final winner...

I don't have a minute to spare, as we are frantically getting ready to head out the door (as is our pattern anytime we're going anywhere), but I wanted to take a second to announce this week's drawing winner....which is.... Jimmy DeWane! I won't be able to get the prize out to you this week Jimmy, but watch for something in the mail sometime next week, OK?

That ends the big spring giveaways...thanks to everyone for sharing your entries each week and playing along with my celebration fun!

I'm conferencing all week, so I'm not sure if I'll have a chance to blog or not; hopefully I'll be able to grab a minute here and there to share with you some of the encouragement I'm receiving.

how could I have forgotten???

I almost forgot one my favorite sounds of the season!!

Yep, baseball - the Phils in particular - which means Harry Kalas. Love the sound of that man's voice - especially when he's saying "that ball is outtaaa heeeeeerrreee..."

(I tried to find a soundbite of that, but couldn't. Oh, well.)

disappointed

OK, so though I totally love the show 'Eli Stone', but I really HATED the ultra-liberal storyline tonight!! Arrghhh...

gracias

1. Thursday, 10-11 pm - my one hour of guilt-free, planned into the schedule TV watching - Eli Stone. Been looking forward to it all week (it's a commercial right now...)
2. Spiced chai tea (which I am sipping now while watching aforementioned Eli Stone)
3. The kids being old enough that coloring After-Easter-Easter-Egg was actually not stressful, and somewhat enjoyable this afternoon! (Just didn't have time to get to it before Easter, and since it's not a big priority, just something fun we do, we just did it for fun after Easter!)
   
4. The smell of hyacinths filling my family room
5. Intense life-lessons I'm having the opportunity to walk with my kids through
   
6. DCFI International Leader's conference next week...oh, yeah!!
7. Fresh hair cut and highlights
8. A husband I'm even more in love with than the day we met (ok, well I probably wasn't in love with him the day we met, so...more than the day we married!)
   
9. My boys LOVING Little League
10. SUPER-GREAT in-laws (sister-in-law and parents-in-law) keeping all my kids for 4 days next week!! (I don't think they come any better than that!)
    

I'm reading!!!

Homeschooling is like a roller coaster ride for me. There are some days that I think it might make me crazy. And then there are days that make it totally worth it, like today...when Seth totally clicked with the reading thing. He'd been doing great with letters - names and sounds, but the concept of blending them together just hadn't connected. That was a few months back. So I just left it drop, and kept on working on the individual sounds. Today we went back to blending them together, and he got it immediately. It was the coolest thing when, after reading about 6 words Seth exclaimed "Hey wait a minute! I'm reading?? I'm reading!!" Seeing his face light up far outweighed all the moments when I think "My life would be so much easier right now if all my kids were at school for 7 hours every day!!" (And believe me, I regularly have those moments!)



I am loving learning to know my kids, the way they think & work, and figuring out (with help, of course) what is best for them, creative ways to help them, etc. I don't always enjoy the negative, or not-so-fun aspects, but even when they have major problems or issues we have to work through, I am so very thankful for the opportunity and relationship to be able to walk them through things. I am learning myself, and therefore trying to instill in them, that it is not a grade that matters, but rather the importance of and love for true learning. I'm endeavoring to teach them to be open to people and ideas, and to learn to weigh things for themselves - to seek out God and His Word to find things out and make decisions based on that.

I know I've said before that I am definitely not a 'militant' homeschooler; I will be the first to agree that it is not for everyone. But more and more I am gaining confidence that it is the right thing for us. I am seeing and valuing the opportunities it affords me. I hope to never fit the 'stereotypes', :o) but I'm learning to get past opposing opinions as I grow in the confidence that God has chosen Todd & I to parent these precious gifts he's given us, and He will give us the ability to make good decisions in raising them as long as we seek His guidance ourselves. (There was a time I was completely opposed to homeschooling - I was sure I could not do it! "Pray about it ? Why? I've already decided a 'no' on that one...") I'm also learning that their spiritual health and well-being, and raising them to walk with God, is more important to me than having a full social schedule and lots of friends (though they actually do have both). I think I'm learning to trust God more to take care of all the "what if's?"... it's a nice feeling when I actually stop obsessing, fighting with myself, arguing/questioning God and just rest in Him.

(Wow, all that to say that Seth learned to read! Guess I got a little long-winded, huh??)

great chicken!

(By the way, this is totally random, but this post is number 333 for me...just caught my attention when I logged in - 3 3's!)

Anyway, just thought I'd share 2 great chicken recipes that are always a big hit whenever I make them. (The boys might say they don't love them, but they don't complain at all, so for me that's success!!)

Catalina Baked Chicken
(Prep time: 10 min., cook time 1 hr 10 min.)

Ingredients:
3 lb boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 can (16 oz) whole berry cranberry sauce
1 (8 oz) bottle catalina dressing
1 envelope onion soup mix

Preheat over to 350 degrees. Place chicken in baking dish. Mix cranberry sauce, dressing and soup mix. Pour evenly over chicken. Bake 1 hour or until chicken is done.

(There's always lots of the sauce in the pan, which tastes wonderful over brown rice, which I usually serve with the chicken. It also makes an impressive-looking dish when you actually serve the chicken over top of the rice with the sauce poured over. Mmmm...)

Lemon & Honey Chicken

Ingredients:
1 lemon
1 whole roasting chicken
1/2 c. orange juice
1/2 c. honey

Pierce lemon with fork (or slit with knife). Put inside chicken cavity. Place chicken in slow cooker (crock pot). Combine orange juice & honey; pour over chicken. Cover; cook on low for 8 hours. (Can also be done in a regular oven at 350 degrees for about an hour or so). Remove lemon & squeeze over chicken. Serve w/juices as gravy.


(I think I may have posted this before, but someone recently asked me to post the recipe, so here it is again!)

