Road 2 Relevant Update

I'm still hoping that I can get to Hershey, Pennsylvania this fall. Wouldn't that be wonderful to visit the chocolate factory and tour DC? Won't it be grand to hug all my invisible friend's necks - all the blogging buddies that I talk to on a weekly basis and yet haven't had a chance to meet yet?



Well, Gather inSpirit is hosting a 'Come and Meet Sprittibee' at their blog today - introducing me to those attending the conference and their readers. I'd love it if you stopped by and left a little "hello" in the comment section.



As for the funds for the trip... I'm still trying to figure that one out. So far the economy hasn't been my friend. Some of the sponsors I have talked with don't have as much budget for philanthropy as they used to. Others just aren't interested in blog conferences but wished me well with my adventure.

So far we're going it alone...

I've put a little bit in my Paypal account towards the huge total we need to get there this October, but I don't have a sponsor (of which I am thinking I will need several). So my little Relevant ticker (up on the right hand sidebar - see the little car?) is now moving forward, but so far I'm the only one who has donated towards it.

God will provide if the trip is meant to be. I'm sure of it. So I wait for Him with my Relevant ticket in hand... and we're still planning and working on details for our longest road-trip adventure as a family.

A Mother's Day Gift to Stop Child Trafficking

It's easy to think about fluffy, flowery stuff on Mother's Day... about where you'll go out to eat for lunch, or what new bauble you'll be wearing. It isn't so easy to imagine past our sheltered American lives to what it might be like for other women who are caught in a terrible nightmare - one that may prevent them from every knowing what it is like to love, nourish and raise a child.

Remember those in prison as if you were their fellow prisoners, and those who are mistreated as if you yourselves were suffering. ~ Hebrews 13:3

Justice Juels
Chelsea Dischinger, a national ambassador for Stop Child Trafficking Now, emailed me about possibly doing a give-away to raise awareness to her ministry and mission. She aims to raise a million dollars for the cause: stopping human trafficking.

She's not rich. Chelsea is just a regular stay-at-home mom (with two little ones under 2) that felt the call of God in her life - the desire to help these helpless victimized children and set them free. She's got a loving mother's heart... and shares the love of her Father in Heaven for these suffering ones. She decided that she could do something about the situation and started a jewelry business which donates a majority (at least 60%) of its profits to organizations that rescue children and prosecute criminals for this heinous crime.



Slavery didn't end with the Civil War. It is still going on today - and it is BIG business. There are over 27 million people enslaved around the world today (more than any other time in the history of the world). There are up to 17,500 people trafficked in the United States each year - THE UNITED STATES. A lot of these little girls (the majority are girls) are raped and beaten up to 20 times per day... and for as little as 30$ for fifteen minutes. Sadly, human trafficking is the third most profitable criminal activity - trailing only the drug trade and the illegal sale of weapons.



Get educated on the issue! You could make a unit study for older kids out of the resource material on the Justice Juels website. Just imagine if more people got involved?!

I am adamantly against the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child because it intervenes in the sovereignty of the United States (and is a major attack on parental rights - and an overwhelming majority of parents are loving, nurturing people). However, I am certainly for strict laws (and enforcement) against anyone who physically violates another person in any way. If we put half as much effort in to violent crimes as we do on petty drug charges, we could do the world a huge service... and spare a LOT of innocent people. Thus, I'm very happy to help out Chelsea in her quest to raise a million dollars for the release of these children and the prevention of more abuse.

If you are considering a pretty charm for Mother's Day, why not let mom pick her favorite? Give her a gift certificate from Justice Juels. I'm sure she can find a perfectly wonderful hand-made bauble to wear... and you'll both feel great knowing that you drew a line in the sand - one that pushed the gates of evil back just a little bit further.



Graciously, Chelsea offered to give away a personalized item from her store to one randomly chosen commenter here. She's such a giving soul! She also made me and my daughter something. I can attest to the quality of her jewelry. I love my mother charm that includes a tiny birthstone charm and hand-stamped plate for each of my three kiddos. You can see a picture of my necklace on this past post (click the link in this paragraph to see it).

Here's how you can win something lovely from Justice Juels:

NOTE: EACH COMMENT IS ONE ENTRY; so leave each item you complete in a separate comment or it won't count! Contest ends this Friday at midnight (I won't split hairs about the timezone). Winner will be chosen at random by Random.org and announced this weekend.

1. Visit Justice Juels and tell me what item you would get if you won.

2. Visit Stop Child Trafficking Now and watch the short video on their main page. Tell me something you learned about what they do.

3. Join the facebook or twitter pages for Justice Juels or Stop Child Trafficking Now (see their websites for those links). Come back here to leave the comment.

4. Interested in keeping up with Justice Juels? Join their email list. Find out when new items hit the shop or sales go on.

5. Subscribe to my email feed subscription or add my blog's RSS to your feed reader.

6. TWEET! "@sprittibee is giving away jewelry by JusticeJuels.com (60% profits go to stopping child slavery) pls RT! http://bit.ly/juels" - you can get one entry PER tweet, 2 tweets per day!

