2008 Christmas Quiz
How well do you know us?

Some of you may not have received this yet, but I'm hearing from others who have and I'd like to post the answers so they can find them the first time they check the blog. - To check your answers click on the Answer key/giveaway link.

1. Since the newsletter 5 years ago
a. BreAnne, Krista & Josiah gradated and moved out of our home
b. We’ve moved from beautiful Alaska to sunny West Texas
c. Mike promoted to Maj and serves as the Sr. Prot Chaplain at Goodfellow AFB
d. All of the above

2. Which is not one of our favorite leisure time activities?
a. Coaxing a garden from W TX soil
b. Paint balling, Geocaching, hiking & camping
c. Family read alouds
d. Keeping in touch with friends and family via blogs, facebook, telephone conversations and visits

3. Where have we recently traveled?
a. Josiah and Bre traveled to Boston, Philadelphia and Washington D.C.
b. Krista traveled to Trinidad, West Indies
c. Mike traveled to Kuwait (he’s home)
d. The family traveled to WA, AK, CO and various TX spots
e. All of the above

4. Jamin, our budding author
a. Paid for Mike and him to attend the CWG Writing for the Soul Conference in CO Springs, CO
b. Finished his second novel
c. Published articles in online and print magazines
d. Become a writer for our local newspaper
e. All of the above

5. In which activity has Jared NOT participated?
a. Volunteering weekly with House of Faith, a ministry to inner-city kids
b. Ran for city council
c. Played competitively on a local basketball team.
d. Promoted to SMSgt and awarded Cadet of the Year in Civil Air Patrol

6. Which is NOT true of Arielle?
a. Excels in piano lessons
b. Reads an average of 4 books a week
c. Took a solo parachute jump for her birthday in May
d. Began wearing glasses

7. De’Etta keeps busy by
a. Running produce and natural foods co-ops
b. Homeschooling
c. Teaching local Bible Studies and serving on the Central Region PWOC board
d. Participating in online forums
e. All of the above

8. Which of our children takes piano lessons and recently danced in San Angelo Civic Ballet’s production of the Nutcracker?
a. Nolan
b. Zander
c. Arielle
d. None of the above

9. What has kept Zander (Alexander) busy in 2008?
a. Began school, but is easily bored unless the topics are dinosaurs, whales,or knights
b. Favorite pastime (which he earns monthly) is Play Station
c. Has responded well to a diet with no dyes, artificial flavors or preservatives
d. All of the above

10. Our family vacation included alpine hiking, cave explorations, a castle tour, visits with family and fellow Air Force families. Where did we vacation?
a. London, England
b. Westcliffe, Colorado
c. Trier, Germany
d. Asheville, North Carolina

11. Which has Stacia NOT done?
a. Painted the walls with Sharpies
b. Pushed the Christmas tree over
c. Severely cut her hair
d. Brought zest and adventure to our family

12. Which of the following is NOT correct?
a. Mike and De’Etta will celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary on Valentine’s Day
b. Jamin will graduate May 23, 2009
c. De’Etta is pregnant with our 10th child
d. The nucleus of our family (Mike, De’Etta, and at least five children) will move in Summer 2009

13. Where can you find the answer key for this quiz?
a. Phone us deleted
b. Request from deleted
c. Write & request at deleted
d. Visit not2many.blogspot.com; click the Christmas Quiz link for key and to enter a New Year’s Giveaway of a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate

Love, Mike, De’Etta, Bre , Krista, Cy, Jamin , Jared, Arielle, Nolan , Zander & Stacia

©2008 D.R.G.

2008 Christmas Quiz Answer Key & Giveaway

Thanks for taking the time to stop by and check your answers to our 2008 Christmas Quiz. Below are the answers.

We'd like to start the New Year off with a Giveaway of a $25 gift certificate to Amazon.com. To be eligible you only need to read the quiz BEFORE you read the answers (it doesn't matter if you received the quiz through the mail or read it on the blog), check in here and leave a comment with your score and any other memory or comment you'd care to share. Be sure that we know how to contact you. Every member in your family, who is old enough to take the quiz and comment on their own, may leave a comment and enter once. We'll pick a random winner on my birthday - 24 Jan. That should give everyone plenty of time to do this after the busy Christmas season.

1. D – All of the above. We left Anchorage in June of 2005. Since that time Mike has served as the Sr. Protestant Chaplain at Goodfellow AFB, TX.

