Journal Jottings of a Maine Mama: Leap Day

CLOCK READS
9:16am

WEATHER IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS
Bright, sunny, high 30s.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW and IN THE GARDEN
Snow and ice continue to melt. More and more patches of brown, but turning green grass. Branches and a lone flip flop peek out of the diminishing snow. Water flows rapidly down the brook.

WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW and AROUND THE HOUSE
Light cleaning while Sam completes a math test. 

TODAY
Jazz band practice for Cate. Grocery shopping. Catching up laundry. Free ranging the flock.

DINNER
Spaghetti and Meatballs and Tossed Salad

WHAT'S ON TV
"Amazing Race"

FROM THE CRAFT BASKET
Continuing to work on my anniversary temperature blanket. Completed May 10-September. Half way through October. Anxious to finish for our camper van bed! (Camping blog link) 

I'm sharing my crocheting creations over at Lucy Blossom Crafts (Mondays), Frontier Dreams (Tuesdays), Small Things (Wednesdays), Oombawka Design (Wednesdays), and Lunamon Design (Wednesdays).

PAGE TURNER
Need a trip to the library. Book-less.

A BLESSING
Changing of seasons

DEVOTIONAL and INSPIRATION

To everything there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: (Ecclesiastes 3:1)

I'm linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook and Happy Homemaker are Mondays.

Journal Jottings of a Maine Mama: Super Quick Edition

CLOCK READS
9:59am

WEATHER IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS
A bright, sunny 27 degrees

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW and IN THE GARDEN
Diminished piles of dirty snow. Bare, frozen ground. Broken, downed tree limbs.

WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW and AROUND THE HOUSE
Watching Sam do Saxon Math. Cate listening to music through headphones. Dogs snoozing. Furnace running. Phone buzzing. Dirty Dishes piles in sink.

TO DO
Grocery Shop

DINNER
See To Do

WHAT'S ON TV
"Amazing Race" and "Survivor"

FROM THE CRAFT BASKET
Every day adding rows to my 2 temperature blankets. 

I'm sharing my crocheting creations over at Lucy Blossom Crafts (Mondays), Frontier Dreams (Tuesdays), Small Things (Wednesdays), Oombawka Design (Wednesdays), and Lunamon Design (Wednesdays).

PAGE TURNER
The Bible. 

A BLESSING
Provisions from above to make our dream a reality. Launched our Campfires and Casting blog to share our camping and fishing adventures. Would love more followers and readers (Link)

DEVOTIONAL and INSPIRATION
Now the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that ye may abound in hope, through the power of the Holy Ghost. (Romans 15:13)

I'm linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook, Darling Downs Diaries, and Happy Homemaker are Mondays.

Wednesday Hodgepodge: Quick Answers Edition

Welcome to this week's edition of Wednesday Hodgepodge. I've fallen behind on my blogging, so this will be the QUICK answer version. Thanks for stopping by!

1. February 17th is National Random Acts of Kindness Day. It lands on the calendar one day after National Do Something for a Grouch Day (February 16) which somehow feels related. Perhaps the 16th inspired the 17th?

Tell about a time you performed a random act of kindness or were the recipient of one. Will you make an effort to perform a random act of kindness on the 17th? Share details if you're so inclined, and if you have something specific in mind.

Yesterday my friend and her husband jump started my van as my daughter and I sat stranded at Family Dollar. Much quicker than AAA! 

Every day I try to be kind, helpful, thoughtful, and giving to everyone that "crosses my path". I don't have anything specific in mind today, but I'm sure something will come up.

2.What's the most uplifting or encouraging thing you see happening in the world right now? You may have to dig deep for this one.

That there are people out there who choose to do good no matter what. In a world of so many negatives, there are always people reaching out to others.

3. Black olives, black currants, black grapes, black beans, blackberries, Oreos...your favorite food the color of night? Your least favorite on the list?

Oreos! But NOT dipped in milk. And least favorite? Olives! The texture...Ew!

4. A while back I read (here) a list of twelve things you should do before you turn 50. They were-

travel when you have the chance, take care of your skin, learn a foreign language, make exercise a habit, leave a toxic situation, stop caring what others think about you, stop worrying, volunteer, spend time with your grandparents, pledge to work less, learn to cook an amazing dish, and seize an opportunity as it arises

What do you think of the list? What would you add or remove and why? If you're over 50, have you done all 12? If you're not yet 50, have you done any at all? What's on the list that you haven't done, but would like to do?

A great list! I think I would remove "cook an amazing dish" as I TRY to do that every dinner, and add read great books.

5. Besides the classic Christmas flicks, what's your favorite film where winter plays a part in the setting?  

Besides Christmas? "March of the Penguins", but is that really winter since it's always cold there? Or the "Ice Age" movies. Sid's a hoot!

6.When did you last feel helpless, and what did you do about it?

I never feel completely helpless as I have God by my side, a sacrificing husband, and supportive children, family and friends. Someone always has my back!