Happy Mother's Day!

100 Things for 2010

It has been a long time since I did a list update. Here we are in April of 2010 - working on 2009's list. With all the distractions at the beginning of this year, I never even created a 2010 list.

My last list post was November of 2009. Time to get things updated!

According to my assessment, I ALMOST got half of last year's list done. There were officially over 150 items on it, however, I got a lot more done than that - which wasn't listed. Quite an accomplishment with a new baby in the house. It's nice to look back and pat yourself on the back for all the things you completed.

So here's my updated version of 'the list' for 2010:

Things to do in 2010 
(some are leftover from last year, bolded are soon or 'in progress', strike-thru are complete)

1. Put the owl on the mural
2. Get a bed for the baby and do sleep training
3. help kids redesign their blogs
4. redesign my blog by June and move to WP
5. Eat at the Melting Pot
6. Get Lightroom and learn to use it
7. Get Photoshop and learn to use it
8. Put the older photos in albums and print digital ones
9. Experiment with digital scrapbooking
10. 2008-9 and 2009-10 portfolios for school
11. Gardening and harvesting our raised bed crop
12. New handles on the filing cabinets
13. Clean out the filing cabinets
14. Bathe the cats
15. Make a rotating menu plan
16. Get cookbooks organized and find new spot for them
17. Postcard project
18. Find homeschool groove
19. Take the kids to see the Zilker tree at Christmas
20. Pick procrastination project and blog it (monthly) - this  post is April's!
21. Listen to Word of Promise NT in the car
22. Bedtimes and routines (earlier rise & bed/more consistent)
23. Pictures made in photo booth
24. Put God first (prayer journals, start day off right)
25. Graduation party (6th/7th) in September
26. Order awards for Graduation party
27. Creativity Express
28. Finish reading camera manual
29. Set up photography website
30. Pick peaches this summer
31. Another 7 ways to make hubby happy
32. Purge and organize bookshelves (continually)
33. Built in bookcases in dining room?
34. Paint another 2 rooms in the house
35. Window treatments for 2 rooms
36. Save money for Relevant Blog Conference
37. Correspondence Calendar/Notebook for keeping in touch
38. Get music transferred on to iPhone
39. Weight loss goals/Wii fit
40. Spend more time outdoors/walk with kids
41. Standardized tests at end of school year in September
42. Highlights and hair cut
43. Moles checked at doctor
44. Thin out the closet and organize it
45. Winter clothes put up, summer clothes out
46. New holiday tradition
47. Make ornaments and cookies this holiday season
48. Planning day every 6 weeks for homeschool
49. Paint 3 paintings
50. Read 3 more mom books before Christmas
51. Make cookies for librarians/local civil servants
52. Portraits with entire family (been since before baby)
53. Say no to something without guilt
54. Fix king bedframe
55. Tile bathrooms upstairs
56. Do a web design for someone else
57. Back up photos online?
58. Get a Kitchenaid mixer
59. Use my Vi8 for vlogging
60. Plant another tree in the yard (Mulberry)
61. Get our credit reports and go through them
62. Swim once a week when pool is open
63. Buy 5 more books for our school library
64. Do a monthly give-away on my blog and Homeschool Post (be here tomorrow for one!)
65. Use coupons regularly
66. Nature journal with the kids
67. Continue the family devotional time we have started
68. Read book with Kevin about marriage/relationships
69. Watch rest of Beth Moore Videos from last study
70. New bible study
71. New beaded jewelry set
72. Deep clean house
73. Detail cars
74. Email purge and organize
75. Finish a scrapbook
76. Annual letter for 2010
77. Have someone over for dinner each month
78. Go on more field trips
79. Have a weekend away with hubby
80. Participate in Flat Stanley
81. Height and Weight measurements for kids
82. Read to the kids every school day
83. Do more crafts and art for school
84. Let the kids cook more without help (plan it)
85. Help kids to blog regularly
86. Stay on top of grading and Tracker
87. Reward myself with treat when I get half of the list checked off
88. Clean out pantry/fridge
89. Install lighting upstairs that we got at IKEA
90. Make a budget
91. Renew library card again
92. Wipe the laptop clean and get Win7
93. Cordless mouse and keyboard
94. Field trip to TV/Radio station
95. Thanksgiving at our house?
96. Quilts for baby/Morgan's room
97. Clean off my desk (again)
98. Add in extra things I accomplish all year to this list
99. Redo front flower bed
100. Do another 3 paying photography jobs

This section of the post is for added accomplishments:
I think I'll just add on extras here as I go - stuff I didn't put in the above list that I got done anyway. I'm sure there will be a lot of extra stuff that we do.

How about you? What are your plans and goals for the rest of the year?




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Review of Homeschool Tracker Software

Ever wondered what the Plus version of Homeschool Tracker was like? Wondered if maybe it was as good as people said?

Join me today over at Complete Organizing Solutions for my detailed review of why I love Homeschool Tracker.