The girls have been living in Spokane, WA the past 3 ½ years. They originally went to Spokane to participate in Master’s Commission (MC). BreAnne currently serves as the Executive Administrator for Spokane MC. She plans this to be her last year with SMC. Krista served on staff the past year with MC and is now working and saving for her next grand adventure – a mission’s trip overseas.

Josiah graduated in May of 2007. He is currently ½ way through his second year at Angelo State University. He is also a manager for Chick-fil-A and has the goal of owning one of these businesses in the future.

2. A – our gardening attempts went nowhere. In fact, the timbers to build garden boxes are still sitting on the patio. ::snort::

3. E - The girls have traveled to various church-related conferences, Microsoft conferences and camps all over America. Krista was part of a missions trip/scouting mission for MC in Trinidad. Josiah met up with Bre for a trip through our Nation’s historic locations. At each spot they were taught about the Christian history of our country.

4. E – All of the above. Jamin’s passion is writing fiction. He is perplexed that he’s only published non-fiction. Maybe he’ll find a publisher for one of his novels in 2009.

5. B – We’ve allowed Jared to break the “one outside activity” rule the last couple of years. He has some GREAT opportunities here with the community and homeschool support group.

Jared would like to enter politics. We aren’t sure where to go with that ambition. Does anyone know of a community that needs organized?

6. C – you knew that right? Josiah IS planning to learn how to sky dive with a friend of his. This info may be helpful for the 2009 Christmas Quiz.

7. E – There’s always more to do than there are hours in the day. De’Etta has learned to order her priorities daily: God, family ministry, outside ministry.

PWOC = Protestant Women of the Chapel. This is an international military ministry to women.

8. A- This was an amazing experience for Nolan. Not only did it give him opportunities to continue working on his eye hand/sequencing challenges, but it allowed him to conquer his fear of being in front of audiences. This is a BIG production here in town. The estimate I heard was 2500 people total forl 3 shows. I’m still shaking my head at the audacity of him participating.

9. D – All of the above. We are amazed at how our “alphabet boy” is coping.

10. B – this was an amazing vacation! Mike, I and the five younger children hooked up the Caboose (trailer) and headed for CO. A few days later the girls arrived from WA and Josiah and Jamin arrived from TX. We cherished each moment of our FAMILY vacation.

11. B – yet.

12. C – yet.

13. D – We’ve sent a hard copy of the answers to those whom we know do not have Internet access. Any of the options will work to receive answers – free question!

What your results may mean:

0 -3 correct: Who are you anyway and why are you reading our Christmas letter?

4 – 6 Correct: You just haven’t been paying attention, have you?

7 – 10 Correct: You must be one of our closest friends.

11 – 13 Correct: Are you a stalker or a faith ful blog reader?

©2008 D.R.G.

The Picture says it All!

 

If you have been a blog reader for any amount of time you KNOW what that hat means. If you're a new blog reader you'll be very familar with our party animal by the end of FEBRUARY. ::snort::

Yes, today is my 44th birthday. I hadn't mentioned it because it didn't seem important to me this year. ::snort:: I even suggested we wait and do my birthday in March or April and ease up on the birthday stress.

I had a PAC meeting. I drove the boys to HoF. I got home and they called. Due to weather (cold and wet, starting to freeze)they had cancelled the club at their school. I drove back to HoF and picked them up.

Bre has always been our "birthday decorator". She makes banners and signs and "does it up big". I didn't expect a thing. I got home from the PAC meeting and Arielle had made signs, a banner, a card, and motivated her brothers to help her hang crepe paper. I was surprised.

I spent the rest of the day on the phone. I talked to Bre, Mom, Kim, Krista, Charly....a good day! Thanks to all who remembered and sent emails, cards, and even GIFTS at Bible study. I am surprised anyone remembered without my daily reminders and ticker countdown. ::snort::

I chose to go to Double Dave's for dinner. This is not really a low-cholesterol spot...but you gotta celebrate. I did choose chicken and whole wheat crust. ::snort::

"self portrait"

Mike had made one of his famous ice cream cakes for me....he even made the ice cream from scratch. What a man! We'll do gifts on Sunday or something - no one has had time to shop. ::snort::

Mooo....

 
It's an exciting day for us! I've bought big packages of beef before (when we lived in MT) but the ranchers just brought it to us....I never had to answer questions.

We got a call from the "butcher" yesterday. I got to tell them how I wanted our cow packaged...2 lb hamburger, steaks (1 in thick), roasts....I even got to have some of those roasts turned to steak...and stew meat (hey - it isn't going to cost more, why should I cut it up?). ::snort:: I did NOT want the organ meat. He is aging it for 2 weeks - and I do NOT want to think about that either.