"And that's what's for dinner tonight!" (For you Rachel Ray fans...)

reality check

If you are ever feeling somewhat positive about your body image, thinking you might have shed a few pounds, and maybe, just maybe, lost some of the 'junk in your trunk'...

Go clothes shopping.

That'll snap you back to reality right quick.

weird...

Anyone else find this more than a little odd?? (This is really for real!!)


Wooden Handpainted Plagues Bowling Set. Dick Weber never envisioned this. Have some special Passover fun when you bowl using this adoraable bowling set in which each pin represents one of the 10 plagues. Just try to pick up the Hail – Death of the Firstborn split. Fun for the whole family! Includes 2 colorful wooden balls. Suitable for ages 5 and up. (Each pin is 4½" - 5" tall)
Our Price : $20.00

sounds of the (spring) season

Do you hear what I hear...??? No, it's not it's not the "night wind to the little lamb"...it's the sound of birds chirping and kids playing outdoors (what could be better than that?)! And it definitely means that we are bidding our (hopefully) final farewell to winter and the winter blahs. Believe it or not, it's actually easier for me to get up in the morning when I heard birds chirping outside my window...I don't really know why, other than it lets me know that others are already up and out there and the day has begun (even if they are just birds). Don't get me wrong...I'm not necessarily a bird-lover - I don't bird watch, and I'd NEVER have one as a pet, but I like them around, maybe just because it means they are returning from their winter migration and bringing with them warmth!!

Do you have any favorite 'sounds of the season'? (And I don't mean Christmas music either!!)

This will be our final March drawing, but I will have to announce the winner on Monday morning next week, because I will be heading to a conference Monday afternoon, and I'm not sure if I will have time/internet access to blog from there. So make sure you get your entries in by Sunday night, OK? Thanks!

the smelly winner...

OK, so the winner isn't smelly, but the prize is! HOLLY (who just got in on the drawing fun this week, and won her first time around!) is the big winner! (OK, maybe not big - but a winner just the same!!) There were actually only 4 eligible names to draw from, but lots of comment-conversation, so it sort of messed up the integer-generating. So I literally took the 4 names from last week - Betsy, Holly, Lilith and Laura - and put them into a hat (a burgundy ski cap to be exact!) and pulled out Holly's name! And the big prize??? I "fresh-cut grass" scented candle! I hope that's something that Holly will enjoy; I personally like the smell, and enjoy it coming from a candle so that it doesn't bring with it itchy eyes and runny noses (my kiddos have off-and-on allergies).


It'll probably take me a couple of days to get it sent off to you Holly, but you can watch for it soon!!

Thanks for playing, and look for tomorrow's final giveaway post. We're only down to 'hearing'...

Easter weekend

So here's my Easter weekend in pics. No time to post anything more than this right now, but hope to soon.


Father/Daughter date on Saturday night (the boys & I stayed home and colored and watched
"The Ten Commandments" (you know, the one with Charlton Heston...)

Easter Day family pic. I try to get one every year, but usually it happens with MUCH angst, cajoling and tears. This time I asked Todd (not in front of the kids) to please not be the ring-leader in the anti-picture campaign! I then blatantly bribed the children by telling them there was a quarter for every kid who cooperated, didn't complain and gave me their best smiles. It may not have made camera-loving models out of all of them, but there were at least no tears at picture time!


My adorable children - and lest you think I am a negligent mother, they actually WANT their hair to look that way!

Grateful

1. Christ's Passion - in every sense
   
2. Treasured friends (see post below)
3. My beautiful daughter and her 12 years of life (see post below the post below...)
4. My hubby, who cared enough to ask to see the pics of my dress up day, and told me how good I looked (read: made MAJOR points...)
5. Bryce starting Little League this week - and is doing well and very excited about it
6. Malted-Milk Easter Eggs (I've eated waaaay too many this week!)
7. My hubby having the day off tomorrow
8. Seth loving school and being my most eager to learn, teachable child (at least for the time being!)
9. Luke's amazingly adorable curls
10. Great prayer time tonight...so invigorating
    

girls day out

I have the best friends in the world. They arranged a girls' day out today, but of extraordinary proportions.

They made something happen for me that I've always wanted to do, but never really had the opportunity. See, due to circumstances, when I got married I wasn't able to go wedding dress shopping. I wore my mom's gown, but always wondered what I would have looked like in a gown that was more...well, me. So my friend Laura contacted a local bridal shop, explained my story and made an appointment for me to come in and...basically, play dress up!! It was sooo fun! I got to spend the day with my 2 best friends, play dress up, eat lunch and spend some fun girl time just hangin' together. (And a BIG thanks to Ashton for keeping all 8 of the kids to give us the time to do it all!!!) It's priceless to have friends who would do this with me (and not think that I'm a big, crazy baby for wanting to do it!).

Here's some pics of our fun:

spring rejoicing

So, last night I asked if you knew what today would be...and actually, I meant that it was KAITLYN's birthday! My beautiful firstborn is 12 years old today! I can't believe it was that many years ago; it seems like it was only yesterday when I was trying to get pregnant, and a bit frustrated as it was not happening as quickly as I had hoped. One day, during my devotions, I read something that said "your joy will come in the spring...". Immediately, it was like an arrow to my heart; I felt sure this was God's word to me. I told Todd "I am sure this was from God. We're going to get pregnant in the spring!!" Well, spring came and went, and it wasn't til mid-summer that we found out we were expecting our first child. I assumed I must've just missed it as far as hearing from God, and life went on. Several months later, after the birth of our precious daughter, Todd had a realization the day we were getting ready to leave the hospital. He said to me "Remember when you felt like God told you our joy would come in the spring?!? Kaitlyn was born the first day of spring!" God is so amazing, and he has given us the most amazing blessing in our daughter. She is responsible beyond her years, and always an amazing help to me. In the past few months she's started transforming into an almost-teenager right before our eyes!! Her looks are changing, her tastes are changing...and frankly, I'm beginning to enjoy her more (from the age of about 9 to around the beginning of her 11th year, it could be somewhat touchy between the two women of our household, but I think we are learning to deal with each other and keep open communication much better. I certainly can't imagine how my mom did it with 3 of us, or - God bless her - my sister who has 4 lovely ladies (in addition to herself) sharing a home!!).