Just look at all those REPORT printing options! It's enough to make a homeschool mama's heart skip a few beats...



Come on, you know you are curious...

Decluttering Project: Getting to the Bottom of It

I'm a home decorating nut. You wouldn't have any idea by the looks of my house (well, the bottom floor of my house that most people see), but it's true. I keep telling myself that one day - maybe after the kids move out - I'll get around to all my decorating projects. I know. Denial is my friend.

The two things that are my biggest obstacle in 'home decorating Nirvana' are: TIME and MONEY. I have nearly none of each. I like to decorate on a dime and it has to be a project that I can complete in a relatively short amount of time - because with homeschooling 2 tweens and babysitting a 1 year old, I have very little of it to go around.

My love of all things 'pretty' tends to be a serious clutter producer for me, however. I can't say no to magazines about window treatments, paint, decorating, gardening and cooking. Better Homes and Gardens and Southern Living are my two very favorites... but I have a ton of different varieties of home magazines.

You might even say I have TOO many magazines. Go ahead. You wouldn't be the first. My husband says it all the time.



I was looking at my stack of mags the other day and it is only a couple of feet shorter than I am. I wondered if I would ever be able to find the ideas I loved in those magazines again. With a stack like that, the recipes and ideas for making crafts and fixing up my house are surely buried for good.

I'm not even going to mention to you how heavy a stack of magazines can be when you move. My collection could fill at least three book boxes or more... and magazines aren't so light when they are crammed in to a book box. I shudder to remember the smell of Bengay on my neck and arms from the last move we made.

Vowing to live simply, to get rid of 'clutter', and to be more purposeful... I figured it was time to tackle the magazine stack. Past time, really.



Here was my plan to get it done:
1. Set up magazine holders in the restroom to house stacks of magazines that I want to go through.
2. Keep a pair of scissors in the car and restroom for when I want to cut things out.
3. Set aside temporary folders for going through the torn-out pages, labeled: home, garden, kitchen, articles to read, clippings for journal, photography, arts & crafts... etc.
4. Tear at least one magazine a day up - keeping only the pages I love.
5. Spend a little time each weekend sorting the torn pages in to the proper folders.
6. Eventually, put favorite recipes in binders with sheet protectors and keep the rest in a hanging folder in my file cabinet with labels (same labels as on my temporary folders).
7. Stop ordering magazines until I read all the articles I have clipped/saved.

I've been doing pretty good at my 'magazine project' so far. I like having something to do in the car when my husband runs in to Wal-Mart and I have to stay in the vehicle with a napping baby. It feels good knowing that I'll be reclaiming a part of my bedroom that has been taken up with a tower of clutter. I know it will look better in there without a stack of magazines on the floor.

Besides brushing the clutter monkey off my back, going through these magazines has given me a few new dinner ideas and the desire to paint some walls and do some weekend decorating projects. Who knows; maybe I'll be posting a before and after shot for you some time this summer? I hope so. I'm tired of these white walls.

Here's your homeschool math assignment for today:

Heather has 176 magazines to cut her favorite pages from. She gets three magazines a month in the mail. If she cuts up one magazine a day, starting today, how many days will it take her to get to the bottom of the stack?

Sweet Shot Tuesday: Wild Yellow Holly

My friend Darcy is doing a weekly photo meme called Sweet Shot Tuesday where you share your favorite shot of the week. I thought I would share this wild holly picture I took a little while back when we were visiting Papa John's ranch. I had never seen this plant species before and the little flower bells on it were such a happy yellow. This week's sweet shot (5) is being entered to win a 50$ gift certificate to Studio Jewel.

What are you waiting for? Link up your sweet shot of the week at My 3 Boybarians! Just click the little button to go add your favorite photo (any kind of picture you want).

Counting on Monday...

Monday... "straight out of the camera". Mondays are the day we clean and put things in order for our week... the day we catch up on late library books that will cost a small fortune in fees... the day when we struggle to fit ourselves back in to the box of 'routine'.

I find great benefit in counting my blessings - instead of beating myself up for still being in my pajamas at lunch time.

I choose to praise. 

I'm thankful for:


25. Sleeping sighs upstairs through baby monitor.

26. Quiet house with piles of library books on every surface. Minds being filled with cultures far away and long ago.



27. The brightest green on furry tips of Cypress branches... fluffing themselves on the breeze.

28. Being able to praise God for the same things over and over - and not worry that he ever tires of it.

29. Crunch of chips in the kitchen, sister spreading cheese on chicken nachos.

30. Glittering gems on mother necklace - three colors, three faces, three hearts beating love.



31. Sounds of singing, humming, busy hands cleaning happily in the kitchen.

32. Delicious books.

33. Exploding rose bush, afire in hot pink.

34. Tiny shoots whispering of hidden harvests to come.

35. Overloaded refrigerator, reminding me to make this week's menu and take out meat to thaw.

36. Heart connections - finding little slices of yourself in someone else.

37. Knowing when my husband will walk in the door... the same time every day. Mr. Dependable.

38. Steaming shower leaving pink skin warm.



39. Shiny green visitors.

40. Bloopers in the bluebonnets - fields of blue and trying to 'herd cats'... getting everyone to look at the camera at just the right time, with just the right smile... (all the more reason to take more pictures).



