much for helping this family. 100% of all donation money will go directly to the Hooker family. God Bless you all!

Ps: I will ship the quilt anywhere in the US at no charge. If this quilt is not your style, donate anyway and I will give the quilt to the Hooker family. Thanks!

A Date to Remember

2011-10-12T06:59:00.002-04:00

Last night, Keith and I attended "A Date to Remember". It is put on by the same people who organize "A Weekend to Remember". It is just a fun time for married couples to sit back and enjoy a good laugh about marriage. Mark Gungor was the main speaker and he had our cheeks hurting from laughter! He has written several books and has videos out as well. I would say he is best known for his, "Laugh Your Way to a Happier Marriage". Yes, you will laugh, and then you will wonder if he has been secretly video taping you and your husband.... He just knows the male/female characteristics so well and can find the humor in it all. Check him out on the web - he has several little things you can listen to at no cost. I will never look at smiley faces the same way again.... Oh, and please pray for his wife whom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer.

I also wanted to put in a plug for Chick-fil-A. They sponsored the event and went ALL OUT! As you know, they are strong Christians. They put their money and their feet where their mouth is: they want strong Christian families! The president of Chick-fil-A and his brother briefly spoke last night, and offered a prayer. I was most impressed with them and think I may have to start choosing Chick-fil-A over Bojangles.... The kids might not be too happy about this, but we need to support people who are trying to make a positive difference in our society, for His glory.

A big thank you to First Things First and Chick-fil-A for a lovely evening with the hubby. Chris will be thrilled when I take him to get the two free chicken sandwiches that were handed out last night.

I Protest!

2011-10-10T08:46:00.002-04:00

All I have to say about those goons on Wall Street are this: you are protesting the wrong people. It was Obama that bailed out Wall Street, go protest HIM. His failed policies are the reason unemployment remains high. I guarantee if we repealed Obummercare, the job market would surge. That MESS of a law has killed jobs and has INCREASED health insurance costs. Our health insurance premiums DOUBLED last year and I am scared to see what they are going to be this year. Obama said our health insurance premiums would go down and we should ask our employer for a raise. What a joke! And these Wall Street people are trashing the place, being lawless and saying such nice things as, "Eat the Rich". Such friendly folks.

EVERY time the Tea Party held a rally, they cleaned up when they were finished and NONE were ever arrested. NONE. I believe in a good protest, but some common sense manners and consideration should be paramount.

Oh, and while I am at it, I WHOLEHEARTEDLY endorse Mr. Herman Cain! He is the real deal!! I've been listening to him on the radio for over five years and he is not only brilliant, but he is a fine man. He is genuine and compassionate. If you have never gotten to know him, please check him out. I guarantee you will like him!

Two Month Blog Hiatus

2011-10-10T08:22:00.002-04:00

Hello ya'll! I am guessing nobody really reads this thing anymore, especially since I haven't posted in over two months. It has simply been an interesting period in our lives. Chris began college the first week of August. He is doing amazingly well and I am so proud of him! Dalton State is known for being a "hard" school, and he has risen to the challenge. Chris is a natural scholar and just seems to do well effortlessly. He is also a natural accountant and will be one of the best!

Andrew and Michael are in high school. Andrew is trying to get the credits he needs to enlist in the Air Force this spring, which would put him heading to boot camp in the summer of 2014. He will also enroll in Dalton State next year to get a few college credits under his belt. The Air Force likes you to have a minimum of 15 college credits. Michael is still undecided about his future plans, and that is okay! There is plenty of time,Lord willing.

James is devouring books right now. Who'd of thought that?? He is also partaking in playing some good old fashioned rink hockey. He really loves it, which just surprises us. He is the least aggressive child we have, but he loves the hockey. I am thankful for some fabulous friends that run it and mentor James each week.

Keith and I celebrated our 19th wedding anniversary last month. In some ways it seems like we have always been together and in other ways, it seems like yesterday. I love being married, although it isn't always easy. We do hit many peaks and valleys, but the Lord has blessed us with an unshakable commitment. I am incredibly thankful for Keith and his loving support.

Me? Well, I will spare you the details, but I have been having an interesting time lately. I could group about 10 negative experiences I have endured over the last two months, between sever back pain to teenagers to teenagers and then more teenagers and throw in some bumps in the road and, well, it has been interesting. But the Lord is faithful. His mercies are new every morning. I rest upon Him and begin each day with Him and pray for the best. Teenagers. They are an interesting breed. I hope they don't kill me.

Some Things are so Overrated

2011-08-03T20:54:00.003-04:00

For instance, stainless steel appliances. Sure, they look great and they do add value to your home, but they are highly overrated. They smudge so easily and cost upwards of $200+ more per appliance just to have a stainless front. Every single time you touch them, the fingerprints look awful. If we weren't planning on selling in about 4 years, I would be perfectly content with white!

Front loader washing machines. Again, they look amazing. But they harbor skanky water in the door rim. They don't really clean any better than traditional washers and they cost LOTS more. The pedestals cost over $200 each, and you totally need them, unless you are REALLY short. I will not be buying them again, that is for sure. If it hadn't been for the great deal we got on repo units, no way would I have forked out the cash for these.

Granite counter tops. We don't have these, but based on horror stories I have heard, I am thankful this was one status symbol I didn't buy into. They crack and dull easily. You can see fingerprints very easily. They need sealed twice a year and they are WAY pricey!

It is unfortunate our society has become obsessed with status symbols that seemingly represent that you have money. Our parents were so content years ago with much less. They would get their broken appliances repaired and make them last. Now we just dispose of everything and get a new one.

What overrated item did you purchase that you wish you hadn't? I'd love to have your wisdom!

50? No way!

2011-07-26T13:24:00.002-04:00

My husband cracked through the glass ceiling of the 40's and burst his way into the fabulous 50's! We had the blessing of having his Mom and Bill in town and got to surprise Keith with their knocking on the door unexpectedly. It was not easy keeping it a secret for two weeks. It almost slipped several times, but we pulled it off and it was great fun.

I really wanted to throw Keith a party, but he really did not want one, so instead, I asked friends and family to send a birthday card. I collected all of the cards and put them into a box for him to open like a gift. We had much fun opening all of the cards and then passing them around. Some people shared pictures, some shared long lost stories and some just shared a lovely Bible verse. I know Mom and Bill enjoyed reading the cards with us and watching Keith open a few gifts. The guys all pitched in and got him some really nice sun glasses. It was nice to see them spend their own money on somebody other than themselves.

It may not have been a bash to end all bashes, but what matters most is that we shared it with the people we love. Happy Birthday, old man! I hope you enjoyed it!

The Perils of having a Green Thumb..

2011-07-01T23:50:00.003-04:00

I have no idea how or why this happens, but I can take a dying, shriveled up plant and bring it back to vibrant life. My flower garden is constantly over producing flowers (not a bad thing). The problem ensues when I try to get rid of a plant that I no longer find desirable. I cant kill it. It will keep coming back and back and back. You get the picture. I also seem to have an abundance of babies. You know how your plants drop seed, and then next year you might get one or two of them again? In my garden, there are many babies from last year. It is great, because it's like getting free plants. I also have to thin my plants and prune them regularly. I guess I am just a very fertile person, or perhaps all of you gardening friends have the same problems and maybe I am not as special as I think I am.' Either way, several sweaty hours have been spent working the beds this week, and I am still not finished. I also see several transplanting projects for the fall. I have a very bad habit of planting something and then it gets ginormous and I need to thin things out again. It's a jungle out there!

Unfortunately, my vegetable garden didn't get the memo about my magic thumb, and I barely got anything out of it. Several stalks of corn shot up, but I never got any ears. My potatoes were a total flop, which was very sad for me. I had high hopes of putting 100 pounds of potatoes in a dark room. My kids would have so loved to have an abundance of spuds. I would have been their hero for about five minutes. Oh well, I will try again next year, for sure!

I hope you are getting many lovely flowers to brighten your day, and the butterflies that go with them. I also hope when you are enjoying them, you give thanks for He whom made them. God bless your gardens!

My New Love

2011-06-18T08:34:00.003-04:00

Costco. Love it! We just got one last summer and it is fabulous. It has been almost a year now of buying lots of different products they carry, and I haven't had too many that we didn't like. For those of you who have had a Costco in your life for a while, you are very fortunate, and those of you who don't have one yet, I weep for you. I thought I would give a review on some of the items we have bought - it might entice you to try these items as well:

Costco organic salsa - we ate the 24 quarts that I canned last summer, by February. I never buy salsa. Very rarely do I like bought salsa. Until now. Costco's salsa tastes very close to the kind you would get at On The Border or Chili's. It has the same consistency and just the right amount of heat.

Wild Flower Seed mix - You should see the variety I have growing in my flower bed. Some of the flowers, I have never seen before. It was easy to plant and I have a full bed of flowers growing!

Vanity with attached granite countertop - great price, nice details and exceptional quality!

Frozen organic veggies - you just can't beat the price on all of their frozen veggies!!

Kirkland bar soap - In our family, we get these strange bumps on the back of our upper arms, unless we use expensive soap. No more! Kirkland's bar soap has my skin smooth and soft, without leaving me dry. This is an accomplishment!

Kirkland facial wipes - again, love them! My face is having fewer break-outs and is SOFT!

Mineral Make-up - I just bought this yesterday and have only used it once, but I think for the price, it is a terrific deal. I liked the coverage and it didn't give me a shine like some other brands.

Supplements - I think they have everyone beat on supplement choices and price. I am thrilled that I can get certain vitamins and such at such a great price.

Kirkland shampoo/conditioner - This stuff is amazing! Cheap, cheap, cheap but high quality ingredients. No SLS or parabans. Mostly organic. And cheap....

Kirkland jeans and polos - GREAT price and very nice stuff. The jeans look great and for $14 a pair and five guys to clothe, WINNER!

Some things we did not like: Kirkland macaroni and cheese (YUCK), Quinoa (Yuck again).... that may be it for now.

Customer Service - They really know how to treat their customers!

I am sure there are more goodies I am forgetting to mention, but these are a few things that really just thrill me! We do about 80% of our grocery shopping at Costco now. I hope they prosper and are here to stay!

What are some products you have bought from Costco that you love??

When I was thin...

2011-06-14T08:53:00.003-04:00

...I acted like a thin person, I ate like a thin person and it was not this daily challenge. I didn't panic if I had hunger pangs or my meal was late. If I was going out to eat that night, I would eat a light lunch. You know, all those thin person unwritten rules that thin people innately know how to do. When I moved to Louisiana and got married, my whole routine of life changed, mostly for the better because I LOVED being a newlywed. The problems started when we found out I was pregnant after only five months of marriage. I was so not ready! Keith and I had barely even dated and I wanted our alone time to last longer, but God is so sovereign, He knew what was best for us. I was so nauseated those first five months and the only thing that made the room not spin was if I ate a little something. That's right. I gained a LOT of weight and quickly changed my healthy, thin eating patterns into destructive, unhealthy eating neurosis.

I used to work out 3-6 days a week before children. I played tennis almost daily, rode my bike, walked, swam and even hung out my laundry on the line, just for the calorie burn. Now with a baby, my exercising routine fell into the ditch. Now I had a compounded problem: eating for the wrong reasons and no exercise. We got pregnant again when Chris was nine months old and I still had some poundage on me I had not lost. Another big pregnancy gain, and another pregnancy when Andrew was 11 months old.... YIKES! I did get within my wedding day weight by about 20 pounds, but unfortunately, my eating patterns were beginning to spiral out of control.

Soon, I began using food to fill in the voids: if I was bored, frustrated (which was often), if I missed my mom, during marital stress, family stress, etc. Food became my soother, but the thing I never really saw was even after eating, I was still not soothed. You would think as smart as I am, I would break this vicious pattern, but it was not that easy. I would yo-yo over the next few years, often gaining and losing the same 10+ pounds. I couldn't gain traction and keep the weight loss going. Flash forward to now: I gained 20 pounds within three months of moving to Georgia. I'm not even going to get into all the reasons why I let THAT happen. It was madness, plain and simple. I have been on a perpetual diet for about 17 years now, and none of them seem to work for me. I exercise, track my calories, etc. Still fat and still gain easily. Yes, I have had my thyroid tested.

Okay, here we are today and I am ready to get serious. I am not going to blog every day or every week about my victories or defeats. I will try to capture some milestones and ultimately, put up that victorious before and after photo I have been dreaming about for a long time. I have several friends who have lost a lot of weight lately and it has really inspired me to get serious. No excuses. No blaming. My journey actually started Saturday, and I am blogging today because I am seeing a definite pattern within me: If I get off of sugar, I feel better, I have more energy and I have lost weight. I keep asking Keith to please help me to kick the sugar addiction... But that's sort of like asking another alcoholic to hide the booze. Even if Keith does not help, I will not blame him. I take ownership of my addiction to sugar. So, here's to kicking the sugar addiction, here's to getting serious about losing weight, and mostly, here's to giving all the Glory to God for empowering me to be obedient to His plan for eating. God Bless you all!

Discrimination 101

2011-05-12T14:00:00.000-04:00

Ok, so let me get this straight: we have paid for 100% of our sons' education over the last twelve years. We have not accepted one penny from anybody (not that anybody has offered) to pay for all of our books, supplies and software. The states of Louisiana and Georgia have collectively saved well over $200,000 over these twelve years of our home education. Now that we have a college ready student, he is not eligible for any state sponsored scholarship funds until he has completed 30 college credit hours. Basically, the states and the teachers' unions want to discredit home schoolers any way they can and make it as challenging as possible for our students to obtain funds that are readily available to public schooled students. I wish I could see the logic in this, however, I only feel violated and discriminated against. Where's the ACLU on this subject? Why it perfectly acceptable to discriminate against a block of society that outscored and outperformed all other blocks of educated children? Home schoolers out score public school kids in almost every subject. Whatever. Like always, we will man-up, play by the rules and HOPE scholarship funds will be available for us in a couple of years.

Blog Fog

2011-05-03T19:33:00.002-04:00

I have been experiencing major blog fog. Especially now. I have contemplated blogging about a whole host of topics over the last few weeks, ranging from leftist hypocrisy to spring time gardening. I have had many opinions I would have loved to voice or recipes to share, but the nasty tornadoes have simply made me realize there is nothing truly worth blogging about in a catastrophe. There is a time to put your opinions on a shelf and come together with those in need and be as helpful as you are able. And the single most important part of it all that we are trying to teach our sons, is it's not about you. You should not go around boasting of how much money you gave or how many hours you put in on a job. It is about giving glory to God for equipping you to do His work. My mom was the best role model I had for this, and I am thankful to give her the credit for my desire to teach the guys the same important values. Matthew chapter 6 gives very clear advice on this subject. Live it in front of your children, don't simply preach it. Read these scriptures with your children.

