What Happened to the Simple Life?

I don't know about you, but I long for the simple life sometimes.  I still get a taste of it when I go home to visit my parents and brother, but I can't seem to instill the simpler life into our children.  It's weighing heavily on my heart and I'm not sure what to do about it.  I mean, how many kids do you see now without a cell phone, i-pod, or other electronic gadget in hand most hours of the day?  Not many...although I will say that our two at ages 8 and almost 11 do not have any of them and we don't believe they need them at this point because they're pretty much home with us most of the time (we home educate).  If they are not with us, they are only with friends or family we know and trust to take care of them and know we would be contacted if there was a problem.  Otherwise, it's like the "old days" when people didn't have cell phones and it was normal for people to go an entire day (gasp!) without chatting with everyone they knew unless it was for a real purpose - like to arrange a time to spend time together. 

About a year ago, my husband and I were walking through the mall with our oldest daughter (10 years old at the time).  We spotted three girls maybe 12 or 13 years old walking toward us.  All three of them were texting while walking.  They weren't interacting with each other, but just walking with dead-pan expressions on their faces while the fingers flew.  My heart dropped when I looked on this scene...all I could think about was our girls doing the same thing in a few years!   (If we have anything to say about it, they won't!)  My husband remarked, "you know what's sad, they are probably texting each other".  You know, he could have been right!  What has happened to the art of conversation?  We have replaced it with texting and e-mail.  We've replaced face-to-face conversation with modern technology.  That scene of those three girls still plays over and over in my mind (and of course, we see it all the time now).  Ugh, I don't want to see our girls substitute the emptiness of texting and e-mailing for the true art and joy of face-to-face or telephone conversations.  

My parents still have the corded phone on the wall in the kitchen.  Yes, they are "with the times" with their cordless phone, but they have adamantly refused to get cell phones and I for one don't blame them.  They live the life!  They have several acres on which they cultivate a large garden and a small orchard.  They have two horses, three dogs, and of course lots of wild critters who wander about in the yard now and then (until the dogs see them of course!)  When they travel, I don't know where they are or how they are...which can be nerve-wracking for me (the one who does carry a cell phone wherever I go), but they are determined to truly go on vacation.  That means leaving behind home, house, and all that goes with it for a period of time when they can relax and enjoy sights they wouldn't normally see otherwise.  Ahhh...to have that freedom.  Yes!  I gotta say, they are doing something right.  When we go visit, I feel at peace.  I feel like things are right with my small world.  There is something to their way of living! 

What happened to simpler times?  For example:

• Girls playing with dolls and dollhouses
• Crafting/sewing
• Boys catching bugs and playing (harmless) pranks on their sisters
• Girls dressing up and imagining they are the mom, bride, or princess
• Hopscotch
• Reading aloud to your children
• Card games and board games
• Music played on the radio or (dare I say it?) a record player (instead of in the ears)
• Devotional time
• Running through the sprinkler
• Playing games in the car to test our brains
• Going to church as a family on Sunday
• Washing the car by hand
• Jump rope
• Taking a well-deserved nap in the afternoon because you've worked all morning
• Gardening
• Just sitting down and chatting with a friend 
• Holding hands with your spouse
• Hand-written thank you notes

I will say that we see some of the simple pleasures of life enjoyed by our girls.  They love catching lightning bugs, playing board games together as a family, making S'mores over the fire, camping, and washing the car.  But, we also have our share of computer time, television time, and time listening to music too.  Sometimes those things bother me.  They don't "sit right" with me.  I feel the family being torn apart by technology and electronics sometimes.  Yes, they're great for so many reasons, but they can also be the catalyst that brings families down...at least that's my humble opinion.  Striking the balance is the tough part for me...


It's as if I feel the "real" things in life slipping away and being replaced by empty technology.  I'm scared to death that we will lose our grip on what has meaning in this world.  Yes, I know that the prince of darkness roams this world, but God is still in control.  I know that He has our best at heart!  I know that He wants the best for our girls.  I want our girls to be different than the world.  They are just as drawn to the world as I am at times...convenience, immediate gratification, etc.  But, if we can keep them young and innocent for just a little longer, what's the harm in that?  I am terrified of losing my girls' hearts to the world.  Lord, help me to not allow that to happen!