So yes, I did welcome spring with much excitement today, not only for the promise of warmer days ahead, but also for my blossoming young lady.

(On a side-note - here's how my kiddos welcomed the new season - kite flying!! How appropriate!)

my night

This is a picture of my evening. Yep...first of all - the shoe. I am so excited about finding possibly the world's most comfortable shoe!! It's American Eagle, cloth and feels like wearing slippers and I found it at Payless for 15 bucks!!! (It's hard for me to find shoes that work for me because I wear orthotics in my shoes because I have unusually high arches, and at one point I had tears in the muscle on the bottom of my foot from wearing shoes with no support. Was that T.M.I. for you?) Anyway, I've needed shoes for a while, and have been holding out hoping for something that would be cute and trendy, yet comfy, priced right and hopefully would work with my inserts. So tonight was the big payoff. It was 'family night' tonight, and so we spent it as 'the boys' and 'the girls'. Bryce just started Little League (that will be another post), and Seth will soon, so both boys were in need of, and extremely excited to get, cleats and new gloves. (They and their father had all expressed, in inadvertent ways, that this was a manly activity, and I clearly saw the desire for male bonding time, as well as an opportunity for some mother/daughter shopping time!!) So we all headed to the mall and split up - Kate & I to the Kohl's clearance racks and the 'men' to Dick's Sporting Goods. We found some great deals in no time, did the cell-phone check-in with the guys and found we still had some time, so we made a bee-line to Payless. I found these little cuties in no time, a pair of great shoes for Kate for $5 (also a need after she finally gave in today and admitted her last beloved pair of shoes were too uncomfortable to wear anymore).

As you may also notice in the picture - laundry. It's all nicely folded; what you can't see is how MUCH clean laundry there was. I believe it to be 6 loads or so, but when baskets get combined because we need to wash yet ANOTHER load, one quickly loses count!! Anyway, tonight was the night of reckoning, and it had to be tackled. So, 2+ hours later, here I am.

And you know what tomorrow is...!?!?!?

learning

It was a beautiful moment this afternoon when, after spending a tearful morning of explaining and practicing the math concept of 'borrowing', Bryce looked up sheepishly (after his 3rd page of working the problems using the concept), gave me a half-grin and said "This borrowing is kinda fun now..."

YES!

Another highlight...doing flashcards with Seth, revealing he can identify all the numbers to 100, including several he's seemed to get stuck on it the past.

Whoo-hoo!

What a sense of accomplishment. Even though it seemed like kind of a 'downer' day, I'm glad for these rays of sunshine that broke through the clouds.

giveaway #4 - smell

Smells...they can bring on strong surges of emotions. Have you ever noticed that? Certain scents can transport me to another place and time in an instant. Like, for instance, the smell of coconut reminds me of when Todd & I were first dating. (That's because the car he drove was a hand-me-down from his big sister, who I believe had an incident with some liquid car freshener dumping on the floor? Remember that Wanda?) Then there's the scent of tar - when you're driving down a road that is being repaved - that always reminds me of my dad (who drove dump truck and occasionally the roller for such said road work). Coffee and cigarette combinations also are strangely comforting smells to me, also bringing back memories of going somewhere with daddy.

So what are the scents you associate with Spring? I love that certain whiff - I'm not really sure what it is - that you get when a gentle breeze is blowing on a warm spring day. I can smell hyacinths seemingly miles away, and it conjures pictures of Easter dresses, hats and white patent leather shoes. There's also that certain smell after a good rainfall. But the one I love most is freshly cut grass, because it says to me that it's warm, the earth has awakened - and it's all here to stay for a good long while!!

To enter this week's drawing, tell me of the best spring smell, or some other olfactory related story - favorite smells, scent associations, you get the idea. (I know this is similar to the taste one - sorry. My creative juices seem to still be somewhat depleted from the "mystery sleepover". I promise next week's question will be better...). The prize will be something to bring a wonderful springtime scent to your home...

Scent is the most potent and bewitching substance in the gardener's repertory and yet it is the most neglected and least understood. The faintest waft is sometimes enough to induce feelings of hunger or anticipation, or to transport you back through time and space to a long-forgotten moment in your childhood. It can overwhelm you in an instant or simply tease you, creeping into your consciousness slowly and evaporating almost the moment it it detected. Each fragrance, whether sweet or spicy, light or heavy, comes upon you in its own way and evokes its own emotional response. - Stephen Lacey, Scent in Your Garden, 1991

recipe for my perfect day

Ingredients:

• A day (not just a few hours...a full, no-time-limit kind of day)
  
• A babysitter who is ecstatic about the opportunity to spend quality time with my precious children (this ingredient may be difficult to find)
  
• A best friend (sisters work great; occasionally a husband might fit the bill, but not all are suited for use in this recipe)
  
• At least 100 bucks (gift cards are a great substitution!)
  
• Food out (lots of options - could be a meal or just tea/coffee or dessert)
  
• Movie (optional garnish)
  

Instructions:
Mix and enjoy!!


