Memorial Day for me

You already know we do things a bit strange around here, this is just gonna add to the list :)

Memorial Day for most is spending time going to graveyards placing beautiful wreaths on the graves of loved ones.  Memorial Day for us - ICE CREAM!

You see years ago when my pappy john (my greatgrandpa) was still around, he said to my mom, "don't cry over my grave, don't waste money on flowers i will never see.  Take those babies and get them some ice cream."  He loved ice cream and he loved us.  He wanted us to not be sad on this day of remembering, but to remember the good times, the stuff he loved.  And I am pretty sure ice cream topped his list.  So out of no disrespect for others, today I will take my kids for ice cream.  We will celebrate the life of a man, they never knew, but who prayed for them before they were born or even knew they were a possibility.  He died when I was about 8 years old, but I know beyond a shadow of a doubt he prayed for me.  He prayed for my future and my future family, he was just that kind a guy.  He made an impression on my life that will always remain.

Today as we eat our ice cream, the memories of him will flood back like a river.

I will remember gardening with him, well actually I just played in the dirt, he did the gardening, but I thought I was working so hard :)

I remember he could eat corn on the cob by the dozen.

I remember riding on his lap from WV to OH in the front of a pick truck and eating fried chicken straight from the bucket. (This was before seatbelt laws, and besides there were so many of us in the front of that thing, if we wrecked, no one would have moved.)

I remember stopping in Ironton for the ice cream every time we drove through, because there was a place there that made the biggest ice cream cones you have ever seen.  Soft serve at least 18inches high!

I remember finding him asleep in his rocking chair and asking him if he was sleeping and would say - "nah, just checkin' for holes".  For years I believed he actually thought there could be holes in his eyelids.

I remember watching him pray and seeing miracles happen - I am talking biblical miracles here, people.

The last memory I have of him, I fell asleep at my grandparents and he carried me out.  I opened my sleepy little eyes and saw his kind face in his old red ball cap, and his kiss me on the head (one of those kisses that you know has a prayer behind it) and whispered - "I love you"

Enjoy your Memorial Day in the way that your family feels best, and you feel like you have honored those who have gone on before.

As for me and my family, don't wonder when you see us laughing over ice cream, we are just honoring a great man!

Me and Pappy 1975

Do you like change?

I am not a big material person.  You could say my house is decorated in minimalist style.  But I do love fresh looks.  I just completed the quad-annual, rearrange the house so everything feels new.  I like walking into a room that feels fresh, new, clean.  I have moved all the furniture, rearrange the cabinets, and found new homes for many items.  This will last for a season and then my nomadic spirit of change will rise again and my husband will no longer be able to find the plates.

What about you, do you like fresh looks and change?
How often do you rearrange?

Come on guys . . . I need to know if I am normal or not?  . . .lol . . . I am afraid it's too late for that, but I would like to know!

Quick Meals

Ok, you find yourself crunched for time and you need a meal quick.
We know that picking up something is not in the budget, so what do you do?

What is your favorite throw together meal?

I will give you a few of mine to get started :)

Jar of Alfredo and bag of noodles - $2.00 for Alfredo and $.50 for noodles - just feed whole family for $2.50, if we want to splurge we add a can of white meat chicken for an extra $1.50
Pancakes or Waffles - total cost of all ingredients runs me about $2 - again if we want to splurge I might cook some bacon or sausage for an additional $2 or $3
Pizza Baked Spaghetti - fast and easy, just cook some of your favorite noodles, put in baking pan, top with a can of spaghetti sauce and then top like a pizza and bake - total cost about $5

Now tell me yours . . . I can't wait to try them.  I am always running out of time!

Don't ask me how . . . just ask me why!

Do you ever get tired of people asking you how you do it, when they find out you homeschool?

I wish they would just ask me why instead.

You see when you ask me how, I become overwhelmed with all that I do wife, mom, teacher, cook, laundress, nurse, maid, gardener, pet keeper, dental hygienist, manicurist, pedicurist, chauffeur, lego club leader, equestrian mom, plumber, handyman, curriculum assessor, grocery shopper,  . . . (i need to stop this is getting overwhelming. . .see I told you).

But when you ask me why, then I am reminded of why I made the choice to lead this crazy life.

I would be happy to go over the list of reasons why we homeschool.  (Note - "why we" - homeschooling works for us, that doesn't mean it's for everyone,. There are a lot of mom's out there who don't homeschool, and yet their list is longer than mine - I do get that.)

There are two reasons for why we homeschool that soar to the top of my list.

1) Several years ago my husband and I were in process to adopt a little boy.  After 18 months of loving, naming, and caring for him, the courts decided to move him into a different home.  We lost our baby.  It was on that day, when they loaded my baby in the car and pulled out of my driveway that I realized, we are not guaranteed tomorrow.  I only have this moment to spend with kids.  I only have today to tell them I love them.  I don't want to let them go eight hours a day for someone else to impart to them.  I want to be the one who does all the imparting.  I want them to know who I am, who their dad is, and how God allows us to be the people we are.

2) My young husband already has 23 years in with Chick-fil-A.  When you do the math you will see it is his first and only job (except for one experience that I will let him tell you about).  People eat chicken when they aren't in public school.  So holidays, breaks, and Saturdays are the times when he is guaranteed to work and work long hours.  Homeschooling allows my kids to spend lots of time with dad, that if they were in public school, it just wouldn't happen.  We school hard in the summer, at holidays, and yes even on Saturdays.  But we also go camping and spend lots of time with dad in the middle of September, the first of January, the second week of May, . . .you get the picture.

