Ramblings ...

Today was a really weird ... off kind of day for me ...

I am very unsettled in what I need to be doing.

However ... the Ranger read our history lesson about Jamestown to us all today saving my voice. I am VERY thankful for him. Today wasn't all roses between me and him, but it seems once lunch rolled around he was in a better mood. I know he and Sarah are very nervous. They are participating in our church's Bible Bowl competition this weekend.

Rooster finally tonight set them both down and explained to them that it was HIS job to get them to the church, fed breakfast, and dress appropriately. It is THEIR job to know the book of Acts inside and out ... I think the Ranger has that one covered. ((SHEW)) He is simply amazing how he can skim through something and commit it to memory. Sarah on the other hand is like her mom ... she has to STUDY for hours before she gets it right.

hahah ... Uncle Magic ... I consistantly posted everyday all last week ... hmmm, and I started this week ... don't get your hopes up, but I bet I even have something to say tomorrow after I get my self sorted out ... maybe I'll just post for you my GROCERY list ... not the bill, but the list ... geesh don't want anyone to die from shock ... even though I may ...

Rooster did point out to me a PERFECT spot for the raised beds. I am not fighting my ground anylonger ... I am installing raised beds to grow my produce in. Oh oh oh ... do you know what tomorrow is ... tomorrow is the day that Mr. Bubba T-Bone comes off the HOOK and starts the cutting up process! YEAH ... home grown grass and corn fed beef !!!! I may write an ode to the Maine-Anjou after that first steak!

Picturing Texas ...

I love Texas ...
I love just nearly all things Texas ...
and old buildings in quaint little towns or metropolisis for that matter really trip this girls trigger!


This is the Santa Fe Railstation in Gainesville ...
I took these pictures when we were there last year in February. My mother-in-law lived there, we went to visit her in the last moments of her life. She lived in this neat little retirement apartment building. And right next door was the train station. It is an Amtrak station, but was orginally built as an Atchison, Topeka, and Santa Fe Railway Depot, and has a museum located on the first floor. Upstairs are city offices and a replica of a Harvey House overnight stay quarters. This beauty was built in 1901 and designed by C.W. Felt, the chief engineer of the Sante Fe Railroad (Henry, J. C., Architecture in Texas, 1895 - 1945). By the way if you are at all interested in Texas Architecture, I really enjoyed reading this book. I don't have a clue about architecture, I am not an architect by any means, so I have no opinion on the book. I like, no strike that, I love old buildings ... but I know what makes me feel at home, and comfortable when I am traveling ... and this by far and way was a place that washed me in emotion.

Hidden back from view on one side by beautiful oak trees ...


With the most quaint little "lamps" I have EVER seen ...

Truly a charming little place to visit and walk around with the Wild Bunch.

The America I Remember ...

Telephones ...

Rooster remembers crank handle telephones. Where you called the operator and she connected you to the party you were trying to call.

Rooster remembers party lines. His family's phone ring was two longs and a short. Of course the phone numbers were also something along the lines of SHerwood - 54499. You had to search out the "S", the "H" and then the numbers.


We both remember rotary dial phones.
We both remember push button phones.

We both remember our first "hand held" phone.

We remember "mobile" phones that were wired into your vehicle and would honk like crazy when the phone rang.

We remember "affordable" mobile phones that came in a bag.

We now, no longer have a land line. We only have our cellular phones.

Do you remember any of these things ....

Of course these were simpler times, times where you were polite and did not listen in on the party line. If you had to break in you only did it in an emergency, and you apologized for interrupting your neighbors phone call.

Neighbor, now that in itself is a word that is lost on todays society. Do you know your neighbors? Neighbors were those people you used to sit on the front porch with in the evening while the kids played hide-n-seek, kick the can, or even tag football if you were from my neighborhood. We girls practiced the latest "cheer" on the sidewalks while the boys played ball in the street. Our dad's didn't have to referee, because the older brothers made sure that the game was fair, even for the littlest of players.

I miss this America ... the land of the free, the home of the brave ... the one that still trusts in God.

Tapestry of Grace

Well, it is official ...we have become lovers of Tapestry of Grace. And while I will admit it did cost me quite a bit at first ... a new laser printer (BEG), a case of paper, a couple of toner cartridges, and a WHOLE STACK of 20% off books from Barnes and Nobles .... I LOVE IT!!! And what is even better than me loving it ... my kids LOVE it.

Okay, here it is ... we started with Year 2, Unit 3 - Of Crowns and Colonies. I'll admit again, I went a little over the top with the first purchase of books ... but I didn't buy everything they had listed on their website. Which was a good thing, because not only do the children have to be educated but they also have to be fed FOOD!

