Owner: Simply A Musing Blog URL:http://www.simplyamusingblog.blogspot.com Join Date: Mon, 15 Oct 2007 11:35:15 -0500 Rating:0 Site Description: I believe in self-deprecating humor, always wearing clean underwear, and looking on the bright side. I'm a happily married Christian mom of three and I homeschool, but don't give me any of those turtlenecks and rompers - 'cause I'm tragically hip. Site statistics:Click here
Love me some wireless Rocketfish 2007-10-16 10:34:00 Mamanista is giving a way a Rockefish Wireless Keyboard and I want to win it! (but because I'm nice, I'm telling you about it so you, too, can go enter!)
Motherhood 2007-10-15 17:55:00 Lately, I've been doing more thinking than writing. I've watched my kids at work and at play and I have noticed that they tend to emulate the way my husband and I work and play. I've watched other kids at play and made mental notes of how their parents have interacted with them. I've checked out books from the library on how to get siblings to get along, how to get your kids to listen, raising motivated learners...and a plethora of other subjects. I've read my Bible more...oh, and I've been praying...probably more of that than anything else.See, I want to be a better parent. I need to understand things. I have an appetite for knowledge in this area that can't be satiated. I am just now after 10 years of motherhood realizing that to truly be a better parent, you can't just WISH you were. You can't just STOP doing something you've always done (like raising your voice when frustrated at your kids) if you don't replace it with something BETTER to do. Your kids will not "automati Read more:Motherhood
Inspired... 2007-10-23 11:53:00 Stop whatever you're doing and watch this 5 minute movie. One word: inspiring.The Race Then come back and tell me what you thought. Technorati Tags: motivational, the race, Texas
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Good night...or is it good morning? 2007-10-23 06:01:00 I'm not sure, since I haven't been to bed yet. Remember yesterday? I wrote about "overcommitting" myself? I just finished that powerpoint (it's 4:45 am) and it's still not "perfect"...but my eyes are crossing and I have double vision, so it's time to quit. I have to deliver it in an hour and a half, so no use going to bed. With the help of a pot of coffee and the Lord, I should be able to make it through. But still, if you hear a really loud crash around 4:30 in the afternoon, don't worry, it's just me falling face first again.I'm so clumsy lately...and I'm not even pregnant. Three weeks ago, I dove face first off the platform at church after singing (caught myself, thank-you-very-much) and twisted the fooey out of my ankle. I really wish you could have seen it. It was a spectacular save, though - right out of the Guiness Book of world records under "woman holds record for doing triple kow tow off church's platform while twisting ankle and somehow manages to avoid the pianis
Secrets, superheroes, and plain old stupidity 2007-10-22 09:40:00 You might think that after living on this Earth for 38 years, I'd learn to stop overcommitting myself. Yes, at times, I let my mouth overload my...well, you know. I have a secret to share with y'all today. I'm superwoman. Don't tell me you didn't already know that? I can read 114 blogs in a single sitting, homeschool two kids who don't really want to do school on any given day, and I can do 40 gazillion loads of laundry, fold them on my bed, and then promptly fall asleep under the covers without ever disturbing the neatly folded piles of clothing.That's my average day. Throw in there about eleventy hundred phone calls, a husband who needs his clothes ironed, feeding my brood, business partners who need special powerpoint presentations made that apparently only I can do...and you have today.Now I have to let you in on another little secret...I'm not really who they think I am. I can't always do it all effectively. I just put on a really good show on the outside...but on the ins Read more:Secrets
, stupidity