So many people have lost their homes, their businesses and some have lost their lives. Our little town of Ringgold is a shambles. But having lived in Louisiana with bookend hurricanes Andrew and Katrina, I know we will rebuild and we will be stronger. Our character will be tested at times and our patience will be lost at times, but we must always return to our roots of faith, hope and love.

There are so many lovely and perfect Bible verses to help in times such as these. I like the Psalms during trials and then always end up in the Gospel when I have come out of the fire. All trials do lead to the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus Christ. But if you find you are still trying to come to terms with this, the Psalms were written for such a time as this.

Please continue to pray for Ringgold. There has never been anything catastrophic like this around here before and they are in deep shock. This is my favorite place I have ever lived and it hurts to see Ringgold suffering.

Up on The Mountain

2011-04-23T20:07:00.002-04:00

Yesterday, we spent the day with some of our very special friends from Louisiana. We miss them so much, but thankfully, we get to see them every few months! They own a couple of rental cabins on the brow of Lookout Mountain, in Mentone, AL. The drive to go see them is so beautiful, you hardly notice it takes an hour. Bruce grilled some burgers and we had lots of fixings. I made my annual bunny cake that I have made ever year since I was 10 or 11. He has gotten less fancy, but he still tastes quite good and the kids love the tradition.

Michelle is blessed with two 14 year old twin boys and is expecting a precious little girl in July. She has the cutest little baby bump and I can't wait to see baby Julia!!! We had a blast shopping for baby pink things and still enjoying the laugh that this little unexpected blessing presented a few months back. Ian and Evan will surely love having a little sister to spoil, and if nothing else, they get some valuable baby care skills!!! God bless you and your family, Michelle.

Keith and Bruce took all the guys to a couple of water falls down the road while we shopped, and I just have to share the gorgeous pictures. I want to go back up there soon! Enjoy the pictures and let's plan a trip there next time you come visit!

God bless!

Domestic Goodness

2011-03-04T08:17:00.004-05:00

Yes, I am still here. I just have not had much to post about, nor have I had the time. It is tax season, which means I am working several days a week. It is also spring, which means I am digging and weeding and tilling and planting and having a grand time again.

Last year, the best crop was potatoes. They were easy and produced much bounty. Therefore, I am planting two difference varieties this year. I am also going to try corn again (I haven't had much luck with it in the past). Pablono peppers, orange peppers, grape tomatoes and onions will be the main crop. I'm going to try seedless watermelons and pumpkins again, although last year I only harvested three pumpkins and zero melons. I can't resist trying again, because you never know if you may finally get it going. I'm going to take my friend, Sam's advice and plant marigolds along the perimeter to ward off the rabbits. And the deer...

I finally have some kefir grains! I have been wanting to get some for years. We drink LOTS of kefir, and to be able to make your own is about 1/4 of the cost, plus you get to control what all goes into it. Kefir is a yogurt like drink, but contains 10 times the amount of good bacteria, maybe even more than that. It is super easy to make, and I use it in everything. I make muffins, pancakes, smoothies, salad dressings and cheese dip. I am making about a quart every day, but we are using it up easily. On a side note, it is pronounced kuh FEER, NOT KEE fur. I got corrected straight from a Russian woman, and she should know, since it is a Russian derived drink! Don't be afraid to say it correctly!

Thanks to me dear friend, Sandra C, I made Ezekiel muffins this morning. They are so yummy!!! Don't tell the kids, but they are eating beans for breakfast!!! HA HA HA HA!!! I plan on making a bucket of Ezekiel mix and using it more often. You can make your own mix by adding all of the following items to your flour mill or Vita-Mix dry container: (taken from Breadbecker's red cookbook)

2 1/2 c wheat berries
1 1/2 c spelt
1/2 c hulled barley
1/4 c millet
1/4 c green lentils
2 T dried pinto beans
2 T dried white kidney beans (or great northerns)
2 T dried red kidney beans

Use it in place of your regular flour, or just use a portion. Super healthy and so good!!

Okay, enough for now. I need to get those potatoes in the ground today! Happy digging, baking and all His goodness be yours today!

Unplugged

2011-03-04T08:02:00.002-05:00

We are going on a 40 day fast from most electronics. No Facebook, no video games, no iPod, no forums. It was simply necessary in our home. We have become disconnected from each other and the competition on the gaming systems has been driving me mad. Everyone, of course, wants to be able to go first and they always seem to go over on their turn, thus infuriating the next guy in line for a turn. There was sure to be a battle every day about it, often several times a day. Madness.

Now, miraculously, we are reconnecting with each other and that joyful silence I hear is quite medicinal. Let us hope and pray that we can continue bonding with each other and having fun playing many other games that have collected some dust. If your family seems hairy and disconnected, perhaps some unplugging is a solution for you, too.

Have a blessed day and enjoy the people in your life more than the electronics!!!

The Big Chill...

2011-01-13T06:30:00.002-05:00

...waiting for the big thaw. Ok, I love winter. I love snow even more, but days on end of sub-freezing temperatures? Not so much. I feel like I am in Pennsylvania again, or maybe Maryland again, but not Georgia. The 9 inch dumping of snow was fabulous. I haven't seen that much snow in 20 years. But, I am a southerner now, and I like the here today, gone today kind of snow. This is the first time we have had snow last this long (I can hear my sister Becky laughing hysterically right now). I am by no means, ready for spring, nor am sick of the beautiful white stuff, but can we at least get above freezing? Even the chickens are staying in the coop. I guess they don't want their tail feathers to get icicles on them...

On the bright side, the snow has reignited my cooking desires, and I have made several yummy meals this week. Pecan crusted chicken, homemade bread, and potato soup. Winter is just a time to cook and snuggle under blankets and sip coffee all day.

I'm going to try and dig out the van today, with the hope of going to Costco tomorrow. I think I will need a very large ice pick and an even larger shovel.

A Time to Mourn

2011-01-06T07:10:00.003-05:00

I dread the first week of January, now more than ever. Keith's gramma passed away last night. She was 90 years old. We all hold a very special place in our heart for her and will never forget her. She made the best gumbo and pralines on this earth! I am so glad we got to see her last month, on Thanksgiving. Rest in peace, Maw Maw Dee!

Monday marked the two year anniversary of Matt, our nephew, and the tragic car accident that took him and a half-brother. Matt was only 23 and full of life and love for the Lord. Keith's sister, Becky has to live without him and I know that is not an easy thing to do, every day.

And today marks the 21st anniversary of my mom's death. You have no idea how much I miss her. I miss her every day and wish I could have had her a little longer, but honestly, I don't think it would ever have been long enough for me. I have so many things I would have loved to share with her, especially my kids. Nobody loves you like your mother, and I have never stopped longing for that feeling, the feeling that left abruptly 21 years ago and will never return. People, if you still have your mom, please go easy on her. She's been through a lot to raise you. Love her as if this was the last day you will see her, because you just never know when you will get that phone call.

All that aside, the Lord promises he will comfort those in mourning, and He does. Today, I plan on meditating and praying these Bible verses; perhaps they will comfort you as well:

I will turn their mourning into gladness; I will give them comfort and joy instead of sorrow. Jer 31:13

Those who sow with tears will reap with songs of joy.
Psalm 126:4-6

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted.
Matthew 5:3-5

...weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning.
Psalm 30:6

God does not want to only focus on the pain of death, but the joy of life eternal. Is your heart right with God?

Are you sick?

2010-12-28T07:17:00.003-05:00

I have noticed a lot of my friends and family are sick right now. I also notice, it seems like the same people are sick again and again. If this applies to you, can you take an honest assessment of your diet (I really mean honest) and determine if you are consuming too much sugar? Sugar is the number one culprit to lower your immune system. You can load up on all the vitamins in the world, but if you are eating loads of sugar all day long, the vitamins are virtually not assimilated. Sugar makes your blood thicker, less slippery and messes with a whole host of hormones (insulin, cortisol, serotonin, adrenalin to name a few).

Sugar comes in many forms, and some of them, in small quantities, are okay. But if you are eating white sugar, white bread and bottled fruit juices, you are basically just eating sugar. Bottled fruit juices are pure sugar. They have been pasteurized to the point of being nutritionally void, thus rendering them to be sugar syrup. Fresh squeezed or pressed juice still has vitamins, some pulp and the sugar is not quite as concentrated. If you can't do fresh juice, then just ditch the bottled stuff. Water is what is best for your body, anyway.

Ditch the white bread, even the junk that says "white wheat"; what a joke. It is garbage. It has no fiber, cheaply enriched vitamins and probably corn syrup as the sweetener. Your family may buck a little, but in time, they will grow to hate the white stuff. My guys HATE white pasta and white bread.

Just making this small change in your lifestyle, will greatly improve your immune system. There are many other things you can do to improve your defenses, but, in my opinion, this over consumption of sugar is often overlooked by do gooders who suggest garlic and vitamin C. Yes, garlic and Vit C will help your immunity, but not if your blood is the consistency of Karo.

Here's to a healthy 2011!!

Oh no, not another rant...

2010-12-14T08:56:00.002-05:00

Here I go again, I just can't leave well enough alone. But enough is enough! I am so sick of the unprovoked war on Christians. I would venture to say that most Christians are rather peaceful, and really don't want to engage in warfare, but select groups who are so darn offended by us, are launching an all out war, especially on Christmas. Granted, I don't believe Christmas is a scriptural holiday, because there is not one mention of it in the Bible. Oh, the blessed birth of our savior is mentioned, but you will not find the word Christmas. Christmas is a man created holiday that happens to celebrate the birth of Christ. With that said, I find it to be an enjoyable holiday, especially for children.

But why, oh why, are we allowing this tiny percentage of people to bully us into putting away our nativity scene, Christmas tree, and not saying Merry Christmas? I would speculate these same people still gladly receive their Christmas bonus, turkey and day off. If they really wanted to be a believable group, they should go to work on Christmas day, donate their Christmas bonus to charity and give the holiday turkey to a needy family. Oh, wait, I think these same people also don't believe in charity - that is what the government is for....

Remember, Honor, Teach

2010-12-11T16:48:00.005-05:00

That is the motto for Wreaths Across America. WAA raises funds for our national cemeteries and lays Christmas wreaths every December. All across our nation today at the national cemeteries, thousands of wreaths were laid by the Civil Air Patrol. A ceremony is then held where veterans, active duty and survivors gather to remember our fallen and honor them. We are supposed to teach our children about the people who have lost their lives for our country. It is always a very touching experience and I often have to choke back a few tears. It was so lovely this year to not be in the 20's!!! We also managed to stay dry!

Andrew was honored to serve in the color guard, along with our longtime friend, Journee. They did an excellent job and I was so proud of them. Michael had the honor of handing wreaths to some distinguished military members that will lay in honor of each branch of our military. Chris guarded the colors during the ceremony.

Several speeches were made, and one of them in particular really stood out. It was made by an active duty army soldier, who will be redeployed to Afghanistan after Christmas. His words really resonated with me, especially when he spoke so boldly about our freedom and how our nation was founded not only on Christian principles, but also founded on prayer. His speech was powerful and compelling and made me feel a little more hopeful.

Enjoy the pictures!

Giving Thanks, in all things!

2010-11-29T06:01:00.003-05:00

We are back from our Louisiana tour. It was really a fantastic trip and couldn't have been more perfect. Looking back, I can even smile about Daddy waking me up at the ungodly hours of 4 & 5am. It wasn't funny at the time, but it is now.

Some of the food highlights were the fried turkey (YUM and thanks, Daddy, for spoiling me), and Aunt Lynn's coconut cake!!! Without a doubt, it is the best cake you will ever eat and after a 5 year absence in my life, it tasted like it was baked in heaven's oven. Mama made us a shrimp soup that would have won a blue ribbon in any contest. SO Good!!! Gail made a very delicious cornbread dressing! We even got to stop at my favorite German restaurant for a reubin. But, it wasn't all about the food for me, and I managed to thwart the food pushers and eat reasonable portions, and have returned with two less pounds of lard on my body!

The people highlights were the best! We got to see 90 year old Maw Maw, several aunts, uncles and cousins and a couple of friends. We were very limited in our time, so a couple of friends I would have loved to have seen, I am sorry we couldn't make it happen. BIG HUGE thanks to Michelle, Connie and Pennie for the hospitality! Although it was a quickie visit, it was so fulfilling! Please tell Todd thanks for the venison - I may cook some today!

There was a lot of football watching, visiting and memories being made. Aunt Becky spoiled the guys with yummy breakfasts every morning and lots of video gaming. I fell in love with her dog, Lucy. She is a spunky little thing and so smart! I can't wait until Becky brings her to visit!

It felt great to be with family again. Although at times, the guys were rather bored, I am certain they will look back on this trip and smile.

Brief and to the point

2010-11-19T07:21:00.005-05:00

Hi there! We are still here, safe and sound. I am just in a place where I can't really sit long enough to rub two thoughts together and actually have them sound coherent. I am certain you can relate, especially if you are raising the kids and tending the home, etc. My next few thoughts may not be coherent or even relevant, but sometimes you just have to write it down, if nothing else, just so you can move on. I promise it will be brief and to the point...

Fall: This has been the strangest fall since we moved here. It seems to have lasted forever (not a bad thing) but has been lacking the vibrant colors we so look forward to seeing. Most of the mountainsides have simply turned brown. Oh, there were a few spectacular specimens that got to dazzle and compete for our attention, but on a whole, it has been a drab fall. There's always next year.

School: I feel so blessed, because this school year seems to be going quite well. Seamlessly well, dare I say it? It's not perfect, so don't envision this fantasy picture of our school life or anything, but there seems to be less blood and screaming this year. For all of this, I give the Glory to God, and Him alone!!!

Home: I love keeping the home - it is what I was created to do. I love organizing and redecorating and trying new recipes and creating new things. Our home feels so homey, at least to me, anyway. I have never been great at creating a show home, but I feel like we have always lived in a home that is warm and welcoming. You can put your feet up and relax, and for that I am thankful.

Marriage: Without revealing too much, I will simply say that this a great time in our marriage. Wink, wink.... (Oops, I didn't mean that - please dismiss). Keith and I have really been having fun dating each other again. It's so much fun, we try to go out every week. It's always something simple, but we are alone together and there are no kids complaining in the background. God is so good to create such a beautiful relationship he called marriage.

Friends: Without fail, the Lord has blessed us with some of the most awesome friends on the planet. Some of them drive for hours to come visit, some we see every week to study God's word, some are phone friends, some we play board games with, but ALL of them are very special to our hearts! A true friend is the most valuable treasure you can have!