I hope you are finding joy in your imperfect days. Happy Monday.




Join me at Ann Voskamp's Gratitude Community and count your blessings on your own blog each 'Multitude Monday'. Discover how she 'unwraps beauty' in the commonplace on her blog, "A Holy Experience".

Give-Away at the Post: The Book of Ruth

There's a chance that you can win a copy of "The Book of Ruth" DVD by PureFlix. The give-away ends on Wednesday, April 22nd (that's this week).

The Homeschool Swap sign up just ended over there, too (next sign up is until June)... but if you sneak your name on the comment section and say you want to join us some time today, I won't lock you out. I'm hopefully sending those questionnaire emails out tonight. Be watching for them in your email boxes!

If you haven't joined the Homeschool Post fan page at Facebook or followed us on Twitter, please do so! There are 16 amazing women posting on the team and I am so encouraged by reading all their articles.

Bluebonnets: Take 1

I haven't seen so many bluebonnets in a few years, so we decided to do a photography assignment today and take some family portraits in the flowers. Finding a thick patch of blue is not hard - they are everywhere you look - but I wanted one that was convenient... because working with a baby is not as easy as working with big kids who do what they are told. I needed room to get down on the ground and lots of extra time for multiple shots (since he would rather eat the flowers than look at the camera).



I probably took about 200 shots today, and only these few pictures are what I would consider 'good enough' to 'make the cut'. The more pictures I take, the more picky I get about how the final photo should look. Maybe I'm becoming more of a perfectionist (my mom would say that... but then, she had to help me hold the baby and pull the weeds out of his mouth today). I feel like some of the criticism is a good thing, though. I'm pushing myself to take better photos.



Developing my photos is another matter entirely, though. Or doing anything artsy with them (I still have NEVER added texture to a photograph even though I love textured overlays). While I might 'see' one thing in my mind, I'm rarely able to get the final look I want. Most of the time the problem lies with my lack of knowledge with the software program I am using. Confession: I've been 'winging it' for years - only using free editing software and straight-out-of-the-camera pictures, cropped to fit my blog. It was fine for a long time, but now, I'm not satisfied. I have an appetite to use better programs and hop it up a notch.

Enter Lightroom. Well, the free Beta 3 of Lightroom (until they cut me off or I get a paying photography client - whichever comes first)...



Holy moly, I'm not sure I'll ever learn how to manage the beast. I can only tell you that it took an entire day to upload all my photos in to the software - some 30 thousand PLUS pictures. I have no idea where I would find the time to organize, group, sort, or tag them all. Right now I'm not even sure where my "library" really is on the computer. That's pretty bad, considering that I used to be a database manager and am not your average computer illiterate 30-something year old housewife. I can get around on a computer. But Lightroom is kicking my butt.



It seems to take triple the time I would have taken to edit a picture in a free program. I still have no idea how to do some of the "easy" effects I'm used to doing in my cheapy software... like frame-masking, resizing for the blog, and adding a watermark. Those are all things I still have to exit and do in Fast Stone Image Viewer for now.



I ruined the above photo with a flash. It would have been a great one. The Star Wars T-shirt was not the right fit, either. And I would have liked my eldest son's face to be in line with his siblings and not behind the baby. Otherwise, it was a nice set-up (and in the very next frame, babycakes stuffed that yellow flower in his pie hole).

I don't even want to think about Photoshop if Lightroom is this difficult to use. Maybe I can talk my NAPP buddy, Dawn, in to spending a weekend here in the Lone Star State for a few bags of gummies? A girl can dream.



It is hard to admit that your artistic photographic eye and desire to use it on pretty pictures is not enough.

It is even harder to admit that your equipment and software are smarter than you are.



And thus you have my 9 favorite bluebonnet pictures from today (instead of 200). But I'm not giving up. We'll be back out there getting bug bites and keeping the baby from eating the flowers this weekend. Just you wait.



One picture at a time, my friends. One picture at a time.

Earth Day Thoughts and a T-shirt Give-Away

Glowing blue and green marble in the milky way. This is home.

It doesn't matter if you are a conservative, a liberal, or a quadruped. We're all in this thing together... and we only get one planet to play with. [My little 1 year old calls it 'BALL', not Earth.]

Although I don't worship the Earth or believe that humans are the only cause of global warming... nor do I believe that government should impose carbon credit taxes or pilfer our pocketbooks, I do LOVE planet Earth. I think it is amazing, awe-inspiring and wonderful.

Green is such a trendy word these days that it almost makes some of us roll our eyes... but I have always believed (even before "Green" was cool) that we should be smart about how we live. As a Christian, our faith dictates that we should be good stewards of what we are given. Planet Earth is no exception. No one has to call it 'green' for me to want to do my part in caring for the planet.