Oh, yeah...I could totally go for one of those... (**she says dreamily, in a "Calgon-take-me-away" tone of voice...**)

winner #3

Well, my friend RIG (random integer generator) tells me that entry #4 is the winner...and that would be my dear Aunt Linda! She lives all the way down in Georgia (say that with a long southern drawl...). And the colorful prize? She will have a plethora of beautiful daylilies to choose from with her gift certificate from Manatawny Creek Farm!! (If it would have been someone local, your gift certificate would have been from Glick's Greenhouse, but since it needs to be shipped, we're hopping across the street to the other Glick brother, Tim and his wife Michelle...) Sorry, that's why I didn't say specifically the prize - because it depended on the location of the winner!!

Congrats Auntie Linda!! I'll e-mail you soon with the details!

the great sleuthing sleepover

OK, so I'm finally posting some pics from the Mystery Sleepover - which was a TOTAL success! The girls had a GREAT time - and so did we. My sis made it, even though she had to come directly from her hospital stay, where she was having a procedure done to remove kidney stones, and while she was pretty uncomfortable (and fairly medicated) she was determined NOT to miss it, since we had put so much work into it!! Anyway, the girls did great figuring out the clues, finding the evidence and solving the crime. They were totally into it from the moment we got started, which made it such a joy for Bets & I; definitely worth every minute we put into the planning. Here's the shots we got:

The Junior Agent Team


Figuring out the clues...


Questioning Countess Lauralynn Johnston


Count DeLuca and Countess Lauralynn


Questioning the eccentric Duchess Angelina Fizzly


Examining the document on the suspicious disc


Angelina Fizzy, Duchess of Berlinville, and her kitty, Lord Francis


Crashing after a full evening of sleuthing to watch the Greatest Sleuth - Nancy Drew!

mystery sleepover

I probably shouldn't be blogging because I still have lots to do for Kate's b-day party tonight. But I'm really happy with how it's coming together and wanted to 'clue' you all in on what we're doing. It's a 'mystery sleepover', and Bets (who was the real mastermind behind it) and I have put a lot of work into the elaborate plans. I think the girls will really love it. We've planned an elaborate mystery for them to solve which begins as a scavenger hunt to find pieces of evidence, including decoding messages written in Morse Code, invisible ink and number code; a 13 page book of suspect files, including criminals such as Eva LaDrool and Joe Smith, the gardener; and they will have to question suspects and witnesses, including the Countess LauraLynn Johnston and Angelina Fizzly, Duchess of Berlinville! (All friends and family that have helped us by getting in on the act...) The head detectives are Jess 'The Eye' Clemson and Bess 'The Enforcer' Glickson. Each of the girls will receive Junior Agent badges, and detective kits, and will end up solving the "Mystery of the Unsigned Postcard' and retrieving the stolen jewels! After we get back (the mystery will involve driving the girls around to interview different 'suspects') and the mystery is solved, they'll get ready for bed and watch the new Nancy Drew movie (which just came out this week!), which I'm sure will also involve lots of giggling and munchies! (And for any Nancy Drew fans out there, we will be snacking on homemade blonde brownies and lemon bars...) Sounds like the perfect 12-year-old night to me!! I'm so excited - probably as excited as she is! I'm sure I'll have a few pics to post tomorrow!

right to homeschool in question

You may or may not be aware that there is quite a stir going on due to the "February 28 decision of the California Court of Appeal which effectively ruled that homeschooling is illegal in California unless conducted by a credentialed teacher and that parents have no constitutional right to homeschool."

It's something that I've been keeping an eye on, because it obviously interests me as a homeschooling parent. Of course, the Homeschool Legal Defense Association is right on top of this, and there is a petition that you can sign on their website in support of parents' rights to educate their children. You do not have to be a home schooling family and you do not have to be a member of HSLDA in order to sign the petition. (You also do not have to live in the State of California). They are recommending all individuals concerned with freedoms being taken away to sign this. I would strongly encourage you to click the link below to sign this petition. Also, if you are interested in reading more about what's going on, click here (HSLDA) or here
(Fox News). (If you are interested in more links, just leave a comment asking and I'll direct you to some others I've found, but didn't have the time to post all of the links).

Petition link

Thankful Thursday

1. My Home & Garden Party stuff came today (most of it, anyway!)
2. My sister put together the most amazing storyline for Kate's 'mystery' birthday sleepover, and did TONS of work to help me out - it's going to be so much fun! (I'll give details on that later...)
3. Lukey made an entire day today - including out doing shopping/errands for several hours - in regular underwear, no accidents! It's official - he's potty trained!!
4. We got a new study to start with our advisory team that focuses on reaching out to others - something we really need to build - can't wait to get started
5. It was (fairly) warm today...surely spring is coming...
6. I saw several robins this week!
7. The joy of giving...and being able to do so with my weekly giveaway this month!
8. My ability to homeschool here in PA without having to deal with what those in California are...
9. My recently replenished tea box with lots of wonderful flavored teas.
10. All my kids - even though they have been driving me a bit crazy this week!
    

giveaway #3 - sight

There is nothing that says spring more than the sight of beautiful, colorful flowers. As I'm sure you can guess, crocuses are, of course, one of my favorites, but I also love many others, including pansies, tulips, lilies and hyacinths (they are my favorite floral scent; and lilac too...)

Anyway, I won't say specifically the prize for next week because I'm still working out the details, but I'll give you some major hints... It will relate directly to what I've said above, involve color, and DEFINITELY make your heart sing over the arrival of spring!!

So how about leaving a comment telling me what your favorite spring buds, blossoms and blooms are! (And get your name in for next week's drawing too!)

By the way, here's a pic of the prize Kristine will be receiving from last week's contest.

I took a deep breath...

OK, after getting some sleep, reading some comments and thinking more about the rants I went on last night, I was thinking maybe I should clarify. I guess anything that will help protect girls - be it educational or medicinal is a good thing. I just hope that parents look into both the risks and the benefits of using a vaccine such as this, especially on such young girls.