Family: We are heading to Louisiana next week for Thanksgiving. Being on a tight (very tight) budget, traveling is a pure luxury to us. I would really rather spend the money on utilitarian things and practical things, such as clothing or food. Do you have any idea how much money it takes to clothe 5 men, all wearing mens size large? And feed them? Egads! Anyway, we really do need to nurture the family relationships and we are all looking forward to seeing the extended family and friends next week. What a blessing to be able to go for a holiday!

The Guys: Chris is a junior and is driving some. He continues to be my left arm when Keith is at work. You have no idea how much I love and appreciate this guy! Andrew continues to excel in Civil Air Patrol and is no embarking on his first musical band venture. He plays electric guitar with four other guys and they are writing their own music. Michael is doing great in school this year. Who would have thought that? I am so proud of him getting A's in some very difficult subjects, including chemistry! James is a mini me. He's happy-go-lucky and so easy to please. I love going shopping with him at craft shows and festivals. He is so FUN! Thank you, God for these four wonderful guys! They are the light of my life!

Spiritual: I save this for last, because it is the most important. Spiritually speaking, I think we are doing well with our daily family Bible reading and prayers and conversations. Unfortunately, we are still without a church home. We have been absent from church since May. This is a first for us. In Louisiana, we had to be near death to miss a service. I know some of you can relate (because we have talked about it), but those of you who can't, consider yourself richly blessed. There is nothing more challenging than to deal with being without a church home for this long. We have tried all the pep talks you could imagine to get us to stay at a church, to visit a church or to continue visiting a church. Simply put: we are misfits. Some of you already know this, intimately, I might add. But we are not aliens or lepers or stinky or.... Anyway, cutting to the chase, we are searching again. You can say we are too picky or too strict or too whatever, I don't care what you say about us. Finding a church home is vitally important, and we would relish your prayers as we embark once again seeking.

Ok, I feel better now. Off to school! Have a BLESSED day!!!

DC on a Dime

2010-10-15T15:15:00.007-04:00

On the bank of the Potomac River

We had the fortune of being able to accompany Keith on a business trip to Washington, DC. I was thrilled to death to get to take the kids to my old stomping grounds. I used to work in DC for over 3 years, and lived outside of DC for 7 years. It is one of my favorite cities and I was not disappointed at all on this return after an almost 20 year absence. It was clean and beautifully landscaped and the weather was truly Heaven sent. Your patriotic bones get all tingly feeling when you are in the nation's capital. At least mine do.....

I have THE BEST husband in the whole world - he drive the whole trip without any help from me. Of course, if you know me, my driving wouldn't have been much help. It was smooth sailing until we hit some construction. Two hours were added to the drive..... But we made it in one piece and got to the hotel without a hitch. We had a lovely view of the Potomac River and the DC skyline from our 11th floor room.

Tuesday, after room service, (I love room service) we headed for the Metro, which is the only way to travel when in DC. It is easy as pie and convenient and cheap. No traffic, no parking and it's FUN!
Our first stop was the White House. We saw some snipers on the roof and the grounds were gorgeous. I loved looking at the vast variety of plants..... The kids really liked the snipers. Go figure.

Then we headed to the Museum of American history where loads of fun items are housed - Archie Bunker's chair, the ruby slippers, Fonzie's jacket and then a bunch historical items. I had been salivating for months about seeing Julia Child's kitchen, and it was even better than I anticipated. I almost cried....
I absolutely LOVE Julia and was thrilled to be able to ogle her kitchen and gadgets and copper pot collection. It was so delightful! Bon Appetite!

We then hopped in a taxi, which was a first for the kids. I am sure it was not as exciting as they dreamed it would be, but we did it, and they can now scratch it off their list. The driver took us to Union Station, one of our nation's largest train stations. It is just plain fun to go there. The hubbub and hustle and the food court is once in a lifetime fun.

Outside Union Station

We then jaunted over to the Capital and tried to spy the filming of Transformers 3, but they were not filming at the time. I sprinted in and out of the botanic garden, although I really wanted to linger there for hours. Next time, I WILL LINGER AND LINGER! It was total eye candy for the plant enthusiast.... and that would be me.

Our next museum was the Air and Space Museum, but it didn't really seem to thrill the guys much. I thought it was pretty cool, but the largest McDonald's known to man was inside, and made it very fun.

Next, we trekked to the Holocaust Museum, but I really wish we would have skipped it. I knew it would not be a light-hearted visit, but had no idea how realist it was going to be. They tried to make you feel as if you were there, and it worked. I was overcome with grief and emotion. You just wanted to go back in time and prevent it from ever happening. If you plan on going there, you need to prepare for it. It is more than just a few artifacts and pictures, it is so much more....

We ate at several fun restaurants and took advantage of half-price burger night. The guys all agreed they were the best burgers they had ever eaten. I had a reubin and it was the best ever, too. Murphy's, we love you! The nest day, they had 25 cent wings, and they were SO GOOD!!! Bugsy's was equally as tasty!!!

Oh, and I finally got to go to Trader Joe's!!! I loved it! It is way better than Whole Foods and Earthfare. WAY!!! I am hoping and praying we get one in Chattanooga...

The Blue Ridge mountains were in the beginning stages of their fall plumage, and it made the ride so nice. The mountains have a much higher elevation than Lookout Mountain and it was simply gorgeous. Truly, it was a fabulous trip and we did it under budget, thanks to a $100 gift card that Keith got from his boss, and all the frugal things we did, like bring our own water and snacks from home. I hope the kids remember it as fondly as I will!

Monk

2010-10-09T20:09:00.002-04:00

Ok, so I am a bit of a lagger. I tend to lag in technology, fashion and almost everything else. We are just now discovering the show Monk. We aren't really much of tv watchers and I never had time to watch tv when the kids were younger when Monk was being broadcast. Thanks to Netflix, we can watch it commercial free. I am noticing some striking similarities between me and Monk. Some of you already know this, but for those who don't, I really don't want to shake your hand, although I will. I especially hate it when you cough all over me, but I love you anyway. I cringe when I see green snot coming out of your kid's nose. I never hold onto the rail on an escalator or other public forms of handles or rails. I do struggle with the desire to count and sort things, but I manage to snap out of it and disengage. Quirky and strange I am sure, but honestly, I remember being like this my whole life.

Having children forces you to give up some of your OCD tendencies, but I think the desires are still there. You just somehow manage to resist the urges and impulses. Most of the time. As I watch Monk and see myself reflected in him, I am awakened to my OCD flaws and hope Monk will help me to smile inside and shake hands warmly, even if you just coughed all over that hand. Maybe....

Mixed Reviews

2010-10-03T13:35:00.003-04:00

I thought it would be fun to post some reviews of products I have recently used, and to at least let ya'll know I am still here, just busy.

Here goes - the whole truth and nothing but the truth, at least according to me.

Martha Stewart paint - found at Home Depot. LOVE it! No fumes, non whatsoever! Gorgeous, stylish color selection and one coat is all you need. We recently painted the whole upstairs and the coverage was terrific. Even with using a flat finish, it is still easily wiped clean! Go, Martha!

Sketcher's shape-ups - Bought my first pair about 2 months ago due to a foot injury that was just not healing. I needed more full-range support and my Z-Coils were not doing that. LOVE, LOVE, LOVE them!! I just ordered another pair. Terrific support and cushion, and they have really helped my foot to get onto the road of recovery. I can't say I am healed yet, but the pain has decreased markedly. I also love how they cause you to get into proper posture formation while you stand or walk. They really help keep your gut sucked in and shoulders back. I was fearful that plantar fasciitis would again rear its ugly head, but so far, so good.

iPhone - Okay, so I am no techie. We never have the latest and greatest techno gadgets, because we just don't have the budget for it, but at only $200 and an 18 year wedding anniversary to celebrate, Keith insisted that I get one. This phone does everything you thought it would do, and many more things I never thought it could do. LOVE it! It is very functional and very FUN! There are so many apps, and so little time. I love the Bible app to get my daily reading in and to search passages. Ebay, Facebook and many other goodies to feast upon. I don't abuse it or get consumed by it, but when I do use it, I am thrilled.

That's about it for now. If you want more detailed reviews, just e-mail or call. We are all doing well with the new school year. We are in prayer about selling our mini-van and going back to a conversion van. We are SO CRAMPED in the minivan, and there really aren't many options out there that will hold 6 people. I am sure we will figure it out, but int the meantime, it is on our prayer list....

Ya'll have a lovely day and stay in touch!

Get Ready for the LARGEST Tax HIke in History

2010-09-08T19:14:00.002-04:00

I am sending this out to you so you can be prepared for the coming tax hikes, that WILL affect you and your wallet. As an accountant, I have seen a lot, and it is looking more and more dismal for prosperity in America. I have seen many businesses close over the last 2 years of doing taxes. I feel if you are better educated, it might help your family financially and also educate you on how to VOTE!

In just six months, on January 1, 2011, the largest tax hikes in the history of America will take effect.

They will hit families and small businesses in three great waves.

On January 1, 2011, here’s what happens... (read it to the end, so you see all three waves ...the worst is saved for last)

First Wave:
Expiration of 2001 and 2003 Tax Relief

In 2001 and 2003, the GOP Congress enacted several tax cuts for investors, small business owners, and families.

These will all expire on January 1, 2011. Personal income tax rates will rise.

The top income tax rate will rise from 35 to 39.6 percent (this is also the rate at which two-thirds of small business profits are taxed).

The lowest rate will rise from 10 to 15 percent. All the rates in between will also rise. Itemized deductions and personal exemptions will again phase out, which has the same mathematical effect as higher marginal tax rates.

The full list of marginal rate hikes is below:
The 10% bracket rises to an expanded 15%
The 25% bracket rises to 28%
The 28% bracket rises to 31%
The 33% bracket rises to 36%
The 35% bracket rises to 39.6%

Higher taxes on marriage and family.

The "marriage penalty" (narrower tax brackets for married couples) will return from the first dollar of income.

The child tax credit will be cut in half from $1000 to $500 per child.

The standard deduction will no longer be doubled for married couples relative to the single level.

The dependent care and adoption tax credits will be cut.

The return of the Death Tax.

This year only, there is no death tax. (It’s a quirk!) For those dying on or after January 1, 2011, there is a 55 percent
Top death tax rate on estates over $1 million. A person leaving behind two homes, a business, a retirement account , could easily pass along a death tax bill to their loved ones. Think of the farmers who don’t make much money, but their land, which they purchased years ago with after-tax dollars, is now worth a lot of money. Their children will have to sell the farm, which may be their livelihood, just to pay the estate tax if they don’t have the cash sitting around to pay the tax. Think about your own family’s assets. Maybe your family owns real estate, or a business that doesn’t make much money, but the building and equipment are worth $1 million. Upon their death, you can inherit the $1 million business tax free, but if they own a home, stock, cash worth $500K on top of the $1 million business, then you will owe the government $275,000 cash! That’s 55% of the value of the assets over $1 million! Do you have that kind of cash sitting around waiting to pay the estate tax?

Higher tax rates on savers and investors.

The capital gains tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 20 percent in 2011.

The dividends tax will rise from 15 percent this year to 39.6 percent in 2011.

These rates will rise another 3.8 percent in 2013.

Second Wave:

Obamacare

There are over twenty new or higher taxes in Obamacare. Several will first go into effect on January 1, 2011. They include:

The "Medicine Cabinet Tax"

Thanks to Obamacare, Americans will no longer be able to use health savings account (HAS), flexible spending account (FSA), or health reimbursement (HRA) pre-tax dollars to purchase non-prescription, over-the-counter medicines (except insulin).

The "Special Needs Kids Tax"

This provision of Obamacare imposes a cap on flexible spending accounts (FSAs) of $2500 (Currently, there is no federal government limit). There is one group of FSA owners for whom this new cap will be particularly cruel and onerous: parents of special needs children.

There are thousands of families with special needs children in the United States , and many of them use FSAs to pay for special needs education.

Tuition rates at one leading school that teaches special needs children in Washington , D.C. ( National Child Research Center ) can easily exceed $14,000 per year.

Under tax rules, FSA dollars cannot be used to pay for this type of special needs education.

The HSA (Health Savings Account) Withdrawal Tax Hike.

This provision of Obamacare increases the additional tax on non-medical early withdrawals from an HSA from 10 to 20 percent, disadvantaging them relative to IRAs and other tax-advantaged accounts, which remain at 10 percent.

Third Wave:

The Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT) and Employer Tax Hikes

When Americans prepare to file their tax returns in January of 2011, they'll be in for a nasty surprise - the AMT won't be held harmless, and many tax relief provisions will have expired.

The major items include:

The AMT will ensnare over 28 million families, up from 4 million last year.

According to the left-leaning Tax Policy Center , Congress' failure to index the AMT will lead to an explosion of AMT taxpaying families-rising from 4 million last year to 28.5 million. These families will have to calculate their tax burdens twice, and pay taxes at the higher level. The AMT was created in 1969 to ensnare a handful of taxpayers.

Small business expensing will be slashed and 50% expensing will disappear.

Small businesses can normally expense (rather than slowly-deduct, or "depreciate") equipment purchases up to $250,000.

This will be cut all the way down to $25,000. Larger businesses can currently expense half of their purchases of equipment.

In January of 2011, all of it will have to be "depreciated."

Taxes will be raised on all types of businesses.

There are literally scores of tax hikes on business that will take place. The biggest is the loss of the "research and experimentation tax credit," but there are many, many others. Combining high marginal tax rates with the loss of this tax relief will cost jobs.

Tax Benefits for Education and Teaching Reduced.

The deduction for tuition and fees will not be available.

Tax credits for education will be limited.

Teachers will no longer be able to deduct classroom expenses.

Coverdell Education Savings Accounts will be cut.

Employer-provided educational assistance is curtailed.

The student loan interest deduction will be disallowed for hundreds of thousands of families.

Charitable Contributions from IRAs no longer allowed.

Under current law, a retired person with an IRA can contribute up to $100,000 per year directly to a charity from their IRA.

This contribution also counts toward an annual "required minimum distribution." This ability will no longer be there.

PDF Version Read more: ; http://www.atr.org/six-months-untilbr-largest-tax-hikes-a5171#%23ixzz0sY8waPq1

And worse yet?
Now, your insurance will be INCOME on your W2's!

One of the surprises we'll find come next year, is what follows - - a little "surprise" that 99% of us had no idea was included in the "new and improved" healthcare legislation . . . the dupes, er, dopes, who backed this administration will beastonished!

Starting in 2011, (next year folks), your W-2 tax form sent by your employer will be increased to show the value of whatever health insurance you are given by the company. It does not matter if that's a private concern or governmental body ofsome sort.

If you're retired? So what... your gross will go up by the amount of insurance you get.

You will be required to pay taxes on a large sum of money that you have never seen. Take your tax form you just finished and see what $15,000 or $20,000 additional gross does to your tax debt. That's what you'll pay next year.