A new beginning every day... 2007-10-20 08:49:00 Sometimes I feel I am on a merry go round that is twirling at hyperspeed, carnival music blaring noisily in the background, unable to focus on anything in particular because the days are a blur as they fly by me. The voice in my head is pleading for someone to stop the ride so I can get off and collect my thoughts before I have to jump back on. But the ride doesn't ever stop - children, husband, business, church...all require more of me than I feel I am able to give at times because of the intensity of my self-induced vertigo.My desire to take a day off and stay in bed during times like these is overwhelming. But I am a responsible person...a wife, a mom, a business owner. Life doesn't slow down just because I can't keep up. It marches steadily on, with me falling further and further behind in my duties and obligations. I am bound to this carousel of my so called life by the aforementioned duties and obligations. But, they are the anchors that keep me in my rightful place, not fette Read more:every
The Golden Compass 2007-10-29 13:38:00 On December 7, the movie "The GoldenCompass
" will be released in theaters and before you even consider taking your children, I URGE you to please read the Snopes.com site here. This movie is drawn from a trilogy of books called "His Dark Materials" that are explicitly anti-Christian: They talk about the church, God, sin, the kingdom of heaven, Jesus, being a Christian, atonement, and redemption. They quote directly from the Bible. At one point, one of the key characters says:I thought physics could be done to the glory of God, till I saw there wasn't any God at all and that physics was more interesting anyway. The Christian religion is a very powerful and convincing mistake, that's all. (The Amber Spyglass, p. 464)So there is no getting away from the fact that Pullman has written a series of books for teenagers / young adults, with an explicitly anti-Christian message. Here are two reasons why these books are harmful: How he describes the churchIn 'His Dark Materials', Pullman por
Um..okay. I can totally see how THIS could work... 2007-11-06 17:23:00 Aya Tsukioka is a Japanese designer who has created a ninja-inspired handmade skirt that transforms into a vending machine, hoping that her design will help young women walking the streets alone at night feel safer.ARE YOU KIDDING ME?Technorati Tags: coke machine, Texas
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Giving it everything you've got 2007-11-05 13:05:00 I haven't fallen off the face of the earth, but I have been "deep in the midst" of some storms lately and really haven't felt much like blogging or writing about it.This scene from Facing the Giants is one of my all-time favorites and it inspires me to push harder and give it my very best. It's all heart from here...Technorati Tags: youtube, Facing the Giants, Texas
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Saturday Miscellany 2007-11-10 07:13:00 An assorted list of things I need to work on this weekend:1. There's Chili's Holiday Shopping Carnival to get ready for.2. I overheard my kids talking in the kitchen about some kid things that reminded me of adult things...not sure that one will make it to the blog.3. My first ever book review - yes, a publisher sent me a brand new children's book and I'm reviewing it this week, so stay tuned!4. A Thanksgiving post to beat all Thanksgiving posts.5. A birthday post with photos of my soon-to-be-three-year-old daughter.6. Clean this wrecked house of mine!7. Practice the song I'm singing at my MIL's church Sunday morning.8. Enjoy some stress-free time with my family - we got a free rental from Redbox and we rented "Meet the Robinsons".Hope you all have a terrific weekend! See you Monday...Technorati Tags: laundry list, Texas
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, Miscellany
And a child shall lead them... 2007-11-09 16:22:00 Logan is a 13 year old boy who lives on a ranch in a very small town in Nebraska. He called a Christian Radio station to share his story - he was distraught because he had to take down a calf. His words have wisdom beyond his years.Listen to what Logan had to say….Technorati Tags: faith, Logan's calf, Texas
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, shall
Seasons of my life 2007-11-09 09:12:00 Oh my word. Well, that was revealing, wasn't it? I am seriously trying to resist the urge to pluck it from the world wide web and chuck it into the recycle bin. I think I'll tell you a story from my childhood to get my mind off of yesterdays unfortunate post.I grew up on a farm in South Texas. To be more exact, my family was the hired help for the Rich Man who owned the big farm in South Texas. My daddy, though loving, was not exactly the sort of man you depended upon...he couldn't hold a job for very long because he couldn't stay sober long enough to do it. Mama never held this against him, but she didn't let him stay around when he was drinking, so he'd disappear for long periods of time and then, bam, there he was again. Like nothing had ever happened...I was too young not to realize this wasn't normal, but my brothers all resented him for it.The rest of us worked twice as hard to make up for what daddy lacked. Besides, the Rich Man was never there and he actually lived on an