Between dealing with insurance, hearing about the court rulings against parents' rights to homeschool in California, considering the presidential nominees, and weighing our options for schooling next year, I'm not in a good mood about such things, so I guess my tangent may have been a bit over the top.

Sorry if I offended anyone.

de-valuing young women - part 2

OK, I thought I was done...but I'm not. So if you don't want to hear any more, just skip this post.

I've been looking into this a bit more, and even on the Center for Disease Control's (CDC) website, this is listed at the bottom of the "HPV Vaccine Question and Answers" page!

Are there other ways to prevent HPV?
The only sure way to prevent HPV is to abstain from all sexual activity. Sexually active adults can reduce their risk by being in a mutually faithful relationship with someone who has had no other or few sex partners, or by limiting their number of sex partners. But even persons with only one lifetime sex partner can get HPV, if their partner has had previous partners.

On a more rational note, let me say that I am aware of the state of the world we live in, and I am all for education on this subject. The fact is, there is a disease, and as the above quote states, it is possible to end up in a situation where you are about to commit to someone for life who has already been down a road and now has this issue. I would then advocate going and getting the vaccine. It's not that I'm against medical progress, or that I think people should be damned forever for their past actions. I just think it is a shame that we, in the name of prevention, and even guised as education, withhold the very vital information that this could all be, at least for the most part, avoided.

The other thing I plan on watching closely is that there are currently bills being introduced to make this vaccine mandatory for girls entering 6th grade! (Although, apparently not yet for Pennsylvania, where I live). I know there is a lot of swirl around the topic of vaccines in general, but in my opinion, this would just be taking things too far. In most, if not all, cases there is a parental 'opt out', but my concern and question is - if we are planning on spending that much $$$ on something considered 'preventative', why not spend that much on abstinence education and affect not only this disease, but many more in the process?

There is much more that needs to be known about this vaccine, including the fact that not enough follow up information has even been gathered to know if it is even safe long-term for young girls. I would just beg anyone who faces whether or not to have their daughter vaccinated to please do your research, know the facts, don't make choices out of fear. I want to encourage parents that you have been entrusted with your children, and you have the awesome opportunity - and responsibility - to do what is best for them. I would dare to say that you, not the government, the pharmaceutical companies or even the 'experts', place the greatest value on your you daughters. Please consider wisely, and prayerfully, what the best truly is. Then go after the best for your precious gifts - your beautiful girls - with all you've got!

Here are 2 links that both contained interesting information. Neither is directly for or against the vaccine, but rather provide information, of which you will need to draw your own conclusions. There are several other sites I looked at, and if you are interested can direct you to some more links.

www.blogher.com/node/18902#readmore

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gardasil

On a final note, I think this will be a topic I plan to bring up and address with my almost-12-year-old. She's not been overly curious about sexually related topics (other than knowing basic biology), but neither do I want to put my head in the sand on things and just hope for the best. If there's a chance a topic is going to come up in peer discussion, I want to have had first shot at it, and give her the advantage of having the truth on matters.

Wow, parenting is intense!

de-valuing young women

I'm warning you...I'm about to go on a rant here.

Every time I see one of these commercials I just get so irritated! It is for Gardasil, a vaccine now being promoted to young girls, in an effort to guard against diseases caused by the human papillomavirus (HPV), such as cervical cancer and genital warts. Yes, we are talking about a vaccine to help protect against STD's. If you check out the commercials, you will see they are targeting girls that would be junior high and high school ages, (and their moms). This is what outrages me. These girls look like they could be friends of my 11 year old daughter...and we are telling them they can be "1 less" to have to get cervical cancer...how? Not by ABSTAINING from sexual activity, but rather by getting a shot! (A shot that doesn't even guarantee that it will prevent the disease, by the way.) This is listed under the "Important Information" section of the website:

"GARDASIL may not fully protect everyone and does not prevent all types of cervical cancer, so it is important to continue regular cervical cancer screenings."

But this wee bit of information is listed along with the information about how you get HPV (which, by the way, the only way you can get it is through sexual contact - "Anyone who has any kind of sexual activity involving genital contact with an infected person can get HPV—intercourse isn't necessary" - per the website itself.):

"According to the CDC, the only way you can totally protect yourself against HPV is to avoid any sexual activity that involves genital contact. HPV Types 6, 11, 16, and 18 account for the majority of HPV-related clinical diseases."

(ummm....HELLOOOOO!!!!)

Let me re-cap this for you, folks. We are facing a disease, which is completely preventable. BUT, rather than shout from the rooftops how to nip the thing in the bud, we are choosing to come up with a medical solution which may or may not work for some people. Then, we promote this to young girls. The commercial and the site both say it is recommended for girls ages 9 to 26!! 9 years old?!?!? Does anyone else realize that this is the same age girls that are buying American Girl Dolls and going crazy for anything with 'Hannah Montana' on it?!?!? Exactly what message are we sending them to say that after they're finished bopping to High School Musical they should head over to the doctor's to get a shot to protect them from diseases they might pick up while having sex???

What really irks me is this: The world tells girls today that they can be and do anything that they want. It says that women are strong, capable and intelligent. And then it assumes, and conveys to them, that the one thing they are incapable of is saying no to sex. What a conflicted culture we live in!!

I want my daughter to know that she IS strong, capable and intelligent. That God has fully equipped her to accomplish whatever His purposes for her are. But the only way to do that is to follow his guidelines - which, of very high importance - includes saving herself for her husband.

Look, you can call me an idealist if you want. I'm not naive (believe me...), and I understand things happen, people make mistakes, and that I cannot necessarily expect the world to hold the same moral standards I do. But let's face it...moral standards aside...we are talking about a potentially dangerous situation. Cancer causing. Also, preventable. Why, WHY on earth would we not choose the 100% guaranteed prevention option to champion. I'm all for the "be 1 less" campaign...but the way to be "1 less" is for girls to learn to value themselves and their bodies, to understand that they are not powerless over their physical urges (has anyone else noticed this is the only physical 'urge' that society seems uncontrollable??), and that as part of respecting themselves, they can actually choose to not become sexually active until marriage!