For many, it also puts you into a new higher bracket so it's even worse.

This is how the government is going to buy insurance for the 15% that don't have insurance and it's only part of the tax increases.

Not believing this??? Here is a research of the summaries.....

On page 25 of 29: TITLE IX REVENUE PROVISIONS- SUBTITLE A: REVENUE OFFSET PROVISIONS-(sec. 9001,
as modified by sec. 10901) Sec.9002 "requires employers to include in the W-2 form of each employee the aggregate cost of applicable employer sponsored group health coverage that is excludable from the employees gross income."
- Joan Pryde is the senior tax editor for the Kiplinger letters.
- Go to Kiplingers and read about 13 tax changes that could affect you. Number 3 is what is above.
MY ADDED COMMENT!
LAST but far from least – effective January 1, 2013 – sell a property – PAY A FEDERAL TAX of 3.8% on gross sales price. Doesn’t matter if you make a profit on sale – it is on GROSS not net.
Worse part of this from my perspective is as a new tax it is an “opportunity” that the government can continue to exploit. No guarantee that the 3.8% won’t be increased in later years – remember social security was never suppose to exceed 1%. And of course there is the second shoe – since the Federal government is applying this tax, why not the State government too? As a potential source of large bucks – it may be too attractive for States to resist.

Aunt for a week....

2010-09-05T09:26:00.005-04:00

I had the best time having Emily and Connor with us for the last week! It felt so good to be an aunt again! When your family is all spread out, you don't get as many opportunities to be an aunt in person. It was such a blessing, in so many ways!

Emily and I have so much in common, not only in interests, but also in ideologies. We both love to quilt and cook, and now Emily is hooked on basket weaving. We wove a small muffin basket and she was such a natural at it, I barely had to give her instructions. I was able to weave right alongside her, which just made it so FUN!

We did several small touristy things like the aquarium, the zoo and even some antique shopping. Thankfully, Emily was content to just hang out and visit and eat good food. The menu changed daily, and then we would eat the leftovers.... Smoked chicken, homemade rolls, sourdough bread, spaghetti, ....and lots of salads! It was so nice to have a coffee buddy and to have a little boy in the house again!

It was nice to chat about our lives, and it was especially nice that she remembered so many special things about my mom. There have been many years between our last visit, but the years melted away and we felt like family right from the beginning. I also loved hearing about how my sister, her mom, is doing in Idaho and all the things in between. I even told Keith that this was the one of the first times I remember being with someone for more than 3 days a not looking at the calendar wondering when they were leaving. It went too fast!

Connor was adorable and smart and he kept us laughing! His vocabulary is so vast, I don't know if we could write down all the words he can say. He quickly learned the boys' names, which often takes many people months to know who-is-who. It was just so fun being with him and reading books and jumping on the trampoline and watching the chickens, cats and dogs. I loved watching Emily be such an attentive and loving mother. She really is a smart cookie and parenting comes natural to her.

We ended our visit in Atlanta at the Mellow Mushroom pizzeria, where Dan met us. I hope the next few weeks go well for them as Dan continues his training as a federal agent. I am hoping they have to come back again and again!!!

God is so good in His providence, His abundance and His unexpected blessings. I feel like He gave us this special visit as good medicine for the soul. Emily, you have a special place in my heart and I look forward to seeing you ALL again!

Baby Rant

2010-08-22T20:21:00.002-04:00

I just have to have this little rant. You don't have to read it if you don't want to, but I may explode if I don't write it down and let it out. Here goes: I wish Hollywood and advertisers would STOP making tv shows, movies and commercials that make men look so STUPID! I am so sick of it, I could scream. Actually, in my mind, I am screaming right now.

When tv was first invented all of the men were portrayed as strong, protective and hard working. They were the rock of the family. Beaver Cleaver's dad, Father Knows Best, Mr. Walton, Pa Ingalls, even Howard from Happy Days was a MANLY MAN! The children respected dad, and the wife adored him. I realize that is a fantasy, but must we go in the opposite direction and make men look so dumb? It is especially true in commercials. Obviously, it is because they are pandering to the female shopper, but it is very insulting, especially if you have a wonderful, smart, MANLY husband. One commercial that comes to mind at this time, is the yogurt commercial with Jamie Lee Curtis. There are lots of them, but I am drawing a blank. You know which ones they are. Don't they just chap you?

Ok, I can exhale now. I feel much better.

And for the record, my husband can fix anything, build anything and figure out just about anything. But he also helps me with many things that most men wouldn't. He assisted me in making window treatments for 16 windows at his office. 16! It was a ton of work and he worked right along side me ironing and cutting. Therefore, I am by no means saying men can only do mechanical, greasy things. Actually, it's not even about what a man can do, but what he is. And most men I know are not DUMB!

Divorce Agreement

2010-08-06T19:55:00.000-04:00

DIVORCE AGREEMENT

THIS IS SO INCREDIBLY WELL PUT AND I CAN HARDLY BELIEVE IT'S BY A YOUNG PERSON, A STUDENT!!! WHATEVER HE RUNS FOR, I'LL VOTE FOR HIM.

Dear American liberals, leftists, social progressives, socialists, Marxists and Obama supporters, et al:

We have stuck together since the late 1950's for the sake of the kids, but the whole of this latest election process has made me realize that I want a divorce. I know we tolerated each other for many years for the sake of future generations, but sadly, this relationship has clearly run its course.

Our two ideological sides of America cannot and will not ever agree on what is right for us all, so let's just end it on friendly terms. We can smile and chalk it up to irreconcilable differences and go our own way.

Here is a model separation agreement:

--Our two groups can equitably divide up the country by landmass each taking a similar portion. That will be the difficult part, but I am sure our two sides can come to a friendly agreement. After that, it should be relatively easy! Our respective representatives can effortlessly divide other assets since both sides have such distinct and disparate tastes.

--We don't like redistributive taxes so you can keep them.

--You are welcome to the liberal judges and the ACLU.

--Since you hate guns and war, we'll take our firearms, the cops, the NRA and the military.

--We'll take the nasty, smelly oil industry and you can go with wind, solar and biodiesel.

--You can keep Oprah, Michael Moore and Rosie O'Donnell. You are, however, responsible for finding a bio-diesel vehicle big enough to move all three of them.

--We'll keep capitalism, greedy corporations, pharmaceutical companies, Walmart and Wall Street.

--You can have your beloved lifelong welfare dwellers, food stamps, homeless, homeboys, hippies, druggies and illegal aliens.

--We'll keep the hot Alaskan hockey moms, greedy CEO's and rednecks.

--We'll keep the Bibles and give you NBC and Hollywood .

--You can make nice with Iran and Palestine and we'll retain the right to invade and hammer places that threaten us.

--You can have the peaceniks and war protesters. When our allies or our way of life are under assault, we'll help provide them security.

--We'll keep our Judeo-Christian values.

--You are welcome to Islam, Scientology, Humanism, political correctness and Shirley McClain. You can also have the U.N. but we will no longer be paying the bill.

--We'll keep the SUV's, pickup trucks and oversized luxury cars. You can take every Subaru station wagon you can find.

--You can give everyone healthcare if you can find any practicing doctors.

--We'll continue to believe healthcare is a luxury and not a right.

--We'll keep "The Battle Hymn of the Republic" and "The National Anthem."

--I'm sure you'll be happy to substitute "Imagine", "I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing", "Kum Ba Ya" or "We Are the World".

--We'll practice trickle down economics and you can continue to give trickle up poverty your best shot.

--Since it often so offends you, we'll keep our history, our name and our flag.

Would you agree to this? If so, please pass it along to other like-minded liberal and conservative patriots and if you do not agree, just hit delete. In the spirit of friendly parting, I'll let you answer which one of us will need whose help in 15 years.

Sincerely,
John J. Wall
Law Student and an American

P.S. Also, please take Ted Turner, Sean Penn, Martin Sheen, Barbara Streisand, & Jane Fonda with you.

P.S.S. And you won't have to press 1 for English when you call our country.

Forward This Every Time You Get It ! Let's Keep This Going, Maybe Some Of It Will Start Sinking In.

Back to School

2010-07-26T12:36:00.002-04:00

This is our last week of summer. It has been the hottest summer since moving here - I am so ready for it to be over. We attended our annual home school convention over the weekend, and I am armed with new materials and ready for another school year. It is hard to believe we have been educating at home for over 11 years. The time has flown by like a blink, just like so many wise moms warned me it would. It hasn't been an easy journey; often it has been quite challenging, but I wouldn't trade one second of it. The kids have thrived, despite it all, and in the end, what matters most is their walk with the Lord. Really. That is all that matters. The words of men will fade, but the Word of God lives on forever.

I rarely get asked the usual questions anymore about homeschooling. You know the questions, like, "what about socialization?", and "how will you be able to teach them through high school?". People can clearly see that our sons are well educated, not just in knowledge, but in character. The fruit we have harvested thus far from these guys would make any parent proud. They are honest, hard working, caring, giving and obedient. They are patriotic and well versed in our God given rights to pursue happiness.

We pray in our school and recite from the Bible throughout the day. We read living books about real heroes and missionaries and people who have made a difference in this world. People who have sacrificed, so they could give of themselves. They get to choose what we study, and there is no greater joy than learning something we are all interested in, together as a family.

They have all told me how they would like to find a wife who will home school their own children, and to me, that says it all. God bless all of my home school friends as we embark on another year of learning and growing at home.

Happy Birthday, Keith!

2010-07-22T09:28:00.002-04:00

Yesterday we celebrated Keith's 49th birthday. Twenty years ago, that sounded so old, not it just seems normal. Funny how that happens.... Anyway, we decided it was best to just cook a special meal instead of spend way too much money eating out. I think the marinated fillet mignon, then cooked on the grill, along with oven fries made with potatoes grown in our garden, salad and a made from scratch milk-chocolate cake was quite enjoyable. We tried to give him a kingly birthday by giving him peace and I even let him win Dr. Mario a couple times.....

Happy birthday, Keith! Next year it's the big one!!!

I love old friends!

2010-07-22T09:14:00.004-04:00

And when I say old, I don't mean old in age, but in length of years we have been friends! Cindy and I met when Chris was a few months old, and our friendship blossomed immediately. We were pregnant a couple of times together and I can remember many a times when we would sit and nurse our babies together. Such sweet memories!! We were always at the children's birthday parties and many play dates, park dates, etc. Often we would just cook lunch together and hang out, always having time to discuss our walk with the Lord and what He had been doing in our lives at the time. This week was just like old times, and I am so thankful for the brief, but very gratifying visit!

Hannah was born 2 weeks before Michael. She didn't talk much the other day, but thought some of my one-liners were funny. Ben was in Atlanta playing baseball with The Perfect Game, while Josh stayed in LA since he is apprenticing as an electrician! David and JohnPaul seemed to enjoy shooting pool and playing guitar hero with Michael and James.

I am ever thankful for old friends and hope to see them again soon! God Bless you, Cindy and your family. You are such a treasure to me!

How cute!

2010-07-22T09:08:00.003-04:00

I just had to post this picture of the two sleeping-beauties! This is just too cute!

When in Rome....

2010-07-16T14:34:00.003-04:00

...do as the Romans do. And when the Lord blesses you with sons, you play lots of boy games! Over the years, I have gotten on the floor and played hot wheels, built legos, forts, had sword fights and all the other activities that boys like. Boys are tons of fun and I love getting engaged with them. One of their favorite hobbies is to airsoft gun fight. I host LOTS of boys over here and they shoot the guns in our woods. We probably have 10-15 guys here at a time and I always feed them well. They are all such high-standard, Godly young men. I had them over the other day and I couldn't resist joining in a couple rounds with them. Can I just tell you that I had a blast!!

Frodo

2010-07-16T14:27:00.002-04:00

Saturday morning, Keith saw what he thought was a possum on our front porch. It couldn't be a possum since it was day, so we went to the door to find this horribly dirty and snarly haired dog. It was well over 90 degrees and my heart went out to him. Keith gave him a good bath and we gave him some food/water. It didn't take long to realize he was smart and, well, he was also cute all cleaned up.... I figured if Andrew wanted him and would take good care of him, we would give him a chance. The vet says he is about 12-14 weeks old. He is almost house trained already and seems to learn very quickly.

Week in Review

2010-07-16T14:07:00.002-04:00

A week in the life of the Brauds, from the moment the three oldest guys went on encampment with the Civil Air Patrol. First of all the quiet that ensued the minute they left was unusually soothing. I bathed in the quiet and prayed for their safety, then commenced to spend that quantity and quality time with James. We had watched fireworks the night before, so we were dragging some, but as soon as we ate lunch, we headed to Toy Story 3! We didn't see it in 3D since Keith and I get headaches from 3D, but the normal version was quite good. None of the Toy Story movies will ever trump the original, as is with more original movies, but 3 was very clever. It also made me so happy none of my kids had to experience the daycare environment that 3 seemed to depict quite astutely.

Monday my store was open, so James was left to himself. Poor thing played video games all day with no one to bump him off. It was almost abusive of us to do such a thing to him. Tuesday we snagged a GI Joe @ 20% off at a local store and then picked up one of his close friends for a play date. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to their conversations and watching them hop from one activity to the next.

Wednesday the movies has $1 movies, so How To Train Your Dragon was quite enjoyable and quite affordable. We hated to do it, but Bruster's ice cream just happened to be on the way home, so I forced James to eat some ice cream. He resisted, as you could about imagine. At this point, I am feeling more like the gramma with only one child and saying "yes" to so many things. You just can't say yes when you have 4 of them. Four movie tickets, four ice creams and you are broke.

Thursday we had a yard and house clean-up day. Not that fun, but needed. Keith was off so we bought a new Wii game. He and I played way more hours than I would care to reveal..... But it was fun and peaceful and we were together!

Friday we took a day trip to Rome, GA. Very cute and clean city. We ate at a yummy restaurant, and even had catfish fried the way they do in Louisiana. For a moment, we felt like we were in New Orleans at a cafe. The temps outside even made it seem all the more real. The shopping was fun and the eye candy delightful. We can't wait to drive back in the fall when the scenery will be breathtaking.

Of course we all woke up Saturday eager to get our guys back and hear all about encampment. Although the week of peace was very therapeutic, I was really missing my guys and am happy to have them back!

My new prayer room!

2010-06-28T11:51:00.003-04:00

I am so excited about the new prayer room! As you could about imagine, there aren't too many places for me to go and have a quiet moment. Until now! We moved some furniture around and swapped out the leather couch from the gameroom since the King didn't like it. I still need a lamp and some accessories, but I am well on my way to getting the quiet moments that my soul needs!