This post has rambled a bit, I realize...my heart is heavy today and I'm not sure how to express everything I'm feeling in a way that "nails" it.  Even writers have a difficult time expressing themselves at times. 

Does anyone else feel this way?  Are you struggling with how much technology to allow in your childrens' lives?  Do you feel this generation is losing its grip on the meaningful things in life?  I'd be curious to hear your thoughts.

Well, must go get ready for my day.  We're meeting my parents today for lunch.  We do this sometimes - just drive halfway and meet in the middle to spend a few hours together.  I love these times and wish they could be more often.  I must be on time!  See, they don't have cell phones...so there is no way to reach them if I am running late.  Hey, there's a great way to stay accountable and be on time!  (smile)  I always pray for their safe travel there and back and today will be no different.  I trust in the Lord to take care of them. 

Thank you for bearing with me today!

All my best to you,

Counting Blessings ..on to 1,000!

Good Monday to you!  I did not get to post my list of (continued) blessings last week, so I am trying to catch up this week.  I hope you are considering your blessings daily.

It's Multitude Monday!

Blessings Continued...on to 1,000!

41.  My hubby mowing the lawn instead of me...right now in fact!  Normally I don't mind, but this hot weather really gets to me.  My hubby is more of a gecko (I'm more of a polar bear), so he was gracious enough to do the lawn on his day off.  Thanks Sweets! 
42.  Enjoying the visit with my niece Melanie this week.
43.  Seeing family and friends over the summer.
44.  A few new clothing items
45.  Birds singing outside my office window
46.  I'm thankful our girls enjoy reading books.
47.  The Lord is faithful...always.
48.  Seeing my Sis last week
49.  My overall health (not that it doesn't need improvement, but thankful where it is anyway)
50.  Thankful for praise and worship music
51.  My husband's tender heart
52.  I'm blessed by my husband's smile and hugs

All my best to you this Monday,

Our Day at Columbus Zoo

Who goes to the zoo on a hot summer day?  Everyone apparently!  My husband treated us to a zoo membership this year and we were all itching to get up to the Columbus Zoo to see the new additions, so we decided to go yesterday even though it was going to be 87 degrees and sunny.  Plus, our niece is visiting from Georgia and we wanted to do something fun with her while she was here.  It was really hot, but a fun day.  

When we started out, it was foggy, but cleared up pretty quickly once we entered into the outskirts of Columbus. 

Columbus Zoo (Columbus, Ohio) recently added and opened Polar Express, their new polar bear exhibit.  They did a beautiful job with it!  Polar bears are my absolute favorite wild animal, so that was the first place we headed (thank you family!).  There is an upper deck to see the bears outside and then you can go down into what looks like an underground mine to see the polar bears swimming in the water.

 This is the polar bear coming over the side - look at those paws!

This was my favorite shot (I took several that didn't turn out well).  This photo was taken with me looking above my head.  Isn't he (or she) beautiful?  I know they are a fierce wild animal, but I still want to hug one!

It was neat to hear what people were saying around us (this exhibit was packed).  The exclamations were everything from, "Wow!", "They've really outdone themselves!", and just a lot of "oohs" and "aahhs".  When it gets colder and school begins again, I'd love to go there and just sit and watch them swim around. 

We were privileged to see Misha, a baby gorilla who now lives at the Columbus Zoo.  She is so very small!  In this photo she is sleeping peacefully on one of the zoo's volunteers.

You can read all about Misha's incredible story and Columbus Zoo's surrogate program here.

Across the way from Misha was the silverback gorilla.  He is magnificent!  He was trying so hard not to let his eyes close - he had that droopy, "it's time for a nap" look.  There were so many people, it was as if he was trying to see each one before going to sleep. 

I love this next photo - up close of his face.  God's creations are so beautiful and unique!**

We enjoyed some ion therapy while standing next to this waterfall in the Asia Quest area of the zoo.

These gorgeous red flowers were blooming all around the Asia Quest area of the zoo.  One bloom was larger than my hand!

We were a bit amused by this sign...

Especially when we were able to see the bears...

This one was sacked out!  And his buddy was too...

Just goes to show that even wild animals are peaceful at times too.  It must have been nap time!

Columbus Zoo also has baby manatees!  There are 6 manatees in the tank now.  Very cool! 

You can read more about the four new baby manatees here.