It snowed today in Texas, didn't you hear? 2007-11-08 18:40:00 Stay at home mom? That's me. I don't get too many days off, either. But today, I took one. Katie was out of town with family for the day and since I only had AJ and Abby, I decided to call an early "snow day" and we skipped school. We stayed in our pajamas until 11:30 and we lounged around the house as if we had nothing better to do.I tried crafting...made some of these flowers from Wisecraft, mod-podged a picture frame for a Christmas present, but I really couldn't get into the whole crafting thing, as much as I wanted to. I just have too many things on my mind right now, I suppose.As I mentioned previously, the last couple of weeks have been a tad bit stressful, to say the least. I usually don't blog about it because of...well, privacy issues - there are people from church that read this blog, as well as extended family members and I don't want pity, I want prayer. But, in the interest of full disclosure, I have decided to share my story, because I feel like a hypocrite for pret Read more:Texas
Wordless Wednesday - First Kiss 2007-11-07 08:52:00 Check out the new Wordless Wednesday
HQ!!View More Wordless Wednesday ParticipantsTechnorati Tags: humor, Wordless Wednesday, Texas
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I'm in a Holidaze... 2007-12-01 02:55:00 Since the moulin rouge (okay, money) is pretty tight around here these days (don't tell anyone, but I actually squeak when I walk now), we are giving handmade gifts for the holidays. A couple of weeks ago, I was in the process of making some top-secret goodies and with the help of my craft-loving kids, we have continued with the projects.Before I go any further...if you are reading this and your name happens to be Lulu, STOP READING now unless you want to know what you are getting for Christmas. Shoo. Just go on now...aren't the Cowboys playing on tivo???I decided to make things that were practical (aprons, appliqued towels, coasters, etc) this year because...well, because it's hard to make something impractical with no money. So there you have it. I sewed this up tonight and used one of the flowers I made a couple of weeks ago on the front just for fun. In case you can't tell, (what does that say about my sewing prowess?) it's a grocery bag dispenser. I found the idea on Dioramar
She is NOT my favorite... 2007-12-01 02:17:00 Did somebody say something about birthday pictures? I've decided that after looking at these photos, I need a new digital camera...and maybe some photography lessons. Yeah, that's it...Wake up, already! It's your birthday, girl! (and yes, I'm a bad mom, she went to bed with her CLOTHES on...gasp!)The much-coveted Winnie the Pooh cupcake cake.We are very happy with our much-coveted Winnie the Pooh cupcake cake, so much so that we don't even notice the balloon that is about to strangle us!We aren't so crazy about the cake once the candles are lit...that's fire and mom, if you've told me once, you told me a hundred times to stay away from fire...so I'll just let big brother blow out the candles, if that's alright. What do you mean don't eat the frosting off all the cupcakes?Hey, guys, just so you know, I'm three and I really don't need help opening my presents anymore.You would think my mom would have bought some birthday paper..what is this Anne Geddes stuff doing on my birt
Showers of blessings... 2007-11-27 19:36:00 Hi. It's me. Yes, I'm still alive. Doing super-duper, thanks so much for asking. Sorry I haven't been around, but to be totally honest, I have been just ENJOYING life for the last two weeks...without giving so much as a thought to this blog. Horrible, I know. Especially for someone who was trying to develop a following - not good. So please forgive me for not updating you...everything is fine on the homefront, other than the fact that I seriously need a haircut and oh my word, do I ever need a coloring...I look like a calico cat - tri-color...dark on tips, red in the middle and white at the roots. Verrry attractive. I'm starting a new trend...when people stare, I pretend that it's on purpose. (Hey, if people can walk around with earrings hanging out of their nose, what's wrong with my Neopolitan hair???)I promise to update soon on all that has been happening, but I REALLY wanted to share a HUGE blessing that occurred on November 10th with everyone.Remember me writing about this d Read more:Showers