We just finished a very intense, 5 month long, Bible study last night with our dear friends. MUCH was gleaned from it and I want to continue digging deeply into the material we learned. I also want to put my focus this summer into praying for our upcoming school year and my guys whom are all at very critical ages. I am also planning to streamline my focus on strengthening my walk with the Lord and some areas where I often struggle. I am so on fire to now have a place to really spend time with God!!!

Louisiana trip cancelled...

2010-06-07T07:59:00.002-04:00

We were planning on attending Maw Maw's 90th birthday party in Louisiana this coming weekend, but unfortunately, Keith's job situation has forced us to cancel. Two of his guys are out on medicals, and he is SWAMPED. He also has some construction at his site that he needs to oversee. The timing was just not in the cards for us. It would have been a quicky visit anyway, which is why we didn't tell too many people we were coming. We probably wouldn't have been able to visit too many of our friends. We hate to even mention it, but we think we may plan a Thanksgiving trip. Hopefully the planets will line up and we can head down south. I'll keep you posted!

Tim Hawkins!

2010-05-16T09:03:00.005-04:00

What a blast! Last night, we enjoyed front row seats to see our ALL-TIME favorite comedian, Tim Hawkins! It was better than we had expected and Tim is a really super guy! He took the time to sign autographs and even talked to us briefly. What a class act! On a side note, please be in prayer for his wife, I read that she is battling breast cancer.

If you live in a cave, like my sister, and have not seen him, you can catch some of his stuff on youtube. Good, clean hilarity - no profanity and often has a Gospel message in his jokes. I think you will agree that he has a God given talent! Check his website to see if he will be coming near you - tickets were only $10 each!!!

The Big Ten

2010-05-16T08:56:00.002-04:00

Well, we no longer have anyone in the house with a single digit age - James is now 10! We went off of tradition just a bit, and bought a cake from Bruster's. It was pretty good, but I think we will go back to homemade cakes.... We all had fun eating loads of cotton candy and pizza. Happy Birthday, James!!

Flour Tortillas

2010-04-29T09:32:00.002-04:00

3-4 cups flour (I use freshly milled soft white wheat, but really prefer kamut)
1 tsp salt

Mix dry ingredients and stir in 1/3 c oil and 1 c warm water. Knead until smooth. Divide into 12-16 sections and roll into balls. Cover and let rest for 30 minutes. Roll out by hand or if you are like, totally blessed, put the ball into your really cool tortilla maker (Wish I had one!). If you roll them out on your own, just throw them onto your hot skillet and flip when it puffs up. Only flip once. I hope I come to your mind as you enjoy!

Reflections and dedications...

2010-04-27T13:48:00.004-04:00

Today, I dedicate our entire supper meal to friends, past and present. Those whom we have supped with, and those who shared recipes with me. I feel so blessed to have shared many meals with you, many recipes swapped and many fond memories. You are part of the fabric of our family's menu, and I dedicate this meal to YOU!

Tonight, we will be eating Michelle C.'s honey-lime-garlic chicken breasts, wrapped in my homemade tortillas. This is one of our favorite chicken meals, and every time we eat it, Michelle gets lots of warm thought and prayers sent across state lines.

Eddie P.'s FABULOUS refried beans will be a side dish. He made these for us virtually every week for over 3 years running. You have no idea how much I miss his laugh!!! Being that he is from Arizona, I feel like his beans are pretty authentic! Yum, yum, Eddie! You will be in our farts, I mean hearts, today and for hours to follow.....

My friend Lisa P. once shared her gramma's Spanish Rice recipe, and it is SO GOOD!!! It is very easy to make and comes out perfect every time. My kids always gobble it up, and if they get sick of it by day three, the chickens love it, also! Ole' to you, Lisa!

And for dessert, Mindy's Chocolate Zucchini cupcakes are HONKIN' good!!! My kids absolutely have to have these any time we have zucchini on hand. They are even made with freshly milled flour and come out just as delicate as any cake would. Mindy, I miss you and think of you often! I see a bean salad on my horizon, and I will think of you again!

Thankfully, I also have many other recipes that I associate with my dear friends. I'm sorry I didn't mention you by name, but surely you must know that I think of you often, even if I am not cooking one of your recipes. I am just in a reflective mood, and wanted my peeps to know I was thinking of them.

It's an abundant life, in more ways than one!

Dog Training 101

2010-04-20T08:08:00.002-04:00

It has been 3 weeks now since we adopted Levi. When we first brought him home, he thought he was the alpha dog, and at 96 pounds, it was hard to convince him otherwise. I am no dog expert, but I at least know the basics, and if you want a well trained dog, the first thing that has to happen is establish yourself as the alpha dog. At first, he will be very resistant, and your arms will get very tired of pulling him and pushing him. ALWAYS go first through the doors, always walk first up the stairs, etc. Basic stuff. Fast forward three weeks, and something finally clicked in Levi's little doggie mind - he is no longer the alpha. He now waits at the door for me to walk through first and is now walking well on the leash, with no pulling. Praise God for that one, because it was killing my arms to keep him at my side.

Another problem an alpha dog may exhibit is their desire to run off. Up until yesterday, Levi would try to run down the road and never look back. You could scream his name and whistle and all the typical calls you make to get your dog's attention. He acted as if he was deaf. Yesterday, every time he would try to walk out of the yard, I would call and he actually stopped dead in his tracks and came back. I am elated with this progress!!! Every time he would return to me, I would praise him lots. I think he felt a little deflated, because he really wanted to explore, but in time, he will be much happier and more secure.

We still have a way to go, but I am just thrilled with the progress we have made in 3 weeks. Who ever owned him never took the time to teach him any commands or even simple words. I have my work cut out for me, but at least he is starting to show that he is making the connections. I have no doubt he will know many words over the next few months.

Correction....

2010-04-07T18:55:00.002-04:00

Well, we took Liberty (Libby) to the vet, and come to find out he is a male. He is just so fat (96 pounds) that his parts were hidden.... So, now he is called Levi, after our favorite dog on our favorite tv show, "Sue Thomas: FB-Eye". It is a really good show, based on a true story. Sue THomas is deaf and reads lips for the FBI. She has a hearing dog, Levi. It airs reruns on the Gospel Music Channel, and possible another channel. It is a very clean show with great characters, you really need to give it a try.

Levi seems to be fine with his new name. We are so relieved he is heartworm negative. That seems to be a real issue for animals around here. I hope you can come by and meet him!

Liberty!

2010-04-05T12:11:00.002-04:00

We just got a new dog from the shelter and her name is Liberty! We plan to call her Libby for short. She is HUGE! I am hoping both Libby and I will lose some pounds this spring going on many long walks. She is so smart and already knows her name! We are excited about our new family member!

Food for Thought

2010-04-01T09:22:00.002-04:00

WARNING: Put on your steel toed boots, as I may be stepping on some toes. It's not intentional by any means, I just want to enlighten you a bit. Not being judgmental at all, really. And I know how sensitive some of you are, and may take this personally, but please don't.

First of all, I notice a lot of my friends become fans of many things on the internet. I, myself, am also a fan of a few things, but I am very selective about where I cast my endorsement. I don't have a problem with people becoming fans of everything under the sun, whatever makes you happy, go for it. But can't you at least be discretionary about people who have so-called "food" blogs? Like what is so fan worthy of a blogger who uses canned biscuits, canned soups and box mixes in almost all of their recipes? Whoopy-ding-dong, anyone can open a can of biscuits.

Have we really sank so low as cooks that anyone who can toss some canned biscuits with some cinnamon and sugar is now a gourmet? I know, I know, who has time to make biscuits from scratch? And those canned soups (although laden with sodium & MSG) are just so easy and consistent...... Well, I also wrestle with time constraints (run a small business, work part-time, homeschool 4 boys, etc.) and I manage to make everything from scratch, freshly milled flour and all that. I have four sons who are perfectly capable of helping me in the kitchen, but they would rather have dental work done than do that. Thus, I am virtually alone every day, making HEALTHY and wholesome meals with REAL food. It merely involves planning and fortitude.

I suppose, if I had some extra time, I could create a food blog. But really, I give out enough recipes and tricks-of-the-trade secrets to my friends all the time. I choose to make the food for my family and friends, instead of blog about it for admiration from strangers. And one more thing, when doing a recipe blog, do we really need pictures of every single ingredient? It just totally makes it look like you are talking down to your viewers, as if they can't read an ingredient list and know what it looks like... egads. Ok, I feel better now and I hope none of you are offended, but are enlightened, if only a little bit.

Mumble, ramble, mumble

2010-03-17T07:20:00.002-04:00

I feel like the combination of winter and having now three teenagers in the house, I have had zero time to blog. Not to mention, I really don't have anything to blog about, either. But, I am here now, so let the rambling begin!

First of all, Michael turned 13 last week, which means I officially have 3 teens in the house. It does present its challenges, for sure, but for the most part, my guys are awesome! We have good friends with similar values and that makes for a smooth sailing time in our lives. Many of the problems people have with teens simply are not an issue with us. They are insulated and nurtured in the ways of the Lord, not the ways of the world. In our school, we don't have to worry about drugs or guns or immodestly dressed girls to steal their innocence. We have plenty of fun, though, and the guys are thankful they don't have to deal with the pressures of institutionalized education. They are not ashamed to pray and read their Bible in our school. They can excel at their own pace, not like some homogeneous herd of cattle. It is an excellent life for us, and for that I praise God!

I am now the second shortest person in the house. Andrew went from 5'3" this summer to now a towering 6'! Michael has begun his spurt earlier than Chris and Andrew did and was 5'7"last month.... not sure what it is now! Chris seems to be stagnated (for the moment) at 5'8". Can you even imagine how much food they are eating??? Quadrupled recipes are the norm for us.

Four out of five of the guys are shaving. Two of them really wait too long between shaves, and the charcoal smudged lip gets on my nerves. They just can't seem to make it a part of their personal hygiene habit yet!

We have been studying missionaries around the world in school and it has been very stimulating. Each week, we visit a different country and read about a missionary who served there. I think we can never give enough credit to the people who have risked their lives in the name of the Lord!

The guys are still very involved with Civil Air Patrol and have plans to go up in a glider plane sometime this month. I hear they get to actually fly it! How's that for exciting??!! Andrew will be promoting to Master Sergeant next week!

I have been working part-time again this year doing taxes. It seems to be a whole lot easier this year than last year, and I have been enjoying it. The corporations are done and now I am just working on individual returns. Honestly, I prefer doing the corporations over the individuals, but it's not that bad. My boss is a Christian and it makes ALL THE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD! For the first time in my working life, I can respect my boss because he is of good moral character! What an immeasurable blessing!

Daffodils are blooming, the days are getting longer, and the eggs are in abundance. Spring is nearing and winter is waning. It's a good life!

Cast Iron......

2010-03-17T06:59:00.003-04:00

I grew up in home where my mom cooked with two or three cast iron pans, and made it look so easy. She also used to say cooking with cast iron will give you your daily serving of iron. Obviously, I cook our jambalaya in a huge cast iron pot, but other that that, I never really could get the hang of it. Everything sticks to them and they are a pain to keep seasoned. Until now. Thanks to my friend, Sam, for encouraging me to give the cast iron another try. It does take some getting used to, but once you realize cast iron just needs a little patience, you can master cooking with it, too.

First of all, you have to use a lower fire setting. Iron is slow to heat up, but it retains the heat longer. You will find it cooks more evenly, also. My pancakes have been so beautiful using the cast iron, my kids have been giving me many compliments! And they seem to be fluffier - even using whole wheat flour! You will need to be sure they are seasoned well, and yes, they do require you to use more butter or oil than you may be used to, but think about the fact that you can toss out your toxic teflon and never have to buy another skillet again. You can find some on E-bay that are from the 1800's that are good as new, probably better!

Another thing I like about cast iron is, they are made right down the road from us, in South Pittsburg, TN. You gotta love supporting the local manufacturers! Lodge has been making cast iron for decades, and they are so affordable! You can easily buy several pieces and not go broke!

I don't have any of Lodge's enamel covered cast iron, but I do have some Le Creuset pots that I love. They are $$$, but I think Lodge's enamel is a whole lot more affordable. If I could go back in time, I would have gotten the Lodge and would have saved quite a bit of money.

Next time you need a new skillet, consider giving the age-old cast iron a try. The learning curve is short but so rewarding! It feels great to know I will not have to buy a non-stick skillet every six months!

In like a lion...

2010-03-02T10:33:00.002-05:00

You know that saying about March, "in like a lion, out like a lamb". I wonder if it will be true this year, the year of massive snow, even in the south. I have lost count, but I think this is the seventh time it has snowed this winter. The boys and I have really enjoyed it, with today being no different. We made several snowmen and then came in for hot chocolate! And the weathermen have gotten it wrong EVERY single time this year. We were expecting half an inch today and then turning to rain. Well, now that three inches+ are on the ground, they have changed their minds to 2-4 inches and have taken away the rain.... go figure.

It sure is beautiful, and I am thankful to get to enjoy it. Tomorrow it will be gone.

The Joy of Joy

2010-02-07T15:24:00.004-05:00

To those of you who don't know Joy, well, you are missing out. She is the epitome of her name. Seriously, you could just put her picture in the dictionary for the word joy, and it couldn't be more accurate! Although it had been over 3 years since I saw her last, it seemed like yesterday. We had such a lovely time chatting and working in the kitchen and climbing down the cold, snowy steps on our way to an ominous waterfall. And then huffing and puffing all the way back up. It was exhilarating and joyous and memorable. We ate lots of healthy, yummy foods and marveled together at how much our children have grown and changed. We swapped lots of stories about what God is doing in our lives and I simply didn't want it to end. I am so thankful they made the journey and that they brought Abby, my old dog, whom they adopted when we were in our whirlwind of moving to Georgia.

Lucy and Daisy were not too thrilled about Abby's presence. They hid on top of the kitchen cupboards. For almost three days. Abby still had the exact same personality that we all love. She was a little fatter and a little whiter, but her heart was the same!

Joy says they can't wait to come back, and I hope for that also! There were many things we were unable to do, and places yet to see. I will hold onto that hope of what is to come and in the meantime, I have a treasure chest full of memories from this weekend.

God Bless you, Joy, and your precious family! I will see you soon!

Dear Mom,

2010-01-05T10:20:00.005-05:00

I just wanted you to know how much I miss you. Twenty years ago today, I got that dreadful call, telling me that you died unexpectedly. I had just talked to you that morning, I simply did not want to believe it. My life has never been the same since that day, and I think about you every day. So many things remind me of you, and for that I am thankful.

I miss how you were always singing, humming and even dancing. I miss your devilish smile, the way you would raise your eyebrows when you were thinking something, but chose not to say it. You were the life of the party, and none of our parties have ever been the same without you.