Yeah, I'm still boiling about this, but can't put any more words to it at the moment (and you've probably heard enough ranting anyway...), so I'll shut up now. But I'd definitely welcome any discussion on this topic.

winner #2

Giveaway #2's big winner is....KRISTINE!! Congrats, Kristine! I'll contact you soon to see what the best way to get your 'touchy' prize to you is...

I gotta say...I'm lovin' this! A big thank you to everyone who played along again; I hope you're enjoying getting in 'spring mode' with me! Look for the next entry post tomorrow!

last call!!

I'm shuttin' 'er down at 5 p.m. today...watch tonight for the winner!

beauty

My friend Laura posted this on her blog a few days ago, and I just can't get over it. It's so true that we women hold ourselves to such unrealistic standards sometimes. My desire is to hear more and more who God says I am and what He wants me to be, and do, and somehow, in the process, learn to tune out the world's messages.

fast, easy & cheap

I found this recipe in an old edition of Kraft's 'Food & Family' magazine and tried it this week. It was a big hit - all the kids - including Bryce - really liked it!! It is for Fish Cakes, using tuna, May and Stove Top. There are several different variations you can do with it, including using crab, salmon or shrimp instead of tuna; rather than copying them all, just click this link and you will find all the different possibilites for this super fast, easy & cheap meal. (I kept it extremely low-key since making it the first time and hoping for a good response, so I didn't include the relish, cheese or carrots. I'll probably try secretly adding them slowly, since I can already tell the kids we're having something they already said they like!)

I also tried another delicious recipe from the same magazine, but it wasn't quite as big a hit. (Bryce wasn't home). Kate liked it, Todd & I loved it, and the boys tolerated it. It will probably be reappearing on our dinner table again. I will try to post that recipe in the next day or two also.

Here's the fish cakes one... enjoy!!

Tuna Cakes

6 Servings

1 pkg. (6 oz.) Stove Top Stuffing Mix
1/3 Cup Kraft Mayo Real Mayonnaise
2 Can (6 oz. each) tuna drained and flaked
2 Tbl Claussen Sweet Pickle Relish
1 Cup Kraft Shredded Cheddar Cheese

1 shredded carrots

MIX together stuffing mix with 3/4 cup water, mayonnaise, fish, add-ins
and 1/2 cup vegetables. Cover and refrigerate 10 min.~

HEAT a large nonstick skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat.
Shape 1/3 cupfuls of the stuffing mixture into patties; add to skillet
in.batches.~

COOK 3 min. on each side or until golden brown on both sides, turning
over carefully.~

Makes: 6 servings, 2 tuna cakes each~

DON'T TURN BACK!

OOPS!! BIG mistake in my last post...as Aunt Linda pointed out to me - we turn our clocks AHEAD this weekend - not back!! Somewhere in my mind - I knew this - I knew that I'd be LOSING sleep...

time is slipping away...

I feel like time is slipping away everywhere!! I had absolutely no idea until tonight, when some friends mentioned it, that this is the weekend we turn our clocks back!! Did you know?? So don't forget, turn back the hands of time this weekend - or you might end up in an embarrassing situation on Sunday...

I also ran out of time today to post the recipes that I wanted to share with you all...so I will REALLY try to get to that tomorrow (If you need it before then, Bets, gimme a call... :)

ALSO, I wanted to remind everyone that you are running out of time to enter for this week's drawing...time is tickin' folks, and Monday's coming! Check out the giveaway #2 post here to get a piece of the action!

Thankful Thursday

1. Connecting with the 'other half of my brain today' (known as my sister) to get some serious "Mystery Sleepover Birthday Party" planning done
2. Finding a new dinner recipe that got a thumbs-up from everyone!!! (Even Bryce!) I'll post the recipe tomorrow - it was fish patties of all things!
3. Warm weather this week - and on grocery day, no less. (Even though it was raining... I'll take warm and rainy over cold any day!)
4. Getting some MUCH NEEDED alone time with my hubby last night - 2 1/2 hours of uninterrupted conversation! Whoo-hoo!
5. My sister having 2 of my kiddos overnight...she's a trooper (or insane...jury's still out... love ya!!:)
6. Getting ready to watch my one TV show - Eli Stone (and I might even have some ice cream!)
7. My DDR partner - she helps keep me working out regularly! :)
8. Almost being done with the Pentateuch! (First five books of the Bible) Some of the Old Testament is killer to read straight through!
9. Looking forward to Sunday Celebration - loving our new location!
10. Lukey being a perfect angel (well, almost) at prayer night tonight.
    

I oughta get paid for this...

Just wanted to share with you a couple of products that I've found that I absolutely LOVE.

First of all, I may have said it before, but Mr. Clean Magic Erasers are just that...magic!! I have yet to come across something it cannot remove. I've had both tea and grape juice stains on my white kitchen counter tops...gone! I thought that ground in dirt and skid marks had forever ruined my linoleum in the family room kitchen area. Last week Kate & I each took an eraser in hand, did the whole floor, and it's like brand new!!

Secondly, I discovered Neosporin Lip Therapy, and thankfully I did so before we were sick. I had bought it a month or two ago when Seth's entire mouth was red all around because he kept licking his lips and had them completely chapped. It worked great on healing it right up, and without any burning that medicated chapstick has (a big complaint I hear from little ones with sore lips..."It burns, Mom!") Then, when we were sick, it was a lifesaver... you know how when you're all congested you can't breathe through your nose, so all night you are sucking in air through your mouth, and when you awaken and smile at your loved ones, your lips crack right open and begin to bleed?? Yeah, well... that didn't happen this time because I used the Lip Therapy before I went to bed! I woke the next morning with soft, movable lips. (I had also rubbed some on my sore-from-constant-blowing nose and upper lip and it took care of that too!) Good stuff, I tell ya...