I got a call today from the rancher. Our cow was 1100+ lbs, 676# hung, and 338 lbs for my 1/2. Combining his fee and the processors fee it is going to come to $2.45 a lb....for beef that has not been given antibiotics or growth hormones.

LAUNDRY

Someone had an accident in our bed; again. This means that all the sheets, down comforter, blankets etc have to be washed.

I spread this out to let a few damp spots dry and then found the very same culprit taking advantage of the soft, clean, cozy comforter.


"wet me wead" - Let me read - ::snort::

Bagels!

We are big bagel fans at our house. I've been afraid to attempt making our own bagels. The task seemed confusing, daunting even. Scalding milk, making ropes, boiling, egg washes....ugh.....I've been baking our own bread for years. I knew that I could make healthier bagels than the ones I buy and yet they terrified me. THEN, Regina on a local homeschool list posted her recipe for bagels.
It SEEMED like something I could do. There are no milk, eggs, or butter in these - in other words they are LOW CHOLESTEROL...in fact they are NO CHOLESTEROL or FAT. I did add almond butter which is fat to my toasted bagel - but no cholesterol....who said eating healthy had to taste bad.
I made two batches this a.m. 16 bagels. There are only TWO folks in this house who LIKE Cinnamon/Raisen bagels but 10 of them disappeared (and I ate one).
I made another double batch tonight: 8 plain and 8 garlic/Italian....

Recipe: Cinnamon Raisin Bagels
1/2 C raisins
1 TB sugar (I used honey)
1 1/4 C warm water
3 C White flour (I used Prairie Gold a hard white flour)
3 heaping TB brown sugar (I used Rapadura)
1 tsp sea salt
3 1/4 tsp yeast

Egg Wash: 1 egg and 1 TB water. (I was out of eggs so skipped this).
Soak the raisins in warm water for 10 min. drain. Mix the yeast with the warm water and honey and let the yeast activate.

Toss raisins with cinnamon and rapadura. Add flour, salt and raisin mix to the yeast mixture.

Place dough on floured surface and knead (I did most kneading in the Bosch and just kneaded enough to get the sticky dough "workable").

Divide into 8 equal parts. Form into balls. Are your ready?

How easy is THIS: poke your finger through the middle of the ball and gently stretch or twirl around your finger.

Cover with towel and let rise while you start preheating oven to 400* and bring 3 qts of water with 1 T honey (or sugar) to a rapid boil.

Using a slotted spoon, drop 2 - 3 bagles into boiling water. Boil each side for about 1 1/2 minutes.

Remove and cool on rack about 1 minute. Brush with egg wash. Bake at 400* on baking sheet until golden brown - about 15 - 20 minutes.

These are YUMMY....much softer and chewier than store bought.

Fish Prints (Gyotaku Prints) or Funschooling Again! ::snort::

We finally used the fish that showed up so unexpectedly last fall. This has got to be the BEST mistake I have ever made (BTW Jeff was very willing to accept my mistake back - but I decided it would be good to add to TOG). I have wanted to try some of Jeff and Kate's hands on history kits for years. (Baby Noah is their young son, please remember to pray for him.) Our years are always full with TOG and buying extra kits when I COULD pull it together myself felt like "wasted money". I can guarantee you I would not have gone out and found 3 perch and rice paper for this project. We've done two of the projects in this kit now - and I'm sold. I will continue to add the history kits as they fit with the areas and time periods that we are studying.
We are using the Ancient Far East kit from Hands and Heart. This is one homeschool product that totally lives up to it's billing. Each kit comes with everything you need to do the projects (down to the paper towels and styrofoam cups for paint). There is a wonderful CD that has all instructions, tons of notebook pages, and MAPS (wonderful maps from Knowledge Quest - same ones used by TOG) which can be printed as wanted. I printed it all out to use and store. Each project has clearly written instructions, a bit of the history of the area, notebook ideas, and a section called "lighting the path" which ties Bible in to the project. I won't be doing all the activities listed in the kit. I'm using it to supplement and add hands on fun to our TOG.
We have been attempting lap books this year, but the kids really seem to appreciate these sorts of hands on things MORE....and they keep asking why we aren't making a history quilt this year. Maybe I'll count one finished as good enough for this year and save the next 3 for our next cyle through ancient history.

Painting fish is serious business for Zander.

And Nolan...




Nolan's prints

Zander's prints

My fish prints

Arielle's prints

They want to dissect the fish - we shall see. I've about had all I want for one day of dead fish.