My husband loves, loves fish, so the aquarium stop was a must.  The aquarium is quite impressive with all sorts of exotic and tropical fish.  There are a few sharks in the mix (smaller species) and some rays too.  At certain times of the day, you can watch the scuba divers feed the fish and maintain the tank.

Of course, we all took the opportunity to enjoy the air conditioning and sit down for a few minutes.  The girls didn't mind a bit!

Our niece Melanie loves red pandas, so that was our last stop.  Just as we walked up to the habitat, he walked right out in plain view!  I told Mel it was as if he had walked out there just for her. 

He's so pretty!  He has the tail of a raccoon (striped and full) and a face that looks like a cross between a panda and a raccoon (in my opinion).  I do believe God has a sense of humor, does He not?

Our girls were a bit disappointed because we only saw one leopard sleeping.  The tigers and lions were no where to be seen!  We must be visiting at the wrong time of day.  Perhaps next time we'll see them.

A macaw got loose in the zoo while we were there yesterday.  It was rather interesting to see zoo associates - at least 20 of them - positioned around one area where the macaw was hiding.  Zoo personnel were around the pond, on the path, in the trees, and in boats on the pond.  At the time we came across the scene, they had been trying to catch the bird for an hour and a half and still had not caught him.  We don't know if he was caught or not by the time we left.  Always exciting at the zoo!

A Few Miscellaneous Thoughts...

Zoo Membership - If you're headed to the Columbus Zoo, you may want to consider a zoo membership for your family.  Especially if you live close by and enjoy visiting.  My husband opted for the Family Plus membership, which allows us to bring two guests in on our pass for free.  After one more visit, it will pretty much pay for itself.  Parking is also free when you have a family membership.  Oh, and you receive 10% off gift shop purchases too.  Reciprocal privileges include 50% off at Cincinnati Zoo, Toledo Zoo, and The Wilds, to name a few.  There are many more perks with a membership, but I don't remember them at the moment.

Lockers - if you are like us and bring lunch to the zoo but don't want to carry it around all day, there are lockers available in the front entrance area of the zoo.  The cost for a small locker is $6 and $7 for a big one.  You must put down a $3 deposit for the key, but as long as you return the key, you get the deposit money back.  We felt it was a bit of a rip off, but also liked the convenience of it.  We remember the days of having a stroller to roll everything around in, but those days are no more for us.  So, if you have a stroller, a locker may not be a concern for you. 

Pressed pennies - these are so much fun!  All around the zoo, they have pressed penny machines featuring different animal pictures you can have pressed into a penny.  Each pressed penny costs 51 cents, so remember to bring two quarters and a penny for each penny you want to press.  We think these are fun and inexpensive souvenirs! 

Some things to bring/wear:

• hats
• sunscreen
• sunglasses
• supportive shoes
• camera
• bottled water

We would recommend bringing your own lunch and snacks unless you have budgeted quite a chunk of $$ for buying lunch at the Congo River Market within the zoo.  Bottled water runs $2.50 plus tax per bottle, so you might want to bring your own.

On the way out of the zoo, there are zoo associates standing at the exit handing out Bob Evans Free Kid Meal coupons.  We were given three - one for each child.  Nice!

It was a great day together as a family!  Hope you and yours are enjoying the summer!

**I just wanted to note that I believe in Creation, not evolution and believe that all animals were created by God.  I believe that man was created in God's own image.  I do not believe that we evolved from apes.  I just think gorillas are a fantastic creation from God.**

I'm not promoting Columbus Zoo for financial gain of any kind.  I simply think it's fun to share what we saw and to share the little tidbits of knowledge that we have learned over the years.

All my best to you today!

Childhood is fleeting...

 This photo was taken nearly four years ago.  It's our girls hiking on my parent's place.  Our shadows are behind them.  My heart hurts a bit when I see this photo - makes me want them little again...sometimes...

Isn't a precious photo? 

All my best to you today,

She ate spaghetti sauce!

A lot of you are probably reading the headline and thinking...ok...what's the big deal?  Well, if you knew how difficult meal time is in my house, you would appreciate my surprise and joy when my oldest daughter asked for spaghetti sauce on her noodles last night.  Then, my younger daughter asked for some too!  Then, imagine how I felt when they both ATE it and liked it!  Oooh, the elation and joy!! 

Ok, so some of you are thinking...this mom has lost it...it's just spaghetti sauce!  Just spaghetti sauce you say? 