On the horns of a dilemma... 2007-12-08 14:38:00 A dilemma
is a problem offering two solutions or possibilities, of which neither is acceptable. The two options are often described as the horns of a dilemma, neither of which is comfortable.Let me assure you...I was anything but comfortable on Thanksgiving Day. In fact, it was probably the least enjoyable Thanksgiving I can remember in all of my 38 years on this earth. Oh the food was delicious, most of the company was delightful, and it was a pleasure to see out of town relatives after a year-long hiatus. But the dark cloud of what I knew must have been hanging over my head all day, because my friend asked me what was up - she said I wasn't my usual cheery self. I had made up my mind that I wasn't going to interfere...I would be what the Bible calls a 'talebearer'...a gossiper, and it wasn't my place to get involved. After all, she knew what she was up against, didn't she? She'd been this way once with my relative, so I didn't have any responsibility here.(Cue dark theatrica
Jack Frost folding all my clothes... 2007-12-06 23:47:00 There are some things I just don't have the time to waste my energy or resources on. Like laundry. Just kidding...laundry is a necessity. Unless you're a nudist...which I'm not - and since Jack Frost
has officially moved into the Northeast corner of Texas, I'm more of what you'd call a "bundler-upper".I remember when I was a kid growing up in Alaska, every time I'd leave the house for school, my mother would call out from under her down comforter lap throw (while seated in her leather recliner), "Bundle up honey, it's cold outside!" Which would have been all fine and dandy. But it was the middle of the summer. The winters were another story, however. I DID develop the habit of "layering" my clothing. Luckily, it was the 1980's and layering was in high style. Leg warmers over skin tight leggings under an oversized sweatshirt that was over a tank top (a la "Flashdance"). I was HOT...but in a cool sort of way. I still have a tendency to want to dress in layers (sans the leg warmer
Moral dilemma - what would you have done? 2007-12-07 00:06:00 Okay, so I probably messed things up. But what would you have done?Here's the setup:Your friend is seeing someone you are related to and it appears to be serious on the part of your friend. Your relative is a sleazoid who is seeing other women (and you know this for a fact because it has been verified by said relative) and has no intention of ever doing right by your friend and is just using her to get what he wants. She is only somewhat oblivious because she has been through this once with said relative and has said if it ever happened again, that's it.Do you tell her or keep your mouth shut? Technorati Tags: moral dilemma
s, Texas
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OH MY Knots Landing... 2007-12-06 11:25:00 Is this a result of plastic surgery or is she the walking dead? (Not trying to be offensive, but she doesn't look "right")And I PROMISE to put up a real post here today, just catching up on school, crafts, housework, and life in general. It wouldn't be fair to use the holidays as my excuse, because honestly? Everyone has the same 24 hours in a day to get their stuff done and blog. Seems I just take longer to get it done, leaving less time for blogging. Since we are handmaking all of our Christmas presents this year, I feel so BEHIND, because I've got piles and piles of craft stuff and fabric on my dining room table.Heaven help me if someone shows up at my door...they might not be allowed in my house at the moment. Does the word "cluttered" mean anything to you?Technorati Tags: Knots
Landing, Christmas, Texas
Holy Cow, Batman! 2007-12-05 14:58:00 This is one guy who can do it all...he sings the theme song "A Whole New World" (male and female parts) all by himself...and it's pretty good. Kind of creepy to see a guy who sounds better than some women when they sing, but then again...who am I to judge? What do you think?Technorati Tags: YouTube, Disney, Texas