I'm glad that many companies are now waking up to the reality that we should be more careful about the chemicals we use and the rate at which we consume natural resources... and the pollutants we put back in to the water and soil. These are the positive things that have come as a result of the recent fascination with "going green". I applaud them for looking for creative ways to 'give back'.

Besides the Earth, everyone in the 'Bee' family love trees and plants. We have planted 10 trees in our yard since we moved in to our house. I've been a tree-hugger (literally) since my early years. I can remember trying to throw my arms around a Western Red Cedar in the Washington state rain forest when I was knee-high to a grasshopper. There is always some favorite tree I'm infatuated with. Currently it is the Montezuma Cypress in my front yard. My heart aches to see the trophy Live Oaks of Texas mercilessly murdered in the name of progress. I smile on the efforts of the Arbor Day Foundation to get everyone interested in planting and caring for trees. Trees are our friends... and no one can deny how beautiful they are. They make me happy.



When I got an email from Hanes telling me that they were teaming up with the National Arbor Day foundation to plant trees for every third item they sell, I was delighted. I love that they are a green-conscious organization. I love that the world will get prettier and greener because of their decision to partner with the Arbor Day Foundation.

Would you like to win an Earth Day t-shirt from Hanes?

Here's how you can win one (leave a separate comment for each entry please!):

1. (worth 1 entry) Visit the Hanes Earth Day promotion page on their website and watch the little video they have there. Tell me what 3 products you would order to get your tree planted by the Arbor Day Foundation.

2. (worth 1 entry) Leave me a comment telling me one of the following things:

What are your favorite trees?
What are your favorite forests to camp in?
What types of things do you do to be a good steward for our lovely earth?
What green is your favorite (neon, lime, olive, sage, forest, etc)?

3. (worth 1 entry) Tweet about this give-away.

4. (worth 1 entry) Put your pretty face in my Google Friend Box.

Contest ends this Saturday night (April 17). Happy 'green' living!




P.S. Earth Day is April 22nd and Arbor Day is April 30th. However, Hanes is participating with the National Arbor Day Foundation through May 15th for this promotion.


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Disclosure: Hanes provided me with no compensation for my opinions here other than a free Earth t-shirt and the opportunity to help them in this promotion by tweeting and posting about it.

Credits: Heartlight for the planet graphic above.

Because He Laughed

The only days that are wasted are the ones without laughter. A wise person once said that. Then another wise person tweeted it on Twitter. Then I read it while I was burried under the weight of a "million things to do" (as usual).

Then, as if he knew I needed a smile more than air itself, he grabbed my necklace ... the one that says "bliss" ... yanked my chain. And he giggled.

And then it was all over. I was in stitches. We both laughed together like we had shared the funniest inside joke ever shared between a mom and one-year old son.

That's all it took. And now my harried day (even as much as there was left undone) was a true success.

The end.

Magic Mouthwash: Remedy for Sore Throats and Mouth Sores

It isn't often that your pediatrician gives you a prescription for 'magic' medicine. Especially for something as common as a sore throat. I thought I had heard everything... and tried it, too. Aside from wondering if our doctor was crazy, I couldn't imagine that I've had this "remedy" in my medicine cabinet my whole life - right under my nose - and have never heard of it. Just think of all those miserable sore throats that went untreated. The shame of it!

I have to admit, I was skeptical that a "Magic Mouthwash" would help make a wicked sore throat more tolerable - even numb. However, the doctor insisted that it would
help, and my daughter was suffering. I figured trying it wouldn't hurt. When you or your kids are in that much pain, you'll try anything.

She told us to mix 1 part Maalox, 1 part Children's Benedryl and gargle with the solution. I thought I had both on hand, so I didn't buy any Maalox. When I got home, I discovered that I only had Milk of Magnesia. Lucky for me that the active ingredient in Milk of Magnesia is actually the same one that works in Maalox - there's just a little more of it.

After researching online about the "Magic" mixture (still uncertain), I discovered that there are many different recipes for the mouthwash. The usual concoction contains diphenhydramine (the active ingredient in Children's Benedryl) for pain relief, and an antacid for coating the mouth and throat. Some even have anti-fungal or corticosteroids to prevent secondary infections (such as Hydrocortisone, or Tetracycline). If you try something with a prescription medicine, be sure to clear it through your doctor, though... and beware - the Tetracycline caused complaints of stained teeth.

I read through all of the comments and recipes I found on a mouth ulcer website that was supposedly written by a pharmacist, and found that the recipe my doctor gave me was the least strong of the bunch. Many of the people commenting said that the doctor even told them that the child could drink part or all of the brew after swishing with it. Since Morgan had taken a Zyrtec and I wasn't sure how two antihistamines would work in her system, I only let her swallow a tiny bit of it so that the very base of her throat would be coated (usually where the pain is the worst).

