tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-41614374428944204762024-03-05T10:26:13.635-06:00A Firm FoundationBuilding my life on God's precepts and principles.Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.comBlogger102125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-13519914808596551692013-01-01T18:28:00.000-06:002013-01-02T06:15:31.100-06:00Goodbye to a Year of Goodbyes
Goodbye, 2012. You were life changing, and no offense, but I don't mean that in a good way. And although you weren't completely bad, I have to admit that I won't miss you a bit.
In 2012...
We lost our church.Twice.
We suffered the shocking and heartbreaking loss of the majority of our friendships.
And to round it all out, our beloved dog of twelve years died, followed a month later by one ofVikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-87923402811193564292012-05-14T23:59:00.000-05:002012-05-15T15:58:28.366-05:00Godly Girlhood ~ Part One: You've Been Lied ToTomorrow, my almost-seventeen-year-old (sigh.) and I are going to get serious about studying "godly girlhood." Specifically, she's wanting to study the concepts behind courtship, the reasons that we reject the practice of dating, and how to prepare now for her future as a godly wife and mother. My plan is to blog as we go through various books, sermons, websites, etc., so I thoughtVikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-74998767128107361422012-04-30T08:54:00.000-05:002012-04-30T08:55:59.023-05:00Win a Huge Pile of Homeschool Freebies!If you have never signed up to get weekly emails from Homeschool Freebie of the Day, you don't know what you're missing! They offer a new free resource on their website every weekday, and so every weekend, they send out an email giving you a heads up of what will be offered that week. You don't have to sign up for the weekly emails, but if you're like me, and suffer from "Forty Brain" Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-84331378249483892702012-04-28T15:42:00.000-05:002012-04-28T15:42:22.556-05:00"Forty Brain" Explained!What a relief to finally discover the real reason behind my inability to remember anything longer than five minutes! My friend Sherry calls it "forty brain," but now the truth has come out. Evidently salvation has caused my brain to atrophy! Warn all your friends and neighbors.
(insert sarcasm here)Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-41084954890548889492012-03-20T20:57:00.004-05:002012-03-20T21:49:49.566-05:00Hymns: Theology on Fire!I came across this quote today while working toward incorporating Hymn Study into our homeschooling. I'm linking to the two-part article here and here, although I (a) haven't read them fully, and (b) disagreed with at least one thing. But all disclaimers aside... wow! A lot of great stuff there! A few personal favorites:"Hymns are theology on fire! We need solid theology rather than just a Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-11095768260681987052012-02-15T08:31:00.003-06:002012-02-15T08:39:50.743-06:00Reason #563 to Homeschool...http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/02/14/preschoolers-homemade-lunch-replaced-with-nuggets/A Hoke County preschooler was fed chicken nuggets for lunch because a state worker felt that her homemade lunch did not have enough nutritional value, according to a report by the Carolina Journal.The West Hoke Elementary School student was in her classroom when a state agent who was inspecting lunch boxes Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-650526237727857002011-11-04T16:07:00.006-05:002011-11-04T16:20:29.466-05:00Godly ConductDraw a line.Establish a border.Separate a lifestyle.Godly conduct is about getting God's heart on every issue.Do all things as unto Him.Source: James MacDonald(Oh, and that loud thud you just heard? That was the collective sound of the jaws of my blog readers hitting the ground over the shock of a blog post from me after five months of silence!) Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-24045585689080078222011-06-20T01:34:00.002-05:002011-06-20T09:00:42.309-05:00Ten Years Ago This MonthTen years ago this month, our niece and nephew moved in with us, and our family has never been the same. :)
For ten years, I have tried to fulfill the "mom" role in their lives.
I've tried to teach them about fashion.
I've tried to teach them about modesty and about biblical manhood/womanhood.
I've tried to make dental hygiene a priority.
I've tried to encourage them to stand out in aVikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-659963663298377122011-06-10T18:55:00.000-05:002011-06-10T18:55:17.253-05:0031 Days to Clean... Day FiveYou can find all previous "31 Days to Clean" posts here!
Today's Mary Challenge:
Come up with a list of priorities that make sense for you and your family (I suggest rating them, 1-5, to evaluate how you're doing).
I have yet to do this one! I put it off that day in order to wait until I had enough time to really put some thought into it, and now I just keep forgetting to go back and spend Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-41560539640533579042011-06-10T17:04:00.001-05:002011-06-10T18:40:40.383-05:0031 Days to Clean... Day FourYou can find all previous "31 Days to Clean" posts here!