See it's true . . . I told you why we homeschool and here even as I type. . . I find myself excited and ready to tackle some more of my crazy life.

So now, it's your turn - Why do you homeschool?

Be ready to feel invigorated and ready to tackle at least on more of your crazy days :)

Summer Reading List

I was surfing the web looking for reading lists for my kids.  I found this great list on Christianbook.com.  I want to share it with you.  We use it year around, not just summer.  Here are lots of great, wholesome books to add to your repertoire. http://www.christianbook.com/Christian/Books/cms_content?page=1163091&sp=86209

If you have must reads; please post them as a comment for all of us. . .

We all love a great book . . .

Happy Reading!

Here we go . . .again :)

A few years ago, we realized that we love to go camping.  Now, don't get the wrong pic in your head.  We are not sleep on the ground, forage for food kinda campers.  We are stay in the pop-up and make all the comfort foods of home kinda campers.  But we are away and daddy is with us.  He can talk to the chicken people but he can't get to them :)  We have him all to ourselves.  The time and the place don't really matter, just the fact that we are together - enjoying the moment - is high on the agenda.
Soon we will be off again, a few short days of our favorite past time, that still makes our friends and family laugh - YES, the Medlin's love camping!

Here are few of our nearby destinations - try them you may be surprised - you may be campers too!

Yogi Bear Jellystone Park - Waller Tx
Sam Houston National Forest - Cagle Campground - Huntsville, TX
KOA - Conroe, TX (they have indoor swimming pool for winter)
Huntsville State Park - Huntsville, TX

If you have some great places, please share . . .

Sweet 16

16 is a milestone!!!!
No none of my children are 16 years old, yet.
I am talking about the 16 years I have been married to my wonderful husband.
In this day and time, I am proud of our 16 years.  Most of the people our age have not reached this milestone and many are on their second time around.  Has it been easy - NO!  Was it worth it - YES!

Yesterday, I visited a couple in our church who were both in the same hospital.  They were on the same floor just doors away from each other, but they had not seen each other in four days.  While speaking to the wife, she began to cry.  I asked her what was wrong and she said, I miss my husband.  He has been my husband and friend for 60 years and I don't like being away from him.  I asked some questions and made a way for them to see each other.  As I wheeled her into his room, they both lit up, they spoke to each other about this and that, but mostly they just enjoyed each others presence.  When they found out today was our anniversary and that we had been married 16 years - they both laughed - "only 16", they said, "you are still babies.  Wait until you have been married for 60 years."

I can't wait until I can say I have spent 60 years with my best friend.  But until then, I will do my best to make the most of each year.  I will strive to love him more, to understand him more, to be a better friend and wife.  And someday my sweet 16 milestone will seem like just a teenage memory.

Gardening in a drought

Redo of yesterday. . .

Ok, it's not the blackbirds, grasshoppers, or hailstorms of "Little House on the Prairie", but gardening in a drought has tested the strength of my garden and my gardening skills.  I can give them city water several times a day, but nothing quenches a thirsty plant like water from the heaven's.  So you see it coming right. . . the sermon that can be found in this observation . . . we will now pause so you can preach it to yourself . . . let's recap - Only God's living water can keep me alive.

What does your modest compass say . . .

Redo of yesterday. . .

Ok, just because we school through the summer doesn't mean we don't love the activities that come with summer.  Swimming is one our favorite activities.  After a funny post from a friend on facebook, I realized that our modesty compass doesn't point the same as most.  So, I thought I would post some links for those who are looking for modest swimwear.

This is for those who are like us - just looking for a suit that doesn't make you wonder if all you parts are gonna fall out - www.swimmodest.com

This is for those who feel it is imperative to be covered while swimming - you may have seen the Duggar's wear these - www.modestswimwear4u.com

And I found this one after yesterday's blog that was erased - this falls in between and has options for nursing mother's and ladies who have had mastectomies  - www.hydrochic.com

I realize that these suit are not for the athletic swimmer.

I am not trying to push my modest compass on you.  I just wanted you to realize that there are options out there.  We have found some of these items at local thrift stores, so don't be overwhelmed at the price.

Happy Swimming!

AGH!

Blogger went down yesterday and erased my both my posts.  How frustrating?  I will do my best to repost them.

Summer Break - NOT!

Well it's getting close. . . that time as a homeschool mom I dread. The end of the public school year.

You see, we are constant homeschoolers, because we are constant breakers.  Let me explain.  We don't ever really take an official break in our school year.  But we take frequent pauses to go camping, spend time with visiting relatives, spend days off with dad, let mom have a break, etc.  So, we homeschool year around.  In fall and spring, when the days are cool and pleasant - school days are short and time outside is long.  But on those hot summer days, when just looking outside makes us sweat - we have long school days and short outside time.  This is a great plan and my kids love it until all of our traditionally schooled friends get excited about "Summer Break".  And they look at me with those puppy dogs eyes and say, "mom, are we going to work all summer!"  And I look back with my most gracious smile and scream, "Yes, we are gonna work all summer, we haven't done thing all year!!!!!"

Homemade = Budget Friendly :)

So I have always been a friend of homemade, recently I have found that not only does homemade mean so many less chemicals, but it is very budget friendly - so we are now making our own . . .

laundry soap
bar soap
shower cleaner
dishwasher detergent

These things take much more time than picking them up from the store, but the benefits are worth it . . .

bread
waffles

My next adventure homemade pasta . . .

Don't get me wrong, I am not proclaiming that you should make these things.  I am just letting you know what we do, because I want to know what you do.

What do you make homemade that most people buy at the store?

TELL ME!  and I will probably ask for your recipe :)