Before she took it, I had her drink 8 oz of water (required by the medication if you drink it), and had her gargle with hot salt water to clean and comfort her throat. She protested, but was thankful I made her do it - saying that it really felt good (a huge thing for someone who couldn't sleep because of throat pain). Then I mixed the "Magic Mouthwash" and let her gargle most of it and drink the last swig.

She complained after she did it that it made her tongue numb and her throat was stinging, tingling, and more painful. We thought maybe the 'magic' mouthwash was just a snake-oil hoax. However, within five minutes, she could hardly feel her throat ... which gave her the peace she needed to get uninterrupted sleep... and let her throat have time to heal. This morning she said she only has a scratchy throat and feels a lot better. The pain is gone.

Who knew?

I tried the stuff on myself this morning since I awoke with a scratchy throat again (the oak pollen around here is thick enough to cut with a knife). I wasn't thrilled with the taste of the stuff (Cherry flavored kid medicine has always grossed me out), but the Milk of Magnesia really makes the flavor more mild. Morgan says it almost tastes like 'bubble gum', but I didn't think so. I can say this: after a few minutes, I was GLAD I used it!

Here's the recipe for our Magic Mouthwash:

1 Part Milk of Magnesia (2 tsp - for her weight and age. She could have swallowed up to 1 tablespoon of this, but to create the mixture we only needed 2 teaspoons.)

1 Part Children's Benedryl (2 tsp - for her weight and age. This was the maximum dosage she could have swallowed if she hadn't taken a Zyrtec.)

1 Part (or a little less) of water (1.5 tsp - to make it easier to stir and mix)

I guess it lives up to it's name. I think having your sore throat eased really is magic. I sure wish I had known about it a long time ago. These over the counter remedies are always around in my house. Now that we know how to make it, we'll be saving ourselves a lot of money on throat spray and cough drops.



Note: I'm not a doctor and you should always check with your physician or pharmacist before taking any medication or giving it to your children. Please be careful!

ORDER of Operations: Priorities

Most people are so busy knocking themselves out trying to do everything they think they should do, they never get around to do what they want to do.

~ Kathleen Winsor

It goes without saying that you should put your priorities in line, doesn't it? I mean, we all know that if we do second things first, we'll never get "first things" accomplished, right? Sure... but then why do so many of us have such a huge problem with distraction and misdirection? Why do the kids complain about needing more mommy and daddy time (even if we are home with them 24/7) - and why do we go to sleep after our husbands have long been snoring away - and why does the Bible collect dust and the prayer journal have month-long gaps between entries?

I speak from experience when I say that I struggle with priorities. Let's be gritty and honest, shall we? After all, it's the only way to affect a true change - to admit there is a problem.

I saw a quote come across twitter today that said something like, "I think you'll find that the reason why you didn't change before was that you didn't want to." I have no idea who the author was, but I know that they are right. Before you make a change, you have to be committed. You have to be sick and tired of being sick and tired. I think that's why we struggle with the issue of priorities so much... because we are creatures of habit. Change isn't easy. Most of the time, the habits are so comfortable and familiar, that we don't make the EFFORT to change - even though we know we 'should'.

"It's what I do." - "It's who I am." - "That's just the way it is."

No. But we like to think that way. It's less uncomfortable than really working to be better people. It's much more presentable than being real.

I talked about the importance of putting God and your family first in the conference session about "How Not to Homeschool" by Dawn and I earlier this year. I've had a "How Not to Homeschool" kind of school year up until February. We started our school year over.

I've written about putting God and your family first in countless previous posts. I don't like repeating myself, but this bears repeating. I thought of what I might say that would drive this point home to you (and to me - since I usually write about things that are on my own heart and plate - thus I preach to myself here) more than any other article I've ever written about the topic. I came up blank. It's all been said.

I just know this... if you ask my children why our day, our month, our school year was off kilter, they will always tell you: "we didn't put God first". They can see the difference when we do. It isn't because I've taught them to say it. It is because they see the black and white proof. Sure, the baby threw a wrench in our schedule... but putting God first is the real issue.

I can admit that I have a problem with being BUSY. I'm a list maker. I saddle up and go, go, go. Just like a horse will go until he drops; I go until I drop. I have been known to saddle the kids up like this, too. I even had a woman ask me one time, "All those school activities sound wonderful, but... do your children ever have time to play?"

A bee is never as busy as it seems; it’s just that it can’t buzz any slower.

~ Kin Hubbard

I've heard that it is said that BUSY means 'being under Satan's yolk'. I learned in Sunday School that Mary made the better choice and that Martha was too busy. That said, I have no idea why I torture myself with mile-long lists and extremely high expectations - but I do know that I often miss sitting at the feet of my Lord and lingering on His Words. I know that I often wish for simple days when there were porch swings and watermelon seeds to spit in the dirt. I often feel sadness when I look at my stacks of unread books and remember AFTER the children fall asleep to give them a kiss.

Too busy. Too few smiles. Too much rushing.

Not enough hugging, kissing, and snuggling.

Not enough studying the Word that gives freedom from anxiety, impossible burdens, guilt, unforgiveness, complaint, and worry.