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Stress Free Wrapping 2007-12-20 09:57:00 As Christmas morning nears, (my kids count down daily - I am informed practically on the hour) cookies, candies, bars, and the like are being baked; the house is getting a good cleaning; and the presents are all wrapped under the tree presents are all hidden throughout various parts of our house, awaiting the frenzy of discovery on Christmas morning.We don't wrap our Christmas morning presents, no-sir-ree. Years ago, I made giant stockings (about 3-1/2 feet tall)for everyone in our family. We have a lovely tradition that on Christmas eve, we each get to open our one or two wrapped presents, and the rest go unwrapped into or under our stockings for Christmas morning. The kids love not having to unwrap 10 gazillion things and mom loves: 1) not having to wrap said presents; and 2) not having to stuff three Hefty garbage sacks full of wrapping paper. It truly makes for a Merry Christmas for all involved. So that is what works for our family...what works for yours? See more WFMW tips at Ro Read more:Wrapping
Use caution when reading this post... 2007-12-14 12:27:00 Rambling post alert! Reading this post may cause drowsiness. If affected do not drive or operate heavy machinery.1. We had our annual church Ladies party last night - it was so much fun! I didn't remember my camera, but I know a certain friend who took lots of photos...including one of her in the bathtub! (fully clothed, but you should see this bathtub -- it's seriously delicious!) We had what I have always called a "Chinese Gift Exchange", but others (in the interests of political correctness?) call it a White Elephant party. So for all of you Chinese folks that have ever heard me call it a "Chinese Gift Exchange"...please don't be offended, I was, up until now, ignorant of the fact that I was being offensive. Instead, I'll just call it a "Chinese White Elephant" gift exchange. Because I'm wierd like that.2. AJ got SAVED Wednesday night! Yours truly was blessed to be able to walk him down the good old Romans Road at 9:52 pm and ask him all the important questions to make sure he
Feeling Silly... 2007-12-14 11:08:00 I elfed the kids here. Check them out. AJ is in the middle and he's the one elf who can really bust a move. How appropriate.
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, Silly
Recipe Roundup - cookies, bars, candies 2007-12-12 05:10:00 I have yet to begin my holiday baking (yes, I'm running a tad bit behind this year), but once I get going, there's no stopping me. This year, I am making some of my husband's favorites - peanut patties and orange cream candy (things his mama has made all of his life) for our Christmas Eve celebration at his mama's house. Plus, I'm making some of my own favorites - peanut brittle, haystacks, and graham cracker cookies. If you have not ever tried graham cracker cookies...oh my stars...you HAVE to try this recipe! Mouth watering, flavorful, delicious...and easy!Here are a few of our family's favorites, try 'em!Orange Cream Candy2 c cugar1/2 c coffee creamer1/2 c Karo1/2 tsp vanilla1 c chopped nuts1 lg orange rind, gratedCook sugar, creamer, Karo and orange rind until it form soft ball stage. Add vanilla and beat until thick, add nuts and beat until creamy. Pur into buttered pan and cut when completely cooled.Microwave Peanut Patties1-1/2 c sugar 2 cups raw pe
It's 4 am and I'm wide awake 2007-12-12 04:34:00 My husband left for a one day business trip to Houston (5-1/2 hours away) and he had to get up this morning at 3:30, so here I am, internets! Wide awake with no one to talk to...so I'll just share this little gem with you:An atheist became incensed over the preparation of Easter and Passover holidays. He decided to contact his lawyer about the discrimination inflicted on atheists by the constant celebrations afforded to Christians and Jews with all their holidays while atheists had no holiday to celebrate.The case was brought before a judge. After listening to the long passionate presentation by the lawyer, the Judge banged his gavel and declared, 'Case dismissed!'The lawyer immediately stood and objected to the ruling and said, 'Your honor, how can you possibly dismiss this case? The Christians have Christmas, Easter and many other observances. Jews have Passover, Yom Kippur and Hanukkah...yet my client and all other atheists have no such holiday!'The judge leaned forward in his
12 Days - Straight No Chaser 2007-12-21 11:48:00 I saw this on Gigi's blog and had to share it here - it is SO funny and these guys are seriously talented.Technorati Tags: Straight
No Chaser, YouTube, Texas
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