And lastly, this product isn't life changing, but I'm really enjoying it. It's a new scent of room spray from Glade - "White Tea & Lily". I know, you're thinking "Bathroom spray? Really?" But yes, I just must tell you how much I love this scent! I'm not a big floral scent person - other than a lilac candle I burn only in spring, I pretty much stay away from flowery smells. But this one is unique - not overpowering - and I love it. And I just saw yesterday at Wal-Mart that they have in a 'Plug-In' room scenter as well. (Of course, they were all sold out, so as of yet, I do not have one). But I plan on getting one, because that is how much I love this smell! This is how Glade describes their fragrance.

Clear summer night. Smooth touch of the lily leaf. Steam escaping from the freshly brewed pot of tea. All captured in this soothing fragrance that gently fills your home with a fresh floral elegance.

Yep...it makes me happy.

So, though I am not getting paid for such blatent advertising of these products, I thought I'd go ahead and plug them anyway, because they are just that good.

sunrise

This, my friends, is a sight I rarely see. It is the sunrise out my diningroom window. I am typically not a morning person. In fact, quite the opposite. I would much rather work til 2 a.m., and then sleep in til 10. But with kids, that's pretty much not workable. However, I still tend to work til midnight or after and then be a bear in the morning when my children all awaken and drag me out of bed. It's really not the best start to a day for any of us.

So even though I have tons of things that I want to work on after the quiet of bedtime settles over the Clemmer house, I've made myself go to bed the past 2 nights by 11 p.m., and this morning, when my hubby prayed with me before he left for work at 6:15 (as he always does, I'm just rarely coherent for it...) I actually woke up and got up! Amazing.

I will admit that I am still very tired, and would like to go curl up in my bed again, but am pretty sure that if I can get going before the kids, it will set a better tone for the day, and get them moving and getting school done earlier, etc. I know I've even said this before...I just have trouble sticking to it! (And I'm not making any commitments here saying that I'm even going to try!) :)

I'm just saying...I'm enjoying this morning, the quiet of house, my cup of English Breakfast Tea, and the sunrise.

and this is why I'm an 'un-homeschooler'...

not needed

Hallelujah...I'm doing a happy dance. If you remember my 'stressed' post the other night, the last of my stressors was finding out about jury duty. I am thrilled to report that I just checked my status online and found I am NOT NEEDED!! It's never felt so good to be not needed!!

(And as far as the other two things yesterday...I had the house all cleaned up in time, and Bryce got to go with someone else to the movie...thanks to Auntie Bets. So it's all good... *BIG SIGH OF RELIEF*)

giveaway #2 - touch

Giveaway number 2 is all about 'touch'... Spring awakens this sense when you feel the warm breeze through your hair, the sunshine on your skin, and cool, lush grass between your toes... Ahhh, I can just feel it now...

So, in order to get that skin all ready to be bared in T's, capri's and flip flops, you'll want to get in on this week's drawing for the 'touchy' prize...a few of the things it will included are some Caress body wash, cucumber & aloe lotion, foot soak and bath fizzies!

All you have to do is comment, and tell us what article of clothing (or shoes) you can't wait to pull out from 'winter storage' and throw on to head out into the sunshine. I gotta say, I think mine is just good-old T-shirts - comfy, cotton & cool...probably my favorite ones are from Old Navy (and I just so happen to have an Old Navy gift card on it's way to me in the mail - yeah!!).

Remember, you have til 5 p.m. next Monday to get your entry in...feel free to tell a friend!

(For rules for the contest, see this post.)

and the winner is....

Well, after consulting the Random Integer Generator, the winner of our first contest is...(imagine a drumroll...) - Comment #2 - which would be Briana Almengor!! Congrats Bri!

If you e-mail me at jessiclmr@verizon.net with your address (I know I should have it, but I don't!) I will get your tasty prize in the mail ASAP!!

Thanks for playing everybody, and watch for the new drawing entry post tomorrow! It will be open for a week, and I'll announce winner number 2 next Monday!!

And here's a bit of humor that's tied in with the idea of taste, tastebuds, bad breath...

jump in on the fun!!

I'm rather surprised that more people haven't jumped in on the giveaway...maybe they just haven't hit the blog yet...maybe it will take a while to catch on...or maybe they aren't sure if they want what I'm giving! So, I'm thinking I should at least give some clues what to expect...

The tasty prize this week will include an assortment of tea/coffee, gourmet chocolates, and trail mixes. There might be a few additional items, but I want to keep at least a little bit of it a surprise!!

C'mon folks - only a little more than 5 hours to go!!

not so bad

Monday morning isn't turning out to be so bad!

I got up (not quite as early as I wanted, but earlier than normal), and got the house cleaned up. It's not spotless, but I would say it's pretty good for a house where 4 children reside! (Plus, Todd's probably right that the guy really isn't going to care anyway!) It's now 10:40, and he isn't here yet; but the house is all tidy, including the kids rooms (beds made and all) and the kids are all busily doing their schoolwork. The semi-warm weather is beckoning them, which provides extra incentive to get their stuff done; today I told them if they get half their subjects done they can go out and play for a while and finish the rest later in the afternoon.