Allow me to give you some background...

I have two, possibly three picky eaters in my house.  The range of picky-ness (is that even a word?) is across the board.  My husband is the least picky and the easiest to please.  Really, if I stay away from mushrooms, cooked tomatoes, and anything really spicy, he's happy.  My youngest daughter is m ore adventurous in her eating - she will try most anything at least once.  She is somewhere in the middle on the picky-ness scale.  I mean, what kid doesn't like peanut butter and jelly??  Not her! 

My oldest daughter is the most challenging.  Since she was an infant, she has given me fits where food is concerned.  She wouldn't nurse, no matter what we tried.  I saw three lactation consultants and we tried everything.  I pumped for 6 months, but finally the amount of formula was outweighing the amount of breast milk she was getting, so she was on formula after six months.  When it came time for baby food, she was so difficult.  I followed what the doctor told me, but it didn't seem to matter what went into her mouth, she screwed up her face and clearly didn't like it.  When she had had enough, the lips closed and that was it. 

Ok, fast forward to today - she is going to be 11 years old in August.  The list of things she likes can fit onto a playing card size piece of paper if I write small.  Yes, that's it.  Imagine trying to come up with meals that she will eat!  Meal time is not my favorite time of day to say the least.

Now I will say that breakfast is pretty good - she eats Grape Nuts with organic milk, orange juice, and her vitamins.  Not too shabby.  I can live with that.  Lunch and dinner get real interesting though.  Let's just say that there are times I have ended up in tears and told my entire family to hit the Subway up the street because I can't stand to cook another meal no one wants to eat. 

There were a few years there when I made up to three separate meals in a desperate attempt to make sure everyone had some thing they liked and would eat.  I stopped doing that a while back, but still I try to present at least one thing on the table that each person in my family likes and will consume.  It's tricky sometimes.  There have been days when I have wandered the grocery store, praying that the Lord will show me what to buy, show me what to make for these three people I love so much.  I have wandered the grocery store for a few hours sometimes just hoping that something would "jump out" at me.  Ugh...

The spaghetti sauce was a huge thing!  She has been eating plain spaghetti noodles with butter and salt for years now.  She tried the sauce back a few years ago and drank it down with water as fast as she could.  But last night, she ate almost the whole serving!  Hey, we aren't members of the clean plate club here unless there was truly very little on the plate to begin with, so I was thrilled she ate 1/2 of what I gave her.  She also tried a cucumber slice and a piece of celery last night!  Believe me, it was all I could do not to jump up and down and cheer!  The doctor tells me I need to stay calm and not make a big deal out of food and eating in front of my daughter.  Ok, ok...but I am going to say it here - "whoopee!!!"

I know that the trend may not last.  She may not eat those foods ever again.  But last night, she did.  Last night I felt like I had fed my family the way they should be fed.  I felt successful in giving them the healthy foods their bodies need.  I haven't felt that way in years...except for a few days here and there.  It's discouraging to say the least to feel like no matter what you put on the table will not be received well and probably not eaten.  We are trying to teach the girls that no matter what is on the table, they need to be thankful.  Their attitudes have gotten better and for that we are thankful.  Hopefully with time and continued teaching, it will get even better. 

Hey, maybe the girls will try my tilapia and baked zucchini today!  Yeah, right, ok, now I am officially crazy.  I have to keep reminding myself...baby steps...baby steps...

Now you know...I'm a little nuts.  But that's ok.  There's a little bit of being nuts in all of us...we just have to admit it.  (big smile)

Anyone else out there with picky eaters?  How are you handling it in your house?  I'd love to hear your thoughts!  

All my best to you today,

Multitude Monday

This past week, I took some time to relax.  Does that sound strange?  For those close to me, they would understand that it takes a lot for me to sit and do something I truly enjoy.  Relaxing is difficult!  Especially when I know there are a million (ok, maybe not a million, but it seems like it sometimes) other things that need to be accomplished while I sit there "relaxing".  **sigh**  I am praying the Lord will teach me how to relax, despite the ongoing to-do list; despite the fact that my house is not perfectly organized and immaculate.  Well, you get the idea...

Continuing with the counting of one thousand gifts this Monday morning...
 