I need to be in the Word that reminds me WHO gives the increase...
the victory,
... the peace...
righteousness
purpose

abundance
wisdom
discernment
blessings
health
fulfilment...

You know that I could go on, and on, and on.

I need the Word that tells me that my first love should be for my husband and that I should seek ways to help him - to love and cherish him - to honor him with my words and heart - to be his. I need more of the Word that tells me to encourage and bless my children, to teach them when I rise up, and when I lay down... the Word that reminds me of how God leads us with gentleness and love.

He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.

~ Isaiah 40:11

I hunger for the Word that reminds me of how God saw the un-doable list of rules (akin to my un-completable list of 'things that must get done today')... and He completed it for us. He gave up ALL his time to erase the burden on his beloved. He unsaddled her, unbridled her, kissed her with his last breath, and set her free.

She is free indeed if she abides in Him. Wild and free.

So I remember.

I re-think this race to 'get it all done'.

It will never get done until the angels sound that trumpet. It will only get passed on... like a heavy load from one ant to the next.

I have only today. I have only this moment.

Oh, Lord, please teach me to make it count. Teach me to BE IN it. Help me to set aside the list - knowing that if I trust YOU, it will get done.

Help me to do the BEST thing, not just the 'next' thing.

It is not an excuse to be lazy. It's a mandate to ABIDE in Him. To honor Him and listen to Him... to hear Him and SEE Him. Be His hands and feet - first to those He has placed in my care - and then to those He brings across my path. This is joy. And where there is joy, the work is like play - it is all enjoyable. This is the 'simple' life... the one that is focused on the One that makes all things possible through Him. The rest is just the stuff that needs to get done.

If He's your reason, give Him your stuff. He'll order it; and put joy back in your life. Seek Him First.

"Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

~ Matthew 11:28-30

Lord help us let go of the burden. Bathe us in your rest. Let us delight in your yoke. Fill our hearts with the joy of your blessings so we can know not just living, but 'life abundant'. Amen.



For more on this series, see the first Order of Operations post.

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The Really-expensive Rambling Road to Relevant

Texas, Arkansas, Tennessee, Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania... and more. My eyes are stuck on the laminated wall map lately... and my head in the clouds.

Relevant is still a few months off in late October, but those of us who are committed to going to the event are beginning to look for sponsors and map out our trip. There are decisions to be made about whether to go it alone or take the family, to fly and stay in the greater Hershey, PA area or to drive and see the country... making stops along the way. You all know me by now if you have followed me for any length of time - as my heart is on the open road... winding down ribbons of freeway into the sunlight... feeling the wind in my hair... and eating sandwiches out of the back of the truck while my kids put "We've Been There" stickers on their homeschool state notebooks.

We love a good road trip.

Relevant is different than any of the other trips, though... because Relevant is in Pennsylvania and that's REALLY far away.

When I first glanced at the map and discussed it with my husband, his comment was: "You can't go that far and not see DC."

It was the first time my man had showed interest in a blog conference (but he really isn't interested in the conference - just the chance to vacation with his family... something that never happens for us because we've never had the money to travel). His dad lived near DC for some time when he was a kid (in Leesburg), so he has a special fondness for the area. I saw the misty-watercolor memories floating around in his mind quite clearly and used it as an opportunity to make my case.

"Well, we could make it in to a 'family vacation' you know. We could take the kids on a field trip to DC and see the Smithsonian and the Monuments. Would you be willing to take off time from work and go with me?" My eyes lit up to think there might be a chance.

"Yeah! Yeah!" The kids threw themselves on the floor in front of the map to trace out the path between Texas and Pennsylvania... lingering over our nation's capitol. They began to list the new states we would be passing through that they could add to their 'been there' list. "Daddy, please?"

He didn't answer us that night, but I heard him talking to his dad about it on the phone as if he was considering it. They started talking about the things we should see in DC. My heart felt light and I decided to go out on a limb and empty my paypal account to purchase my ticket to Relevant before they sold out - just in case.

I knew it would be expensive, but I had no idea HOW expensive until I started doing the math just recently. Everyone planning to go has been tweeting online about beginning to try and gather sponsors to help them cover the costs, so I began the legwork of putting my media kit for sponsors together yesterday - which includes doing a rough budget for the trip. Boy, was I surprised when my total reached over $4,000 dollars. The light feeling I had about really reaching PA suddenly fell flat.

Which is why I'm telling you about it. I figure you can help me get my head straight... the more heads I have working on this problem, the better - right?

I need some help in cutting corners to make the trip more affordable... and I need sponsors to make it happen. There won't be any credit card to fall back on this time. I really have to get the funds together BEFORE I go... or we'll have to pass on this once-in-a-lifetime road trip. Trust me. Texans don't just routinely wind up in Washington DC. It's a special kind of rarity that we cowpokes make it that far.