I miss how you would tip-toe into my room on cold winter mornings, and tell me I could sleep in. We would watch Julia Child, The Galloping Gourmet and then bake cookies. You would keep an eye out for the milkman so you could get him to give us some ice cream off his truck. I loved how you would let me cut up magazines and glue pictures onto a box for a cool collage. You could turn nothing into something, and make washing the windows fun.

I miss your fabulous cooking, but I am so thankful you always let me help you in the kitchen. You never complained about the mess I made, it just didn't bother you. I learned so much because if I was in the kitchen with you, you were telling me all about the techniques, with proper French terms, and all your secrets. All those cooking secrets! You would be thrilled to know how good of a cook I have become, all because of you. Every time I cook, Mom, you are with me.

I miss how you were my biggest cheerleader. You were always so positive, but also honest, and made me feel good about myself. You gave me confidence when I lacked it, and helped me to realize I could always do more.

I miss how you were always giving. I have never met anyone else in this world that gave like you did. Your generosity was sometimes overwhelming, but now that I am older, I admire it more than ever. I used to tell people not to say they liked your blouse, because I feared that you would take it off and give it to them. Thank you for teaching me to go against my selfish nature and be giving.

I could easily go on and on about the thousand things I miss about you, but I know you are too humble for me to keep bragging about you. The hardest and most painful things I miss, are the things I never got to experience with you. You never met my husband and you were not there for my pregnancies, births or babies. You had 12 pregnancies, so I am sure you and I could have talked for hours. I think I suffer the most pain from the things that never got to be. You would love our little house in the woods with the screen porch. You would love that I had my own little store and how I make quilts. You would absolutely love these precious boys God gave us. They are such good boys, and they have such sweet spirits and how some of their traits are like mine when I was little. You have no idea how much it hurts me that they never knew you.

Mom, you were the best mother I could have ever asked for. You were my best friend. I miss you every day, with all of my heart.

Christmas Highlights 2009

2009-12-26T22:07:00.006-05:00

I already have every stitch of Christmas packed up and in the attic. I love Christmas, but once it is over, I am ready for it ALL to be over. We have had a nice season of visiting Christmas concerts, programs, watching movies, baking cookies and of course unwrapping presents. We kept it simple and we even stayed on budget!

Here are a few highlights:

Don't you see the victory on his face? A WAY cool Lego set!

This was the year of the knife and the gun.... andWarHammer...... Keith finally got the GPS he has been wanting and I got a luxurious wool scarf and glove set. I think everyone was please and I am just thrilled we are all healthy and blessed with a job that pays the bills. I hope you are feeling blessed this holiday season, and the new year to follow!

Who knew?

2009-12-26T21:47:00.008-05:00

The ultimate snuggler!

So, Michael finds this precious lost kitten under our barn, and plops her on the island. Oh, no! We are not adopting another cat. The last several adoptions we have made have been complete failures. Cats these days are just lousy. There are none that can hold a candle to our beloved Chloe, who blessed our lives for nearly 17 years. She made the car trip to Louisiana, survived the addition of four boys and then came with us to Georgia, where she received loving, elder care from all of us. Every single stinkin' cat we've tried to add to our family since then, has been a total loser. Two of them received hundreds of dollars of vet care and then left in the middle of the night. One of them has been banished to permanent outdoor life because she was pooping in the beds and wailing all night long, while pacing the hall outside our bedroom door. No, thank you!

One was given to us, and he thought it was a good idea to pee in our bed at 2am. I literally tossed him out the front door. Within a couple weeks, he was taken to the shelter for attempted murder on Mittens. Good-bye, Sammy. (I did get a call from the shelter saying he got adopted.) Then came Lucy, who is not too bad, but does not like you to pick her up. Her evil growl is very intimidating.....

Anyway, so our luck with cats has been terrible and I have sworn I would not get any more cats unless they were Chloe clones.

You would have kept her, too!

Until 2 weeks ago, when that cute little puff of orange was placed in our life. Daisy is a wonderful cat! She is loving, playful and SO CUTE! Even Lucy the grouch likes her. I would have never guessed Lucy would take to another cat, but it is obvious that she loves Daisy! I always thought older cats had a secret pact to never accept another cat into the family, but I was WRONG! Who knew?

Lucy & Daisy

Finished!

2009-12-07T20:21:00.003-05:00

I just finished my first applique' quilt! It probably has about 100 hours into it and about 100 cuss words were used in the process.... I have decided that applique' quilts are for old ladies who have no children in the home. And they are for people who like to sit and sit and sit. I am neither an old lady nor do I like to sit. But, it is done and I can now stop cursing my friend Sam's name for forcing me at knife point to take the class with her.

The cute snowman is a design I stole from my FABULOUS sister, Becky, who made me a snowman quilt eight years ago. She REALLY can applique', just like an old lady, maybe better.

It was a twelve month adventure, and just in the last two months did I realize which technique I liked best. All those veterans were right - you will get better at it as you do it. I still prefer machine pieced quilts, but when I am old and like to sit, I may give applique' another try.

Let there be snow!

2009-12-05T10:15:00.002-05:00

I LOVE snow! Love it, love it, love it! Being in the south, we rarely get snow, so when we do get some snow, we enjoy it to death cause it will be gone within a few hours. Here are some snow pictures to enjoy!

I want to be a One Minute Friend

2009-11-17T07:03:00.002-05:00

How long do you have to be a friend to someone before you share the Gospel with them? One minute? One day? One week? One month? One year? I saw this on my favorite show the other night (Wretched) and it really spoke to me. I want to be a one minute friend! But how? I think it is somewhat easier if you have a church home to invite them along with you, but we are without a church home right now. How do you share the gospel with strangers? Please give me some suggestions - I am ready to be a one minute friend.

Can I brag just a minute?

2009-11-16T08:18:00.002-05:00

I simply can not shout this loud enough how proud I am of my sons! They are such wonderful boys, but much more than that, they have a heart for God! Over the last 20 weeks (so sad it is over!) we have attended a class with some friends. It was on financial freedom, but not Dave Ramsey's approach, but a more spiritual approach. Anyway, it has been the best 20 weeks of spiritual devotion I have ever invested. I think you could find out about it at Institute in Basic Life Principles.

So, the leader is my boss (I work for him part-time doing accounting work) and he is very gentle, but with very high expectations. It's all good. We were given a challenging memory verse each week, for 20 weeks. He challenged us to meditate on the verses every day, and commit them to our heart. Then he challenged us to recite all 20 of them (KJV mind you) at the final night for a little competition.

Of course his daughter took first place - she learned them so easily! Such a SWEET girl!!! You would love her! Guess who took second? Yes, of course it was Chris. Third??? Any guesses? Of course it was Andrew! How about fourth? Who would take fourth? ME!!! The Braud hat trick! Gotta love that, and ALL for His GLORY!!!

I may go into a depression now that we are not meeting for the next 2 months....

Thanks for letting me brag a bit, which, if you know me, is something I rarely do.

T Tapp Review

2009-11-14T08:02:00.002-05:00

Have you heard of T Tapp? It is an exercise routine that quips that "less is more", and I am a believer! Stop over exercising, when all you really need are 15 minutes a day, 4 days a week. I have just completed 6 weeks of T Tapping and have lost 6.5 inches! But wait, that is not the only benefit you will get - you will get many more little perks, and some I may have forgotten to list.

Here Goes:
**Improved posture that will make you look slimmer and taller
**Stronger core and quads which will really help our aging bodies
**Improved digestive system, if you know what I mean
**Lymphatic flushing, which helps keep you from getting sick
**Inches lost without loose or sagging skin
**Better organ support which has really helped with female issues (bladder control!)
**Increased energy
**Blood sugar stabilization and potential type 2 diabetes prevention
**Increased bone and muscle mass without bulking up
**Stronger lower back (VERY IMPORTANT as we age!)

I have felt all of the above benefits, but I am certain I have forgotten some others. Go to www.ttapp.com for better information. In six weeks, I have lost over 6.5 inches. That may not sound like much, but when you have tried everything to no avail, I am a believer. I have the Basic Workout and Step Away the Inches. I love them both!

I am just a mom who has tried it all. This is the only program I have used that I know I will do for life. It is simple, but OH SO THOROUGH! I feel stronger than I did when I used to lift weights. With each routine, I feel better than the last.

If you want to try mine first, come on over! We can do some hoedowns together - they are very fun!

A Tale of Two Cows

2009-11-09T08:24:00.002-05:00

A person has two cows, and depending on what type of government he lives under, these are his options:

SOCIALISM: He must give one of his cows to his neighbor who has none.

COMMUNISM: The government takes them both and then gives him the amount of milk they think he needs.

FEUDALISM: You have two cows. Your lord takes some of the milk.

BUREAUCRATIC SOCIALISM: You have two cows. The government takes them and put them in a barn with everyone else's cows. They are cared for by ex-chicken farmers. You have to take care of the chickens the government took from the chicken farmers. The government gives you as much milk and eggs as the regulations say you need.

FASCISM: You have two cows. The government takes both, hires you to take care of them and sells you the milk.

RUSSIAN COMMUNISM: You have two cows. You have to take care of them, but the government takes all the milk.

DICTATORSHIP: You have two cows. The government takes both and drafts you.

PURE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors decide who gets the milk.

REPRESENTATIVE DEMOCRACY: You have two cows. Your neighbors pick someone to tell you who gets the milk.

BUREAUCRACY: You have two cows. At first the government regulates what you can feed them and when you can milk them. Then it pays you not to milk them. Then it takes both, shoots one, milks the other and pours the milk down the drain. Then it requires you to fill out forms accounting for the missing cows.

PURE ANARCHY: You have two cows. Either you sell the milk at a fair price or your neighbors try to take the cows and kill you.

CAPITALISM: You have two cows. You sell one and buy a bull.

**portions of this should be credited to http://sabbah.biz/mt/archives/2007/01/07/politics-explained-with-two-cow-analogy/

nothing exciting, just an update

2009-11-07T16:07:00.002-05:00

It seems like we have been so busy lately, I haven't had time to blog. I think Facebook seems to take the place of the blog, I guess. This was supposed to be the weekend we went camping with our friends, but alas, they have swine flu. It looks like they like us enough to drive all the way up here next month. YIPPEE with lots and lots of exclamation points!!!!!

The boys have been having airsoft gun battles with their friends, attending birthday and Halloween parties, and just doing school. The weather has been beautiful the last week, especially since the rain has given us a break. Falls colors are still vibrant, but fading quickly as the leaves fall to the ground, almost looking like colored snow. You really have to get up here next fall and stay a while. Between the apple festivals and such, we could have a great time!

Chris now has his learners permit. These will be some scary and exciting times for us. He is doing pretty well in school and is not really ready to decide where he wants to go after school. I think the Air Force is a possibility, but the local colleges are a great option, too. He will be 16 next month!

Andrew is moving up the ranks in Civil Air Patrol - he is now a technical sergeant! He is still playing piano, but he won't play loud enough for us to hear him. I am hopeful he will overcome this soon, as I miss hearing him play.

Michael and James are best buddies and keep each other occupied. Sometimes they are having fun and sometimes they are annoying each other, you just never know what you will get each day.

The other day we went to town to help raise the American flags for Veteran's Day. Several hundred were raised and we played a small part of it. It felt very patriotic and I plan to make it something we do regularly, for each Holiday that they are raised. If you want your children to love their country, it involves action, not just preaching. Same goes with anything you want your children to take with them into their adulthood - you have to do it, not just say it.

We are unfortunately church shopping - again. I don't think I have ever been so frustrated in all of my life. For now, we are having church at home with Keith leading. The kids have said they are learning more from homechurch than they have from other church, but I am feeling the loss of fellowship that we once knew, but it seems will never happen again. I am sure it will happen again, but right now, I just feel like we are looking for a church that does not exist. Really, people, homeschoolers are no different from you, we just learn at home. We do not live in a cave, we do have lots of other homeschool friends and our blood is red. Really.

I was able to split 7 new bushes off of my black raspberry bushes! I am so thrilled so now I have nine bushes! Next year, I am certain I will be able to can some jam. I also have a plan to make another huge flower garden in the back. I have several plants I can transplant and then add some seeds for a bountiful butterfly and hummingbird garden. I have been collecting seeds all year so it won't cost me much at all and will have loads of color! The vision I have in my head is incredible, now if I can only make it happen......

I have been doing a new exercise routine and it has been so wonderful, I have to share it with you! It is called T-Tapp, and it is named after its creator, Theresa Tapp. I have had so many benefits from the last 6 weeks of doing it, I plan on making it a part of my life. I am being patient about having inches lost, but the other benefits I am having are enough to keep me tapping. Please check it out and give me a call if you want firsthand testimony of what it is doing for me!

Well, this was not the most exciting blog entry I have made, but at least it is something. Let me know if you get any of the T-Tapp videos and what kind of results you get.

Until the next exciting update....

Rejoice in the Lord!

2009-10-11T22:01:00.002-04:00

You have no idea how excited we are in the Braud home! Satan has been defeated with our firstborn becoming a Christian! Chris has always had a heart for God and is a very wonderful young man. We have been studying more deeply in the last few weeks and he made the commitment to give his life to Christ. There was not a dry eye in the place, at our dear friends' home who happen to have an indoor swimming pool. We were going to go to our favorite waterfall but the rain has been so horrible, I don't think we would have been able to climb the steep walk without injuries. Not to mention the water would have been frigid.

Actually, I think this was even better, because we got to share with our Bible study group and they were all moved by Keith and Chris's confession of faith. We have some songbirds in our group that sang a beautiful song they wrote. It was simply perfect!

"I have no greater joy than to know that my children walk in truth" 3 John 4.

I will post pictures later.

Fall is in the Air!

2009-09-09T22:52:00.002-04:00

The mornings are cool enough to leave the kitchen door open. You get to listen to Jacque Clousea crow 900 times. Did I tell you another one of our French birds is also a stinkin' rooster? DRAT! He may have to go if the bloodbath starts, but so far, they are sharing the 35 ladies with poise. I guess we need another French name for him - any suggestions? Pierre? Jean Claude?

We went to a beautiful lake last weekend. It is full of little inlets and you can picnic right there, almost in the lake. The boys swam, we grilled, played games and the water people gave us plenty to see (jet skis, boats, knee boarding, etc.). Quite a nice day indeed!

We are back to school (as if we ever stopped schooling?) and we are really enjoying our time together. World geography, ecosystems, missionaries and deep discussions fill our mornings. They are really soaking it up and eager to know more about things each day. I have really enjoyed playing the geography game with them, learning all those little countries in North America that we often forget exist.

A friendly game of poker the other day was all the more fun when we used chocolate chips and combos as our chips. Chris had quite the pile of goodies on his plate! I finally gave in and ate my "chips".... We are upping the stakes next time with peanut M & M's and skittles.....