21.  Date night with my sweet loving husband of 15 years
22.  My daughter's joy when she was able to sleep in her loft bed (that Daddy built for her) for the first time this last week
23.  Discovering that decaf coffee doesn't have to taste bad (yea, Winan's!)
24.  Singing praises to the Lord in choir
25.  Celebrating the elimination of credit card debt just this last week (freedom!)
26.  Feeling the "touch" of God's hand on my heart when I need Him most
27.  Being able to freely approach His throne with prayers and praises
28.  Our jobs, especially in this economy
29.  My sweet cat, Toby, snuggling with me at night when I finally sit down
30.  Finding the perfect seamless, adjustable straps camisole (finally!)
31.  Holding hands with my husband
32.  Feeling the hand of my almost-11-year-old daughter slip into mine while we're walking (and in public too!  Thank you Lord...)
33.  The simple words..."thank you Mommy"...
34.  A vacuumed and cleaned out vehicle
35.  The scent of freshly mowed hay field wafting through the air
36.  A gentle breeze that makes the pine trees seem to "whisper"
37.  The crunching of gravel under my feet when I walk down my parents' driveway, reminding me of the many times I walked that driveway growing up...to the bus...to the mailbox...or just walking...
38.  A hike in the country
39.  Lettuce finally growing out back
40.  The sweet ladies at our local library - they greet us, chat with us, have prayed with us, hugged us, and have become a part of our lives over the last 13 years (watched our girls grow up!)

I hope you are reflecting on your blessings today.  If I can think of just one during the day...I feel thankful.  In the midst of so much busyness in this time of my life, I find that I sometimes have to search for what makes me feel blessed.  Sometimes it's a knowledge that I am blessed rather than a feeling of being blessed.  God's Word tells me in so many ways that I am blessed!  You are too!

All my best to you today,

Office Closet Organized, Scrap Quilt, and More...

It's been a good week for accomplishing some unfinished tasks.  Not all of these were on my Master List, but that's ok!  It still feels good to make some progress, regardless of what gets done.

Office Closet Organized!

I did get the office closet organized and it is so much easier now to go in there and find what I need.  The girls like it too because they can see their art supplies at a glance.  Keep in mind that this wasn't a fancy re-do.  I simply used what I had on hand to make sense of this closet.  It was free to do since I didn't purchase any organizational stuff to make it happen.

I have a bookshelf in the closet that works well for the art bin and paper, but I needed more shelves.  So, I took a look in the attic and found two white crates that work well now as "shelves".  The crates house the crayons, colored pencils, markers, and extra writing utensils like pens, pencils, highlighters, etc.

The orange basket matches absolutely  nothing, but it is perfect for keeping all of our stationary, cardstock, and thank you notes in one place.  This shelf of the closet has the printer paper, stencils, paint, and rubber stamp collection.

We have small closets in our home, so I have my hanging clothes in the office closet.  I organized them by color in an effort to find what I want quickly.  It seems to be working out well so far and I like how the colors look when I open the doors.

I had to share this beautiful sign with you!  Julie, our oldest daughter, made this for me several years ago and it is posted right above the office closet door.  I love seeing it every day.

Heather's Scrap Quilt

I know I mentioned my daughter's quilt when I posted about the Master List.  I so wanted to get it done before her birthday (beginning of June), but it just didn't happen.  I had some time this week to work on it and this is what is finished so far.

We both agreed that it needs borders to make it larger, so we are going fabric shopping this weekend to see what might look nice.  Heather designed her scrap quilt using the fabrics I had on hand.  This quilt is just like her - vibrant, colorful, and beautiful.  I can't wait to see how it turns out when it's completed.  I'll keep you updated!

Julie's T-shirt Pillow

I also finished a t-shirt pillow for Julie.  She had painted this picture on a t-shirt a few summers ago during one of the summer reading programs at our library.  It's so cute, but doesn't fit her anymore, so I simply sewed around the open edges of the t-shirt, stuffed it, and closed the opening by hand.  She is happy with it and I am glad to have it off my sewing table!

In addition, I was able to mend a tank top that had been sitting on my sewing table for several months, make three pair of shorts from jeans that had seen better days, and complete a table runner that has been sitting on my sewing table for nearly 8 months.  I ran out of fabric for the back and had set it aside.  Now it adorns the top of my nightstand and I love it.  Yes, I got a little crazy with the purples!

So, that's been my week as far as accomplishing some unfinished tasks.  I am feeling pretty good about it...until I look at the Master List again! 

All my best to you today,