Homeschool Estore.com Question

See the link banner in the side bar? I thought they would automatically update to list this week's free item....which would be nice for ME. LOL But it doesn't. I thought I'd go get the new special and add it but now I can't find the spot at ALL where I found the banner. Does anyone have this working? The free thing this week is a study on James The Giant Peach....if I can't keep it current, I will delete it. LOL

My Special Blessing Today

I've been feeling a few regrets that I am not receiving a fun ornament from the homeschool list I co-own this year. Of course, this is MY choosing! I knew I didn't want to commit to anything extra this year, that I didn't absolutely have to do. I didn't sign up. But still.....I was missing the fun of receiving an ornament from an Internet friend. LOOK what the mail man delivered THIS AFTERNOON! (Goodness he may as well SLEEP at my curb as often as he's come by today! LOL)

Thank you so much, dear Dorothy. Dorothy has been a cyber friend for some years....quite a few...how many??? Well...more than five? I know we had lots of great correspondence when I was living in AK - that would be 3 years....and I think I remember emails from when I was in TX before..... Dorothy is one of the first who explained the whole "tea" thing to me...YES we were emailing in SAN ANTONIO because I remember Dorothy telling me that you COULD drink tea in the heat...the weather really didn't matter. LOL I left there 4 1/2 years ago so we've been emailing at least 5 years....And Dorothy is the one who explained what a toast rack is for - though I can't quite remember the right name for it...the little thing that properly holds cinnamon sugared toast for teas....all these years I've been dreaming of SOMEDAY getting stationed in England where I could meet Dorothy in person.....but the Air Force is certainly not cooperating. I'll think of you every time I look at this ornament. Thank you! It couldn't have come on a better day....I'm really working hard today, for some reason, to be joyful. This helps tremendously.

Gifts

I'm really pleased with this gift, and I'm ecstatic that I am delivering the staff gifts TONIGHT - 13 days before Christmas.....usually I'm scrounging to deliver everything on Christmas Eve. We made these little "bags" up for Chapel staff, Sunday School teachers, Speech therapist, hair dresser etc. I'm not sure they are "healthy" enough for most of my friends...so I've not decided if I'll be adapting this and giving it to friends (you didn't read this did you Heather?) or if I'll do something different. The Sunday School teachers don't read the blog so I can go ahead and post. I'm delivering these to the chapel staff's office tonight so they won't read this before they receive theirs. (Hey Mandy, if you read this before Marty brings yours home you could have some fun with him.) I had to make these up and get them OUT of my house tonight because they are full of non-Feingold items that I can't chance Zander getting into. ::snort:: Nolan has kept him busy while I made up the bags. I hid the ones for their teachers in my room....I think I'm safe.

Seriously, if I have time I plan to stuff these with homemade fiddle faddle, peanuts, gift certificate, some Christmas tea, and sugared pecans for friends...now I have several who are both staff and friends....maybe they need both versions....see why my gift giving gets so arduous?....anyway I may go ahead and stuff for friends, too. ::snort:: I wanted to do the homemade route for EVERYONE but I don't have the energy to do that much cooking.

Diann mentioned these cute little plastic "popcorn" bags. I picked some up this weekend. I filled them with bags of peanuts, m/m's (plain and peanut), microwave popcorn and a gift certificate for a movie. So, Mike, this is what you are giving Chapel folks this year. ::snort::

POSTAL "HAPPIES"

The mailman came last night...late. He left a BIG box that smelled so GOOD. It was from Diann, so I KNEW it was my tea. YUMMM!!!! Davidson tea is not only good - it's all organic these days. That doesn't mean it's HEALTHY but I did buy some Rooibos and naturally caffeine free tee as well. I'm really hoping the children like the Children's tea.....all good for you stuff. The children were impressed that the mailman was working so late at night.