7. Share a favorite proverb. 

8. Insert your own random thought here.

Join Joyce from From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Share in the randomness!

Happy Hodgepodging!

Journal Jottings of a Maine Mama: February 15, 2015

CLOCK READS
6:21am

WEATHER IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS
Absolutely frigid. Not just cold, but miserably cold. We're sitting at -15 right now, but we're supposed to be up to 18 degrees for a high. That's quite an improvement over yesterday.

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW and IN THE GARDEN

WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW and AROUND THE HOUSE
I'm staying cozy in bed with my husband (who has the day off from work) and lots of blankets. It's early. Our kids are still sleeping. The only sounds are the heat coming out of the vents and my husband talking nonsense to me. (He's being silly already this morning.)

TO DO
☐ Fix Leaks (that Never Got Fixed in January)
☐ Declutter and Organize Utility Room
☐ Clothing, Linens and Blankets Purge
☐ Bring Donates to Salvation Army

DINNER
TBD

WHAT'S ON TV
It looks like the new season of "Amazing Race" has started. I'll be catching in free on-line at some point. (We don't have cable.) When does Survivor and The Voice start?

FROM THE CRAFT BASKET

You'll see a lot of my anniversary and daughter's temperature blankets in the coming months. I don't plan on starting any new projects at this point. I finished May 10th-August 7th, 2015 on my anniversary blanket, and I'm loving the colors and stitch. It's going to be a heavy, cozy and huge blanket.



I'm sharing my crocheting creations over at Lucy Blossom Crafts (Mondays), Frontier Dreams (Tuesdays), Small Things (Wednesdays), Oombawka Design (Wednesdays), and Lunamon Design (Wednesdays).

PAGE TURNER
This month I will be doing a LOVE STUDY from Time Warp Wife. I'm excited about learning and applying the 4 types of love - storge, philia, eros, and agape - through bible scripture, on-line discussion, a study guide, and Four Loves by C.S. Lewis. I'll be jotting down prayers and reflections in the SWEET "Quiet Your Heart" journal. (For info on this study, click here.It's not too late to join in!)

A BLESSING

My husband and I were blessed with the provisions to start a dream of ours, to RV and camp. We thought we would have to wait years, but everything seemed to fall in place over the last month, and on Valentine's Day we purchased our first new-to-us Roadtrek campervan. Not only does it have all the stuff we need to camp, but it can be used as a back-up vehicle if needed due to its small size. I'll be starting a blog just for our camping adventures when we decide on a blog name...



DEVOTIONAL and INSPIRATION

Blessed is the man that trusteth in the LORD and whose hope the LORD is. (Jeremiah 17:7)

I'm linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook and Happy Homemaker on Mondays.

Weekly Wrap-up: Week 20 - The One Before Winter Break...Maybe

We rediscovered Rummikub this past week. Cate joined Tom and I for some games filled with laughter and "mock" boasting. We'll have to try another game this week as I did not win most of the games. :: wink :: We did have a 4th player join us for a few minutes...

CORE WORK

CATI

• English Grammar 101: Section 7 - Conjunctions and Interjections (85%), Section 8 - Verbals and Phrases
• My Life in a Post: blog
• Vocab Test: List 4 (92%), List 5 (100%), List 6
• Laddie (Stratton Potter)
• Khan Academy: Pre-Algebra (87% Completed)
• CNN Student News

SAM

• English Grammar 101: Lesson 1 - Lesson 2 - Common and Proper Nouns (87%)
• Writing: 5 Paragraph Essay - Finished Rough Draft and Started Editing
• Cursive Copywork:
• The Tale of Despereaux (DiCamillo)
• Saxon 65 - Lesson 15 (Multiplication Table), Test 2 (85%), Lesson 16 (Types of Lines), Lesson 17 (Multiplication By One Digit), Lesson 18 (Double Digit Multiplication)
• CNN Student News

ASTRONOMY

It was all about Jupiter this week as we studied Lesson 9 in Apologia. (Only 5 more lessons to go!)

• Notebook Page/Project Page
• Spacecraft Galileo
• Project: Make a Hurricane Tube
• Project: Rockets Away 

GENERAL SCIENCE

Cati finished Module 8: Uniformitarianism and Castastrophism with a 100% on her exam.

• Vocab: Index Fossils, Geological Column, Evolution
• Experiment: Simulation of Using Index Fossils

U.S. HISTORY and GEOGRAPHY

Sam and I read History of Us: The First Americans Prehistory-1600 (Hakim) this week, chapters 20-21, and finished watching the Magellan documentaries on You Tube.

• "Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery - Circumnavigation Part 3/4 (BBC)"
• "Ferdinand Magellan Voyages of Discovery - Circumnavigation Part 4/4 (BBC)"
• Amerigo Vespucci
• Martin Waldseemuller - First Map with America
• Roman Catholicism and Protestantism in Europe

MUSIC HISTORY, GEOGRAPHY and CULTURES

Cati studies Music History with Easy Peasy Homeschool, and continued on with Year 3 Geography and Cultures. Since the lessons are quick, she completes one week per day, sometimes more. This week she completed weeks 20-22.