As far as jury duty - my dear friends have come to my rescue and offered to keep the kids for me should I get called. That's at least half the load off my mind...though I still am praying to not get called at all so I don't have to drive into the 'big city'!!

stressing

Just a quick note to ask for a few prayers... it's certainly nothing important, but a few things are stressing me out heading into tomorrow... First of all, we got in late tonight, and my hubby reminded me that tomorrow morning - between 9-11 a.m. - an appraiser is coming through our house (for re-mortgaging purposes). I had totally forgotten, and the house looks like - well, like it always looks after a weekend! Though Todd's response was "Who cares?", being a housewife, I care, and would feel terrible and ashamed having someone come through my house looking like it does at the moment. So I'll have to get up early and do some quick cleaning.

Secondly, Bryce was very excited about going to see a movie with some friends of ours tomorrow evening, and now it looks like it might not happen. It doesn't seem like that big of a deal, but to a 7 year old who has been wanting to see this movie for months, it's a huge disappointment if it doesn't happen, and I just feel bad for him. I'm not looking forward to spending the day explaining about how things like this just happen, and sometimes can't be helped, and not letting him get an attitude or spend the day moping. I know this is all part of life, it's just that he was so excited, and has spent the past few days telling everyone about going... Like I said, certainly not a big deal to an adult, but not exactly the makings for the start of a good day.

And finally - and this is my big stresser - I'm slated for jury duty in Norristown on Wednesday morning. I really don't want to go - I'm totally freaked out about getting myself there to begin with (I've never driven anywhere near Norristown and am not one who is up for an adventure like that!), have nothing to do with my kids for the day (although they provide free child care - oh, goody, just where I want my kids to spend the day! - NOT!!), plus we would lose a day of school, which we just can't afford to do at this point. I have to check in after 4 p.m. on Tuesday to see if I need to show up on Wednesday or not (and I'd have to be there by 8:15). The whole thing pretty much has me tied in knots.

So anyway, I guess maybe I just needed to vent a bit, and would appreciate your prayers for my mundane little problems, which feel like mountains to me at the moment!

giveaway 1 - 'taste'

Isn't it interesting how we make mental associations to things that we experience through our senses? For instance, I love bacon, lettuce and tomato sandwiches, but I only ever eat them in the summer. I have absolutely no desire for them any other time of the year. It may be because of the fresh, ripe tomatoes that are in abundance during the summer, and how they taste sooo wonderful, not to mention I can just go pick one right off the plant in my yard. I know I also tend to look for hot, hearty meals in the winter, and in summer I'm usually looking for something quick and easy that doesn't heat up the house more. Whatever the case, it's a taste that I specifically associate with the summertime.

Another one is iced tea. I love tea - hot and cold - but there's few things I enjoy more than sitting on my patio in the sunshine with a glass of ice-cold tea. It makes me swell with hope for those warm, sunny days just thinking of it!


So, in order to jump in on this giveaway, leave me a comment telling me about a taste that brings about some kind of emotion or association in you. It can be related to a memory, annual event or a season...anything that evokes something within you when you taste it. (Remember to include your name in your comment if you post using the 'anonymous' button, for those who don't have a blogger account).

I'll announce the winner and the tasty prize tomorrow evening!

giveaway guidelines

Well, I've given my idea of a giveaway lots of thought. I wanted to do something fun and exciting, that was, in some way, tied to 'Spring'. When I think of Spring I associate an awakening of the senses, so, along those lines, I decided to do a small give away weekly. Since there are 5 senses, and 5 Mondays in March, I will announce the winner every Monday evening (what could be better to brighten up your Monday?!?!). I know the first one here is a bit of short notice, (I'll be announcing the winner tomorrow)but, hey, I'm giving something away every week for 5 weeks...so just look at it as having a better shot of winning this first one if you do get in on it, and if not...maybe you'll be the blessed winner (I don't believe in 'luck') next week!!

Here's how it will work:

1. You must leave a comment, answering whatever spring-related question is asked on the 'entry post', in order to get your name in the contest. (Please keep entries in the comments of the entry post only; for example, I will normally post the question on Tuesday morning and will leave the drawing open until Monday at 5 p.m. and announce the winner Monday evening (after 5). If you log onto the blog on a Thursday and want to enter, please go back to the actual post from Tuesday morning and enter your comment there, so all entries are in one place.)
   
2. Winners will be drawn randomly - not by best entry or answer - by a random integer generator online that I will use. This will keep it completely random, and totally fair.
3. If you win once, you will not be eligible to win again.
4. Each week I will only reveal the 'sense' for that week in the entry post...not the prize. The prize will be announced at the same time on Monday that the winner is announced. (The reason for this is simply that I will probably need the extra time to do some hunting for good deals on the prizes and may not have them yet at the time of the entry post; the prize will be determined before the winner, just so you are assured that I will not be choosing the prize based on the winner. I have no way to 'prove' this, other than you'll just have to trust me! And besides - it's FREE stuff anyway!)
5. Prizes will only be able to be shipped to locations within the continental US. (If you live abroad, you are welcome to enter and ship the prize to someone else!)

As I said, I know the first one is short notice, so I guess the advantage here goes to all my 'regular' readers. My next post (in a few minutes) will be the official entry post with a question for you to answer. Remember, all entries must be in before 5 p.m. tomorrow!! Then watch for the next contest to begin on Tuesday morning!

I'm so excited about this...I'm really looking forward to blessing people with some fun prizes! I hope you enjoy!!

happy march!!!

Hey! Today is March 1 (at least for a few more minutes!) and I've been thinking that since this blog is called 'crocuses in march' that I should do something to celebrate this month. So I'm thinking I'm going to do a giveaway! I haven't decided for sure yet what I'll be doing, but I'm definitely going to do something special - because I love everything about giveaways. I LOVE free stuff...getting it and giving it (my love language is gifts - can you tell!?!?!) - so I want to do something really good. Watch for details in the next day or so...I'm really excited to celebrate this month - spring, crocuses, kites, warm weather (she says optimistically!) - what could be better!

By the way, I asked Todd and we couldn't really decide - do you think March came in like a lion or a lamb??