And we all know that the grocery store is the well, TAKER OF ALL PAYCHECKS!!! However, I am trying the Grocery Game out for four weeks to see how that is going to work out for us, but more on that later because I am really trying to become the un-Disorganized Woman. And not to mention either, since I am trying to post about homeschooling today that I am also crocheting a baby blanket, sadly not for one of my own, but for my neighbor's new little baby girl. I am using a pattern from Mary Maxim, Heart of My Heart pattern

.
Okay, so back to the ToG stuff. I have realized that a lot of the really good OOP books that I so love will work just fine and dandy for this program. So, what am I doing - I am substituting books I want my children to read in for some of the selections in the literature sections. And I am using a ton of books that I have found at The Baldwin Online Children's Book Project, American Colonists' Library, Annie Fellows Johnston, and many, many others ... oh, one more great resource for online children's books of yesteryear quality ... The World Public Library. Of course there are some really great books in print, I'm not knocking some of today's classics in anyway ... I just find that some of yesteryears books are too quaint, and charming not to mention history filled to pass up! We always have our Kingfisher History Encyclopedia to keep us straight if we find ourselves "wondering" (no, not "wandering because we always wander away from the specific topic, to hop down the bunny trails of things that interest us greatly).

So, here we are ... Thursday ... where did this week go ... I am absolutely befuzzled as I am sure, yesterday was just MONDAY!!!

Yesterday ...

Wednesday in a Word ...

I love you more today, than yesterday, but not nearly as much as I will tomorrow ....

Finally ...

you get to see that handsome Rooster guy ... as he walked across the stage. I am so far behind it is pitiful. I know I should do this blog thing more often ... as a dear family member told me over Thanksgiving ... I'm VERY inconsistent. LOL, maybe I'll get on a roll here before long. I heard a really good piece of advice this weekend ... I need to quit letting life get in the way of the things I WANT to do!

So, without any further ramblings or ado from me ... I present to you ... Rooster!! In his graduate cap and gown glory ...

Birthday Wishes ...

Today ... is the 12th year that we have been blessed with ...

The Big Bubba ... he is the one that started our story ... and he is usually the one that instigates moments like these .... where all of my children are strangling a poor komodo dragon statue in the Fort Worth Zoo ...

or ....

all of my children perched on the ledge in the water park ribbiting like frogs ... because well they were near the water ...

Then, there are the moments when God's tiniest and very beautiful creatures catch his attention, and just don't let go. He was simply entranced by these beautiful little birds in the zoo. They bought little sticks with bird seed stuck to them to feed to the birds. He ended up with birds all over him ... trying to not only eat the food he had for them, but also nibble at his ears. Funny how their touch never concerned him in the least bit.

Of course of late, you will find him pestering his father with relentless questions about how this works, why this is the way it is, or what does this do, where is this or that, when does this occur, and on and on and on the questions roll ... And his questions are never annoying, they are thoughtful and though provoking. Of course those questions that come at 11:00 at night when we are trying to fall asleep are a bit frustrating. And no matter how many times we show him how to Google an answer to his more technical questions, he still comes to both Rooster and I first. Don't get me wrong, I love it! I love the fact that he thinks we are a fount of knowledge~~~

These boys have seen their share of rattlers since we live in the country, but alas they never seem to tire of any display of one especially one that is this long!!

Happiest of birthday wishes to my dear Big Bubba ... you are my tenderheart ... and I love you tenderly with all my Momma heart!

Edit ... sorry ... I have referred to the above mentioned child in this post as Big Bubba, and have been informed that he prefers the online moniker of Ranger ... ah, I love my children soooo much!

Tenderly my heart aches ...

Another year has passed ... our precious little boy would have been seven this year. Years ago, I had a professor tell me that I should have more than one child. So, if something happened to that child, the other child would fill its void. For all his education, that PhD knew absolutely nothing about this mother's heart.

Dear sweet Austyn Wyatt Jordan, today you would have turned seven. Miss Baby-Girl never knew you, but she is so very sure that your sweet spirits were best friends up in heaven. I don't know if that is possible ... but I do know this ... it is a very comforting thought that my baby boy, and my baby girl knew each other long before she came to be with us on this earth. Maybe baby spirits do come straight from heaven ... I would like to think that God has a hand in which children we each are blessed with.

Smiley-girl and Big Bubba of course have the fondest and strongest memories besides Rooster and I. They miss you so much ... just as much I think as Roo and I do.

On your birthday, we laid in bed together looking up at your portrait ... so peaceful. Just as peaceful as when you laid in your carseat in front of the kitchen window snoozing ... your little heart so content.

Thank you God for the ten beautiful days you gave us ... with the most peaceful baby in the world. While we would have loved 10 years, times 10 ... we will take the ten days gratefully, knowing that it could have only been 10 hours or worse yet 10 minutes.