• Percussion Instruments
• Identifying Orchestra Instruments
• Jazz and Concert Band Practice

She went to Jazz and Concert band practices this week, preparing for the Jazz competition coming up in a few weeks.

DAYS COMPLETED: CATE - 118 | SAM - 113

As always, special thanks to these bloggers for their weekly homeschool blog link-ups. Click the buttons to see what other homeschoolers are doing!

Happy Homeschooling!

Wednesday Hodgepodge: The HEART Edition

1. Create an acrostic using the word LOVE. If you're unsure what an acrostic is click here. 

         ALways
         cOmmitted
to that Very
       spEcial someone

 2. Does LOVE really conquer all? Why or why not?

Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth...(1 Corinthians 13:7-8)

LOVE does conquer all. It can get us through everything without fail!

3. Tell us about a time recently, where you really put your heart into something.

I always put my heart into my family, my husband and my kids. Every. Single. Day. They make life worth living.

4. What's your favorite fictional LOVE story?

One of my favorite movies is "Forrest Gump". Forrest had a deep LOVE for Jenny that never faded over time despite how diverse their lives were. He waited and waited, and eventually they married and were a family. He never gave up on that LOVE.

5. Do you generally wear your heart on your sleeve, or keep your cards close to the vest?

My heart has been broken and healed, but the scars remain. I'm quite protective of it and keep it close, sharing it with those I truly feel LOVED by.

6. What food says LOVE to you? Why?

When my sweet husband takes over the kitchen and makes something for dinner. It's not often that someone cooks for me. It doesn't matter what he "whips up" because the thought behind it says LOVE.

Now, if I really need to pick a food then CHOCOLATE. Sweet and decadent!

7. When were you last 'tickled pink' over something? Explain.

I'm crocheting a very special afghan as a keepsake for our first anniversary. I chose the trinity stitch to represent our vows "woven" between us and God, and together husband and I chose yarn colors. It's going to be cozy. I'm "tickled pink" how it's coming out!

8.  Insert your own random thought here.

Photo Source

Join Joyce from From This Side of the Pond for Wednesday Hodgepodge. Share in the randomness!

Happy Hodgepodging!

Journal Jottings of a Maine Mama: February 8, 2016

CLOCK READS
1:17pm

WEATHER IN MY NECK OF THE WOODS
Another snowstorm is blowing in this afternoon. It's overcast and 20 degrees. And a 3rd storm in less than a week is following tomorrow. Here comes the white stuff!

OUTSIDE MY WINDOW and IN THE GARDEN

WHAT I'M DOING RIGHT NOW and AROUND THE HOUSE
I'm able to take a breather finally. It's been a whirlwind morning with getting husband off to work and son off to school, taking care of the flock, dogs and cat, starting homeschool, making an important phone call, running to jazz band for daughter and the groceries store for grub while juggling getting son from public transportation as school closed early (even though we haven't seen a flake of snow yet). :: sigh :: I need to make another call, bake 2 chocolate chip banana breads, finish homeschool, check the flock, vacuum, and finally make dinner before calling it quits for the day.

TO DO
☐ Fix Leaks (that Never Got Fixed in January)
☐ Declutter and Organize Utility Room
☐ Clothing, Linens and Blankets Purge
☐ Bring Donates to Salvation Army

DINNER
Soft Shell Beef Tacos with Diced Tomatoes, Shredded Lettuce, Chunky Salsa, Mexican Shredded Cheeses, Sliced Black Olives, and Sour Cream

WHAT'S ON TV
Who has time?

FROM THE CRAFT BASKET

I started a 2nd temperature blanket just over a week ago. I'm excited as this blanket will represent the high temperatures during our first year married. A special homemade momento on our first anniversary! 

I'm creating this one in the trinity stitch. I love this stitch! (I would recommend it for a SOLID color blanket though.) It's going to make a thick, cozy queen-sized afghan.

I've made quite a bit of progress already. I finished up May 2015 and June is almost complete. I figured out that I will complete 91,250 stitches (without a border) by the time I have 365 rows completed. Phew!

I'm sharing my crocheting creations over at Lucy Blossom Crafts (Mondays), Frontier Dreams (Tuesdays), Small Things (Wednesdays), Oombawka Design (Wednesdays), and Lunamon Design (Wednesdays).

PAGE TURNER
This month I will be doing a LOVE STUDY from Time Warp Wife. I'm excited about learning and applying the 4 types of love - storge, philia, eros, and agape - through bible scripture, on-line discussion, a study guide, and Four Loves by C.S. Lewis. I'll be jotting down prayers and reflections in the SWEET "Quiet Your Heart" journal. (For info on this study, click here.It's not too late to join in!)

A BLESSING

DEVOTIONAL and INSPIRATION

And let the PEACE of GOD rule in your hearts...(Colossians 3:15)

I'm linking up to The Simple Woman's Daybook, Darling Downs Diaries, and Happy Homemaker are Mondays.