Here are the costs that I've estimated:
5 people (including dad, mom, baby, 2 tweens)
9 days (leaving grandma behind to take care of the house and cats)
rental car (1200$)
24 hours on the road - one way, 3 days up, 3 days there, 3 days back
gas at $2.70-80 per gallon both ways ($1100)
hotel, 3 days up, 3 days there, 2 days back ($1050)
groceries for snacks and a few meals on the road ($180)
food, eating out for family minus my conference food ($575)
conference ticket ($220)
business card and related conf. expenses ($50)
museums, tolls, parking, misc. ($250)
TOTAL FOR TRIP: $4500ish

There's just no way to cut it down much smaller unless we take our own vehicle which has over 140K miles on it. My vehicle is in decent shape, but I am scared to death to drive it that far with so many miles already on it. If it broke down while we were that far away from home, I'd have to mortgage my house to get it back to Texas and get it fixed. While I know people along the way, I hate to 'use' them for a free night's sleep and a free dinner. Plus, most of our traveling time will be during weekdays when people are busy with their lives. We'll need to stay in hotels most of the time - especially since there are 5 of us. And we have to eat. Don't we? I can only force the family (and my sandwich hating husband) to eat one meal a day in the car. I found this out on the last cross country drive... and my mom doesn't even hate sandwiches. She's not as picky of a "traveling buddy" as my man would be.

I can tell you one thing... I really want to go to Relevant. I know it looks impossible, but my family would be ever so sad if we weren't able to work it out that they could go with me. My kids have been trip planning and map scouring since I first mentioned it. I'm certain that if God wants us to make the trip, the money will come. However, I'm dedicated to being a good steward and am VERY interested in ways I can cut down on my costs to make it more affordable for my sponsors and for us - to make it happen.

I can only go about 10-12 hours in the car per day. We've done 14 and 16 hour stretches before and they are awful on everyone. This time, with my husband on board, I'd rather cut a few corners on the drive time so we get the rest we need to maintain 'cheery' attitudes in the car. He's a grumpy bear when he hasn't gotten his beauty rest. Trust me on that.



Here are a few scenarios as to times and places:

Austin to Little Rock - Day 1
Little Rock to ? (10-12 hours) - somewhere near the George Washington Nat. Forest - Day 2
? to DC (short drive so we can spend the day doing museums/tour) - Day 3
DC to Hershey (including time for morning touring in DC) - Day 4
Hershey (conference) - Day 5
Hershey (conference) - Day 6
Hershey to Leesburg - Day 7
Leesburg to Memphis or Little Rock - Day 8
Home - Day 9

What a crazy homeschool blogging mama I am. I'm sure you didn't need me to tell you that, though.

So. Do you have any tips? Pointers? Must-see advice? Ways to cut costs? Traveling ideas? Change from under your seat cushions in your couch that you would like to donate towards the trip? Phone numbers to psychiatrists?

I'm sure you can help me figure this out. I'm counting on it!

Just a Monday

It's been busy around the hive while we try and finish out our school year between now and the end of August. Our culture fair is this weekend, too - and my kids are preparing a report on India and China. Not a spare moment...

I'm popping in to share a few simple thoughts...

The view from where I sit ... papers, books, piles of school work awaiting motion and mind.

Outside My Window... Waving winds on the other side of the glass, bumping and blowing: "Come outside and play!"

I am thinking... that I need to hug on the kids and snuggle with my man on the couch tonight. We've got a movie from Netflix to watch.

I am thankful for... my family.

We are learning... about ancient history and Asian cultures, atoms and molecules, how to take better photographs, fractions, new songs on the piano for the upcoming May recital...

From the kitchen... Burgers tonight.

I am wearing... I'm always in jeans when I don't have my pajamas on... unless it's Sunday. My striped green shirt makes me look like "Steve".

I am creating... a menu for the month.

I am going... to Relevant in October. Would you like to sponsor me? It's a 24 hour drive (one way) and we're stopping in DC to 'field trip' on the way there. We have a cousin that lives in PA that we haven't seen in a few years that wants to meet up with us in Hershey. I've never been to Pennsylvania or Washington DC before.

I am reading... the same books that the kids are reading (loving the ancient history unit we are doing), and I'm going through my 100's of magazines one day at a time, tearing out the pages that I love, and putting them in folders by topic.

I am hoping... to find time to pay bills tomorrow.

I am hearing... Mrs. Piggy and Kermit in the living room (Daddy and the baby are in there), and scissors and the stapler in here at the dining table (the big kids are putting together some science books).

Around the house... there is one helium balloon left from Kohen's first birthday party and the carpet and bathrooms are in need of a good cleaning.

One of my favorite things... Kohen's curls when his hair gets moist from humidity or sweat... and the way it grew in like a rooster or Mohawk.

A Few Plans For The Rest Of The Week: Homeschool, projects for the Culture Fair, cooking, cleaning, reading and resting in Him.

Here is picture thought I am sharing...


Sweet pink of spring - the Red-bud trees are in bloom. If we weren't the allergy poster family, I'd bring in a branch and put them in a pretty vase on the table.

How about you? What are you up to today?



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