Chris is becoming quite the artist with his creative color schemes on his Warhammer army. I am impressed with his attention to details and the amount of hours he has spent. He and Andrew are teaming up in a tournament this weekend - what fun!

Andrew is ever serious about his Civil Air Patrol career. He has recently promoted to Sergeant! He went on a weekend camping trip where they learned first aid, map reading and ground team skills. He is beginning to think about trying to get into the Air Force Academy! He would be an excellent cadet - I have no doubt about that!

Michael is the kind of big brother every little boy dreams of having. He treats James with such love! They are always playing together and snuggling to watch a movie. Michael also is so quick to make sure James is safe if we are out hiking or in a strange place. I couldn't be more thankful to God for him!

James is really excelling lately in his schooling. He wants to spell well and read more challenging stories. I am delighted with his perpetually sweet personality. Right now, he is learning how to draw animals with more detail. I think he has his dad's gift of drawing, just like Michael and Andrew! How lucky am I??

I have been befriending my sour dough mother, almost on a daily basis! I have made countless loaves, waffles, rolls, etc. I really love it and especially love that it is so much more healthy for your gut. I have noticed I am not bloated after eating the sour dough baked goods. I have been doing many sewing projects, including some Roman shades to match Chris's new quilt. It's really going to look good when it's all done. I repaired an old quilt I made my dad almost 20 years ago, and it is good as new! I have several other projects in the works and it gives me that business that I need.

Keith and I are doing a very intense study with some friends of ours on how to handle your finances God's way. It is one of the most challenging courses we have ever done. Each week is more provoking than the last one. We feel so blessed to have the fellowship with our like-minded friends! They are such sweet families and the kids are thriving with it as well. Of course we always share wonderfully good meals together! Gotta love that!

It looks like we are going to have an early fall, so if you are wanting to see some fall color, you may need to get over here in middle October! We always have room for you, so give me a call.

Domesticated, but not tame

2009-08-20T22:25:00.002-04:00

It's been a very nice summer, but during the summer, I often take a vacation from many of my domestic talents. Sewing, creating, cooking and such are put on hold until the flowers have stopped blooming and the air is cooler. The kids and I have had much fun with many fabulous friends to visit, hike and picnic with in great locations. We've had many great fellowships and potlucks, but it is time to get back into a more productive routine. The kids have really wanted a routine back, where the meals and the schedules are dependable.

Last year we made a feeble attempt at unschooling. It bombed, to say the least. I am sure it is because I didn't do it "right". The kids just want to learn together and discuss together. They want to have our daily talks with God and then walk into a country or an era or a science project together. They may not openly admit they love learning new things, but I am their mom and I know they do love it. They flourish when we are learning something new, sometimes it is even new for me. (nothing against unschooling, I think if it works for you, go for it. We wilted trying it)

We are studying countries, cultures and missionaries this year. So far, it has been very fun. Who knows, we could have a missionary in the making... They are studying Spanish, Algebra 2, biology and several fun computer games. We plan to have a relaxed schedule, always having time for a friend to stop in for a visit. Chris and Andrew will be responsible for 2 meals a week - this should be interesting. I hope they will be brave and try something new....

I have been freezing lots of goodies, making jam and have two quilt projects going. Today I made 5 dozen butternut squash muffins. They won't last long. Tomorrow I will make granola bars for Andrew, who is going camping for the weekend. He is excelling in Civil Air Patrol and is setting his sites on getting into the Air Force Academy. That would be so awesome!

We have friends coming in from LA next week and we couldn't be more excited. The kids are asking for homemade donuts and another trip to the waterfall. What can I say but yes?

Keith has been told there is a potential, don't get your hopes up, expansion. This would make his site one of the the top ones in his division. We are in much prayer about this and have no doubt that the Lord will Bless it, even if the answer is no.

I am looking forward to apple season in Ellijay, fall colors, winter soups and lots of board games being played together. The blessings abound, in more ways than I can count.

Beware of Hartz Flea Treatments

2009-08-12T23:45:00.003-04:00

PLEASE do not use Hartz flea treatments for your cats. We gave Lucy a treatment yesterday and today she is not playing and has tremors in her paws. I was gone much of the day so didn't think anything of it this morning. I thought she had gotten her paws wet and was just shaking the water off of them. When I got home, I noticed she was still under the weather and still had shaking paws.

Still in denial, I figured it was nothing. Just before going to bed, we decided to do a search and have found out with Hartz products, seizures and even death can occur! We immersed Lucy in water ( not fun) and have prayed over her. If she is not well in the morning, I will be making a vet visit.

I have written a letter to Hartz and I will NEVER buy another Hartz product ever. I hope you will use the same caution.

We are Taxed to Death

2009-08-11T08:10:00.001-04:00

Literally, every single aspect of our lives are taxed. Why do we tolerate such nonsense?? Have we forgotten that the money we earn, really does belong to us? Why do we so freely and without resistance, allow our hard earned money to go to the government?

The inheritance tax.
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL license Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Excise Taxes
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax (currently 44.75 cents per gallon)
Gross Receipts Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax
Inventory Tax
IRS Interest Charges IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Taxes
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Personal Property Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service Charge T ax
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax
Sales Tax
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income Tax
State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Ser vice FeeTax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Taxes
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge=2 0Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Taxes
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax

STILL THINK THIS IS FUNNY? Not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and our nation was the most prosperous in the world. We had absolutely no national debt, had the largest middle class in the world, and Mom stayed home to raise the kids.
What happened? Can you spell 'politicians?'
All of these taxes exist, because we allow it.

Does this make you want to come visit or what?

2009-08-03T21:53:00.004-04:00

How refreshing

2009-08-03T21:31:00.004-04:00

What can I say? It was such a refreshing weekend having Pennie and the girls here. It was a long, cool drink alongside a roaring waterfall, literally and figuratively. Being that Pennie is a sister in the Lord, it was totally priceless to me to reconnect with a sister. When you move out of town and still haven't found that special sister-in-Christ, your old church family relationships become all the more valuable. The same feeling happens when Connie comes. Refreshment, deep connection and priceless.

Friday we awakened to a very rainy day, and cinnamon rolls. It wasn't so bad until we sensed the kids were getting restless. Being that it was still gray, we opted for bowling. The thought of bowling made me yawn; they can bowl any time, they came here for the mountains! I wasn't about to fret about it, I went out on the porch and prayed. Can I tell you that within an hour, the skies were clear? The mountains it is! We went to a great creek that had fabulous boulders and rocks to climb. All the kids got barefoot and enjoyed the cool, rushing water! Then we drove up the mountain and walked amongst some ominous boulders! Mission accomplished!

Saturday we drove to one of my favorite waterfalls and swam in the very cold water. The waterfall was really coming down, unlike the trickle we had last visit. It was therapeutic in so many ways. Keith treated us to some freshly grilled burgers and we lingered as long as we could, to drink in every last drop.

Sunday was special because it has been 3 years since I have worshiped with any of my old church family. I don''t think I can even put it into words how it made me feel. Pennie, thanks so much for making the long trip, and thanks for being YOU! The girls were delightful as usual! I can't wait to try Todd's new bacon burgers - I'll let you know how we like them! Our home is your home, come back anytime!

The Verdict...

2009-07-25T17:41:00.003-04:00

Well, we, I mean Keith, finally culled out one of our hens. She had us all fooled! She was our biggest hen in the flock and had such huge "looking" breasts - NOT! When it was all said and done, it was all FAT under those feathers! Her carcass was very puny, but we stewed her up anyway - Cajun style of course!! The verdict is that it was too much work for what you get. We will just send the old ladies over to Sam's house to retire a happy life on her 30 acre farm. Or sell them on Craig's list. Either way, we are no longer fantasizing about all the gumbo we will have this winter.

Sky Angel

2009-07-15T23:15:00.002-04:00

We just got Sky Angel (Christian cable) this week. I am really liking it, for the most part. It is lacking a few channels that I like, but I think the more people that subscribe to it, the more they will add the better channels. There are also a TON of old movies and TV shows in it that may bore the average American to tears, but it offers clean, uplifting programing that the whole family can enjoy. MOST of the channels have an automatic 48 hour playback feature, and that is extremely cool. The monthly rate is only $24.99 for 70 channels, so that is quite a bit cheaper than our old cable. We are still not sure if they play live football, but I would hate for that to be a deal breaker since the good totally outweighs the bad. It has Fox news and several other channels we love, so for us, it is great. You can try it for 30 days risk free or just come over and check out ours. If you decide to give it a try, let me know and I can give you my referral code so I can get a free month of service. Let me know what you think about it - I'd love to hear your opinions.

Hiking, bouldering & sweating

2009-07-12T21:56:00.002-04:00

We had such a great time hiking this afternoon with some friends from church. The water was low, so we really couldn't swim, but the hiking was great, the scenery was gorgeous and the sweating was profuse! James fell in the creek and Michael got mighty muddy, but there were no injuries or deaths. We can't wait to go back - probably in two weeks when some friends from Louisiana come for a visit. I think they would enjoy it!

There were some guys bouldering on some of the really big boulders, but we really didn't have time to do that today. Maybe next time.

This rooster's a keeper

2009-07-10T20:51:00.001-04:00

Not like our last one who was like a prison warden. Bella, our first rooster, ruled the roost in such a militant way and he was obnoxiously noisy. He crowed for no reason at all, all day long. I really wanted to shoot him.

Jacques Clouseau, our newest crooner, is much more quiet and more mannerly. We will keep him! He is quite handsome, too! Of the rare French Cuckoo Maran breed, we plan to breed him with the two other cuckoo marans we have. They lay chocolate colored eggs. Although none of them are of laying age yet, it will be any day now! I can hardly wait to see that first dark egg!

Silent Night

2009-07-03T20:12:00.005-04:00

We just watched a very poignant film this evening, based on a true story. This story is set in Germany on Christmas Eve of 1944, as a German mother, Elisabeth Vincken (Linda Hamilton), and her young son, Fritz (Matthew Harbour), face invasion of their home by both American and German troops. Against all odds, the mother and son try to persuade the soldiers from both sides to temporarily call a truce so that they may all join together and break bread in the spirit of Christmas.

It grips you very early into the movie and keeps you captivated throughout. I rented it through Netflix, but I am sure you could get it anywhere. Some of it was difficult to watch and listen to, and much of it really pricked me. There was triumph and adversity, elements every good drama needs. Some of it may have you thinking about our own times and government as they exist today. Maybe not. But I do recommend it if you like history.

June is Birthday Month

2009-06-27T20:17:00.003-04:00

A big Happy Birthday to the many people I know with a June birthday!!! Marj, Joe, Sophie, Maggie, Joshua, Willow, Andrew and who did I miss??? If I missed anyone, just remind me next year!

Andrew had some guys (and one very brave girl!) over for an airsoft gun fight. We had sweaty guys, bee-bees everywhere and plenty of fun. We made homemade pizzas, salad, CANDY and plenty of cake. All of my guys are whooped today. I am so thankful there are no more children's birthdays until December.

Happy Birthday, Andrew! I hope it was what you wished for!

It's all about me

2009-06-19T06:55:00.003-04:00

I thought it would be fun to post 25 random things about me, some you already know, some you don't. I figure my kids may want to know this stuff one day and I better write it all down before I forget!

1. I am the youngest of 12 children, well, actually 13. A baby boy died shortly after birth.
2. I can actually say I walked to school in knee deep snow, uphill both ways of course
3. I moved to Maryland when I was 19, on a whim, and stayed there 7 years.
4. I attended night school at Anne Arundel Community College and the University of Maryland.
5. Was an accountant in Washington, DC for 3 years.
6. Quit my job in DC exactly one month after my mom died.
7. Was without a job for 3 months, used up all of my savings and had $134 left until I was broke.
8. Got a job closer to home and met my future husband all in the same day. Of course I didn't know he was going to be my husband at the time.
9. I owned a cockatiel named Vesuvious for 7 years.
10. Gave Vesuvious to my bother Charlie and he had him for the last 7 years of his life.
11. I often lived on couch change when living on my own.
12. Started spending time with Keith "as friends" in early 1992.
13. Married Keith in fall of 1992 - I guess we became really good friends.
14. I used to eat potato chips in the middle of the night. In my bed.
15. My friend Sue lived with me two separate times. When I moved to Louisiana, she took over my apartment house.
16. Had my house broken into while I was sleeping - that was very scary so I moved.
17. I like order, organization, clean countertops and can't stand clutter. When I see clutter at your house, I just want to clean it up for you.
18. I became a Christian shortly after the birth of my first son, on May 1, 1994.
19. My last son was born at home after only 45 minutes of VERY intense contractions.
20. Had a cat named Chloe for almost 17 years - she died in Andrew's arms on the way to the vet. WAH!
21. I am claustrophobic but had no idea I was until I was in a cave 250 below the surface and nearly panicked. Maybe I did panic...
22. I love to cook and I love to see how healthy I can make the meal using the freshest, wholest foods I can get. I just want nutritionally dense food, what can I say?
23. I love to play board games and I especially love winning.......but I can lose with some grace, but not much.
24. I love to use foreign accents and often can't quit. Lately I have been talking like inspector Clouseau from the Pink Panther.
25. After nearly 20 years, I still miss my mom every day. And my dad, who died nearly 9 years ago.
26. I know I said 25 things, but that last one was a joy killer, so this one will be more fun: I love reading other people's 25 random things lists so go make you one so I can read it. It really was fun!

3 Sisters from 3 Different States Visit!

2009-06-18T14:08:00.005-04:00

We had a wonderful visit with Keith's three sisters along with their dad and his lovely wife, Gail. We ate some very delicious homecooked Mexican enchiladas, Andrew's famous loaded chocolate chip cookies and then visited lots. We played many games, went to church (which, for me, was the highlight!) ate at a local restaurant, walked the farmer's market where we ate tons of kettle corn, took the grand tour of Keith's plant and then shot several games of pool.

Gail is so sweet and doting on daddy - always taking excellent care of him. She joined in on the games and even shot her first game (or so she says) of pool. You'll never guess who won......... Yes, she sure did! We all think she was a pool shark in her youth.

I was delightfully surprised at how well it all went and am so thankful for the treasured memory for all. The boys made out like bandits with all the aunts loading them up with $$$$. Can you imagine the box of Warhammer that arrived yesterday with all that money??? SHEESH!

Ya'll come back again next year - it was great to have you in our home!

New Plant Species Discovered

2009-06-18T14:05:00.002-04:00

You just never know what kinds of plants you will find at the local nursery. This is a new variety of pumpkin.