A knock on the door during breakfast (about 7:30) was totally unexpected! The children were really impressed - the mailman is STILL working. This time it was a HUGE box from Chris! I can't believe she did this...a whole box of books for us. She sent things for each family member. There are things my young adults will like, things I will like and great books for the younger set. I am QUITE SURE that chocolate in the front of the scene was meant for ME.....look at that sneaky hand that popped up right as I clicked. ::snort::

I turned around and caught the chocolate napper red handed as she made a getaway....ah...parenting tip of the day...bibs don't work...strip young ones at meal times! ::snort::

GIVING GIFTS (Nolan)

God gave us Jesus. God gave because He loved us (John 3:16).

The wise men (Magi) give gifts in the Christmas story.

The Bible tells us to give gifts. We are to always be giving because that is what the Bible says. Luke 6:38.


GIVING GIFTS (Arielle)

God gave us a gift of His son, Jesus.

The wise men (Magi) brought gifts for the child, Jesus. Some think this is the start of gift-giving…but God gave first. John 3:16 tells us about God’s gift.

Christians give because God tells us to give. It’s an act of obedience-Luke 6:38.

Here are the books the children made (blurbs from above will be added when I have a printer again LOL). The stars say "We saw His star in the east and have come to worship him - Matt 2:2" and "When the wise men saw the star they were filled with great joy - Matt 2:10".

REVENGE OF THE APPLIANCES (did I already do Attack of the Appliances???)

I woke up this a.m. to our SPRINKLERS going off AGAIN at 4 a.m. This should NOT be happening!!!!! We've turned it off...and it keeps happening. It can't be good to have sprinklers going off when it is 30* outside. . . I got out of bed at 6 a.m. to fix breakfast and discovered the BOSCH lid is cracked (that dependable workhorse). Obviously, it's jaunt off the counter did damage that wasn't readily seen. I went to turn on one of the good computers and it no longer had sound. Two of our printers have quit working since Mike left....and the copy machine died today!!!! Mid-project!!! This copy machine is also our only PRINTER...so the children couldn't print out their dictation. The grain mill is still being obstinate (even after I followed all instructions Mike found on a website and read to me).....

I prioritized.....I NEED a copy machine or a printer...I can't school without either....one would be fine....just one. I couldn't' find the manual for the printer/copier. I went online to xerox and couldn't find the spot to download a manual. I finally called and they sent me a link. They no longer sell this model. Mike called when I was trying to save the protected file they sent me and it said all I could do was print it - which really was seriously causing my blood pressure to rise...because THAT is why I needed the MANUAL to figure out why it wouldn't print!!!! Mike was able to check it out online (while I still read the manual from my screen).....it seems that I've made over 18,000 copies on this drum and need a new one. ::snort:: NO ONE in town sells this drum. I ordered it from the website.

Mike also told us to turn the computer off and back on....and now there is sound.

I ordered a new outer ring for the Bosch from Urban Homemakers....saw lots of other things I'd like to order....

All in all - the appliances have been beaten back into submission.

Josiah tried another way to turn the sprinklers off.....I can continue to buy flour or spray Heather's kitchen with fine dust if need be.....

I must say that the children went WILD while I tried to figure out the Xerox thing....I went WILD when I got off the phone.....then I remembered...."Ok - I'm not very HAPPY with everything breaking down, the children not staying on task, the living room looking like a zoo....but I'm to CHOOSE JOY....I took a moment and I CONSIDERED it all JOY (not happy but joy) and I'm back on track again - ready I THINK to face the rest of the day, week, month, season, deployment, year......

THANK YOU

I have been so blessed with Internet friends. I wanted to take a quick moment and thank all of you who sent toys and books to Mike. He reports that they "overwhelmed" the orphanages in Kuwait and he will be sending more toys "up the road" to a chaplain he knows in Iraq.

The Orphanage visit was Sunday. 61 American troops participated. It sounds like it was a blast. They all had a great time playing with children. They were able to eat at the orphanage as well.

They've been invited back. They've also been told "just come - no more toys". ::snort::

When I talked with Mike he was still amazed that he'd received "five boxes" from Chris. You all are amazing. Thank you for your giving spirits.