I've been tagged

2009-06-17T07:27:00.003-04:00

Which means I am being coerced into blogging. Thanks http://lili313.wordpress.com/

The Rules:
* List Six Unimportant Things That Make You Happy
* Mention and link to the person who tagged you
* Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along

1. flowers and all the butterflies & hummingbirds that visit them
2. waterfalls, especially the kind you can swim in
3. friends coming to visit
4. seeing a new bird at the feeder
5. going to craft shows and farmers markets
6. when we sing a really great song at church and the whole church belts it out

I tag these 6 people: Sam, Mindy, Susan, Kim, Joe & Jimmy

Burgers, marbles & friends

2009-06-09T18:12:00.005-04:00

Andrew, Shelby & Maggie

Connie & Two SWEET Girls
The Whole Gang, minus Chris, who was at work camp.

It was a lightening fast visit with our friends from Louisiana, but I do think we milked every minute of it and made another precious memory for our kids. Hayden was true to form checking for eggs within 3 minutes of jumping from the van. Emma & Maggie were on the trampoline in record time, too. We were all a little surprised that the first game of choice was Star Wars Risk, but the Wii was not on the shelf for long after that. Michael was gracious enough to build the girls a marble drop, twice. Once it was knocked down, he rebuilt it without one complaint. Thank you, Michael - that is a beautiful spirit you have with small children. Quinn was anxious to play his latest accomplishment on the piano and it was very impressively done! Chris entertained (or tortured) us with Guitar Hero songs and was helpful as always (he's the best gopher on the planet) and James was simply James. If you know James, you know that means he was awesome. What a bunch of great kids we have!

Andrew's new dog, Shelby, did great with all the "strangers". I was a little concerned about how she would be since she is such a shy dog.

Thanks, guys, for going off the beaten path to see us - I know it was not on your route home, but gosh, it sure was a blessing to see ya'll.....

Thank God I'm a Country Girl

2009-05-31T20:48:00.004-04:00

NOT! I am a country girl wanna-be. I can't lasso a calf. I don't like to wear poop-kicker boots and walk amongst animal droppings. I get squeemish at just the thought of having to do real farm work, like helping a goat give birth (or worse). Nope, none of that is for me. I just like my beautiful chickens and have been quite thrilled the last 3 years that they are mainly maintenance free. You feed and water them and get wonderful fresh eggs.

Until now. We injured one of our young hens and she now has two broken legs. She can't walk. You would think it would be no problem to just slaughter, pluck, season & cook as desired. But we can't bring ourselves to do it. We are not real farmers. We are wanna be's, and not even very good wanna be's at that. I know, it is just a chicken and it would put her out of her misery, but to take a beautiful life just simply feels wrong.

We have her isolated and keep saying today is "the day", but we have been saying that for 2 weeks now. So you see, I am not a real country girl, but quite frankly, I am just fine being a wanna be.

Bob the Builder

2009-05-31T20:35:00.006-04:00

Did your sons subject you to watching that show when they were toddlers? Mine sure did and naturally that stupid opening song would play over and over in my head for days. What torture! Well, I don't have a Bob the builder in my house, but I sure do have a Keith the builder.

He builds me all kinds of wonderful things! I could never list all the things he has built me over 16.75 years, but they all came out great and were incredibly useful. How thankful I am to have a handy husband! I have heard several of my friends say their hubbys never touch a hammer - how sad is that? I sure hope the boys get his gift for building things - especially if their wife wants something like this:

We have kicked the chickens out of the barn and into their own coop. It will free up quite a bit of space in the barn for more woodworking projects and such.

Thank you, Keith, for such a wonderful coop! The hens love yah, too!!!

My Baby turns 9!

2009-05-31T20:33:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday, James!

Can you believe it?? He sure is cute, ain't he?

Teenager Bathes in Purple Smoothie

2009-05-31T20:30:00.002-04:00

Don't ask. I have no idea what happened.

Since I don't have a real job...

2009-05-07T08:31:00.005-04:00

...I get to spend my mornings doing things like this:

Making fresh donuts from my freshly milled flour! I have this incredible donut recipe that makes the fluffiest donuts you have ever eaten.

And of course you must drink ice cold, farm fresh raw milk with them!

It's a tough job, but someone's gotta do it!

I tell you, this not having a real job thing is pretty fun. I think everyone should try it.

Summer Goals

2009-05-06T08:28:00.002-04:00

My goals this summer are going to be ones that are attainable. I don't want to get disappointed, so I am going to make them simple so I can feel like I have really succeeded. What are your goals this summer???

1. Swim at Foster Falls as often as possible
2. Bar-B-q lots of goodies
3. Pick lots of berries
4. Watch lots of birds and butterflies in my garden
5. Pick lots of flowers from my cutting garden
6. Sweat like a hog
7. Drink lots of iced tea
8. Make smoothies
9. Invite friends over
10.Have fun, fun, fun

Sunday Grilling

2009-05-03T17:48:00.003-04:00

But it wasn't meat that was grilled. It was me. By two teachers. Back to back. At church. While we ate lunch. They don't get it. They stare blankly at my disdain for institutional education. I am not qualified to teach. How can I possibly teach high math? Who tells me what books to buy? How do I report to the government? They know a homeschooler. Who can't read. Or add. All homeschoolers, therefore, must be ill-educated. They ignore the fact that homeschoolers out score all other students. They win the national bees. Frankly, I don't care about test scores. Or bees, unless they are bumble. And then, I love them. Because they make honey. And honey is really incredible.

But I did not like being grilled. Or singed. I forgot all those clever come back answers I had rehearsed. I made one of them mad. I hope. I said moms know best. She left the table.

Next time, I will leave the table. Or say something clever. Or turn up the fire.

Cat on a Warm Barn Roof

2009-05-01T16:04:00.004-04:00

Mittens has an afinity for napping on the apex of our barn.

She got aggravated to have her slumber interrupted with all the picture taking, but you couldn't tell by looking at her face, could you?

It's a good thing looks don't kill.

Wanna play cards?

2009-04-30T08:31:00.002-04:00

Here's a fun card game to play (with me) and you could end up with some really cool non-cash prizes.

For instance, if you play your cards right and come over to visit, say in 2-3 weeks, you could have some very fresh black raspberries. My bushes are LOADED with buds and should start fruiting very soon. And if you really know how to play cards, you could get a hot from the oven raspberry crisp.

While you're at it, if you draw an ace or two, you could very easily win a hand at some of the best bird watching in the southeast. I currently have indigo buntings, goldfinches, housefinches, bluebirds, woodpeckers, nuthatches and the elusive great-crested flycatcher. The rose brested grosbeak should be making his way through here ANY day now. Now that would be a winning hand, eh?

We just got another load of the best grass-fed beef you can find, so if you play your cards right, you could land some freshly grilled burgers. Or fillet mignon, depending on how you play your cards...

Oh, there are simply too many goodies to list, but for me, it's all about the game. I love games and I especially love games where everyone's a winner. Let me shuffle the first hand and see how it plays out, dueces are wild.

Boring update #999

2009-04-18T20:02:00.002-04:00

We are just not exciting people. We are not sky diving, solving world hunger or world peace, for that matter. It is a simple life for us, and it is just the way I like it. I hear from my friends who are driving to 5 places in 1 day and have their kids in 3 activities each, spending every Saturday sweating on a bleacher from 9am til 3pm. That is not for me, and it never has been. Praise the Lord that I married a guy who shares my penchant for being cozy at home. There really is no place I would rather be than to be at home. We do not live in a lavish home, but we feel like we have such a park-like setting here, we really have no need to leave.

So my updates may sound dull and non-evenful, but really we are living the good life and are content to just be.

We made a huge jambalaya last weekend for our Life group. Daddy would have been very proud of how it turned out, even with brown rice! He would have never guessed it was brown. We sat around the table chatting and eating 99 different flavors of jelly beans. What more do you need?

Tax season is over! WHEW! I have really enjoyed my little part-time job and especially loved the little extra "fluff" money I earned. I felt so proud when he gave me a bonus after my first week, little did I know I would get one EVERY week thereafter! WOO-HOO!!! Can you say "new washing machine and dryer"??? Cha-ching!

As if that weren't good enough, my boss wants to hire me permantly and set me up in a home office doing various accounting projects. I am thrilled! It will really bolster our budget and allow us to get a little cush money in the bank. Thank you, Lord!!!

So, we may be boring and predictable, but truly, we are living a life of abundance, contentment and harmony. And to that, I give all the Glory to God!!!

A Camping We Must go...

2009-04-18T19:48:00.004-04:00

... a camping we must go, hi-ho the dairy-o, a camping we must go. Sorry, but I just had to sing that little jingle first.

The kids went camping the last 2 nights:

We have been itching to pitch that tent since the day we got it from Uncle George and Aunt Deanna as a Christmas present. It was finally above freezing at night, so a tent pitching we went.

Doesn't it look like we drove up the mountain and camped in a state park? Nope, we be back yard camping! We used to backyard tent quite often with our friends the Callahans and several times with our Cub Scout pack. We wanted to give the kids the camping they were craving without being surrounded by a zillion other campers and not have access to a private bathroom. Oh, we will be going to one of those places, to be sure! But to break the tent in, we were thankful to just camp in the backyard, burn a huge fire and enjoy! They had a blast with their flashlights, snacks and cats to snuggle.

Chattanooga Tea Party

2009-04-18T19:31:00.002-04:00

I try to not post political rants on my blog, but I simply can not ignore the tea party we attended nor act like it didn't happen. In fact, it happened across the country, but you may not know it based on the biased media's lack of reporting of it. In Chattanooga, approximately 3,000 people attended in the middle of the afternoon on a grey Wednesday. It was quite awesome seeing the various signs and being with like minded peeps. One of my good friend's son was the emcee and organizer and I just can not say enough good about the fine job Mark West did to make the CTP a smashing success!!! James was on the 10pm news - you can see it here:

http://wdef.com/video/chattanooga_tax_day_tea_party_protests_government_spending/04/2009

It [govt bailouts & SKYHIGH spending] has certainly been fodder for many conversations lately, at least for our family. My own 8 year old is smart enough to know you don't spend money you don't have. Especially on junk programs that are doomed to fail in the hand of govt beauracrats. 'Nuff said on politico, but here are a few pics to enjoy.

Our newest flock!

2009-03-29T20:42:00.003-04:00

Look at our precious peeps! I am so excited - I have finally gotten the Cukoo Marans breed, which is a French breed that will lay chocolate colored eggs! I can hardly wait! I also got some more Americanas, they lay both green and blue eggs, Rhode Island reds and a couple of cochins - they will have feathered feet! We got 20, but have lost 1 last night. They are fragile little things those first few days. If it is warm enough tomorrow, I will let them run around in the grass - they simply will love that!

Box Sledding

2009-03-22T21:13:00.004-04:00

We went with some of our church family to an awesome "mound"and sledded down the hill in a box. Imagine that! Andrew was flying down on this ride!

Where I am from, you sled ride on, um, snow.

It was very fun and we are all looking forward to doing it again!

We had a wonderful time, awesome food (Bea's chicken was as good as the hype!) and the immeasurable joy of being with your Brothers and Sisters in Christ!

My blog thoughts are clogged

2009-02-27T06:35:00.006-05:00

Can't seem to put a decent blog entry together. I have started several and then deleted them. One was a political rant, one was about my new washing machine (BORING) and that's as far as I get. I'll probably delete this one, too. I don't want to waste anyone's time on boring, mundane stuff.

We are doing well, though. Our new church has literally breathed new life into us and we are back in the groove of worship, Bible study and AWESOME fellowship. It feels so good to be excited about church again. A two+ year dry spell without all of the above can really affect you. Thankfully, we are jumping in head first, regardless of the water temperature and fully immersing ourselves in our new church home.

Chris just started a computer programming course and he is very excited! We have been looking for one for years, and one was finally just released. It was published for homeschoolers and promises to have more advanced courses added later.

Andrew is dreaming about playing the acoustic guitar, so we are on the hunt for a good bargain. I have no doubt he will be able to pick it up and just start playing it. He has this musical talent on loan from God, I swear.

Michael will have his 12th birthday next week, so he is anxious to join Civil Air Patrol. He has been counting the days to when he was old enough to join. Happy Birthday, Michael!

James is like my little buddy. He reminds me so much of me when I was his age. He absolutely loves working in the kitchen with me and going on jaunts around town. I get so much joy from him and his infatuation with me.

And as for me, well, I have taken on a part-time job working with one of my friend's husband who is a CPA and is snowed under this tax season. It will be the first time I have worked outside of the home in over 15 years. I start tomorrow.

Ok, I guess I will post this one. I know it is not very exciting, but I fear if I don't post something, I may never post again.

Home at last

2009-02-10T08:10:00.004-05:00

Well, our search for a church home has finally ended with that deep sigh of relief you feel when you get home from a long trip. Home at last! The search often seemed arduous, frustrating and sometimes resulted in some tense Sunday afternoons, but we persevered. We just so happen to look on-line one "last" time to see if there was a church we missed and sure enough, there was a new Church of Christ and the website (www.gracebridge.com) made it looks so good, we drove up to the building just to have a look. I had a feeling it was formed as the result of split, because CofC's just don't pop up out of nowhere. About 100 people from a large CofC split off to be a little more progressive, in a good way. These people seem to be on fire for God and already we feel like family. I am actually talking in Bible class for the first time in over 2 years (bet you didn't know I could keep my mouth shut for that long). They have connect (life) groups and we have already plugged into one that fits us perfectly.

I really feel God telling me that I need to never forget what it is to be new and searching for a church home. Once I get to know the faces at church, I am going to make it a point to greet visitors with a fervor I have never had before. Isn't it the most vulnerable thing to walk into a church for the first time, knowing no one?? Being a greeter was never my bag before, but now that I have learned this lesson that the Lord wanted me to learn, I plan to greet like never before. I hope I don't scare anyone off....

Jambalaya, Crawfish Pie, Fillet Gumbo!

2009-02-02T08:56:00.005-05:00

Son of a gun, gonna have some fun on the bayou! I love that little jingle, especially when it preludes actually cooking either the gumbo or jambalaya (you can have the crawfish pie). While in LA last month, Daddy gave us one of his big iron pots so we can cook jambalaya here in Georgia. We gave it a go last weekend and it turned out perfectly! It was a wee bit cold outside to be cooking on the burner, but we roughed it. Keith helped out quite a bit, thus making it a joint effort. We can hardly wait to cook a pot for our friends!

Keith wearing my dad's old flannel shirt (the last shirt he wore before going into the hospital).......wah!

Beautiful Cajun jambalaya!!! Ca Cést Bon!!!

The Wall-less family

2009-02-02T08:41:00.007-05:00

Since Connie had to have her trip to our house postponed last month, I will post the missing wall pictures. We love the missing wall house now and are saving up for wide plank floors through out. If you know us very well at all, you won't be surprised that when we decided to take down the wall, we did the next day. It was totally completed by Christmas Eve! Come on over and see!

Before

After