Day Four's lesson was about creating a home where people feel free to just relax and "put their feet up." My favorite thought of this lesson was: "Cleaning isn't just about scrubbing floors, making beds, and clearing out clutter (although those are good things), it's also about creating an environment that encourages people to feel Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-21943641299770440212011-06-10T11:44:00.001-05:002011-06-10T11:45:05.203-05:0031 Days to Clean...Day ThreeYou can find all previous "31 Days to Clean" posts here!
Today is my seventh day of working through the book 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way. It's really been a helpful book! Although I made a decision to focus on the Mary challenges, rather than both the Mary challenges and the Martha challenges. I have bigger fish to fry during this month off of school; namely, a Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-38622625225244910072011-06-05T15:40:00.003-05:002011-06-05T16:00:06.019-05:0031 Days to Clean... Day Two
You can find all previous "31 Days to Clean" posts here!
Today's Mary Challenge:
Start looking at your domain as something to make come alive! What can you do today to bring life to your home, your children, your husband, and your sphere of influence?
Hmmmm. Well, this doesn't have much to do with the cleanliness or organization of my home, but for me I think my answer has to be relationships Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-92181240243223369742011-06-04T23:55:00.004-05:002011-06-05T15:40:29.992-05:0031 Days to Clean... Day OneI recently received a free copy of the e-book 31 Days to Clean: Having a Martha House the Mary Way. I realized the other day that this was perfect timing, because the kids and I finished our school year yesterday, and we have exactly 31 days until our next year of school starts! (We do nine weeks on and four weeks off, year round.) So my hope is that by the time we start back to school, I will Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-44583879174423117662011-05-01T23:07:00.000-05:002011-05-01T23:07:03.786-05:00I Interrupt This Historical Announcement...A semi-humorous story in the midst of the serious situation of Osama Bin Laden's death...
As posted on my Facebook:
What a difference one little letter makes! I woke my husband up a little while ago and accidentally announced to him that the United States had killed Obama!! Aaakk!!! And to think I'm homeschooling these poor children. :) Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-50244056568986166712011-04-27T21:27:00.000-05:002011-04-27T21:27:07.509-05:00Free E-Book... Today Only!
I'm so excited about this e-book! Today only, if you post about it on your blog, you can receive a free copy. I keep meaning to order it... and forgetting. Finally, my procrastination pays off! Don't worry... if you don't have a blog, or don't get a chance to post this to your blog before midnight (eastern) tonight, you can buy your own copy of this e-book for just $4.99. Totally worth it, in Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-50496214587940354892011-04-26T21:51:00.000-05:002011-04-26T21:51:12.694-05:00IdolsI've posted this before, but I keep thinking about this tonight... so I decided to repost it.
If you're willing to sin in order to get something...
or sin in order to keep something...
or sin because you don't get something...
that thing has become an idol in your life.
~paraphrase of a quote from Idols of the Heart by Elyse Fitzpatrick (which I have not read)~Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-70182157012877221232011-04-21T15:52:00.002-05:002011-04-22T22:44:42.882-05:00In Our Classroom: VirtueThe kids and I have just started working through a unit study based on The Book of Virtue. Here are some things on the subject of virtue that we learned last week. I am learning as much and probably more than they are in this study!
The "I Wills" of Virtue
I will do what is right and encourage others to do the same.
I will guard my eyes, ears, words and thoughts.
I will learn to stand alone.
I Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-12883896297415838082011-04-18T19:30:00.000-05:002011-04-18T19:30:28.684-05:00Truer Words Have Never Been Spoken!My "nephson" and I were in a store today and we walked by a rack of t-shirts. I read one out loud to him saying, "Beer is now cheaper than gas."
To which he replied, "And gets you nowhere."Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-81722262070512058552011-02-21T11:17:00.000-06:002011-02-21T11:17:32.479-06:00A Blogging MiracleJust thought I'd point out the miracle that has occurred... This month, I have posted FIVE times on this blog, and THREE times on my recipe blog! I hope you were sitting down for that shocking piece of information.Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-50550633702495611582011-02-19T21:04:00.004-06:002011-02-19T21:11:34.918-06:00Girls Will Be BoysWow. In light of my pastor's recent blog post about unisex fashion, which in turn inspired a friend's post, this headline JUMPED out at me.
Girl Wrestler Wins After Boy Won't Compete Against Her
An excerpt from the article (you can read the complete article here):
---
High school wrestling star Joel Northrup had his eye on the Iowa state championship – until he found out he'd have to Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-3063587749385968812011-02-07T12:27:00.001-06:002011-02-07T12:29:06.891-06:00Forty by 40: Update #2
In light of the suffering that a family that we dearly love is going through right now, this post feels somewhat frivolous. However, I do want to try and maintain some sense of accountability when it comes to my weight loss goal, so... here is my second Forty by 40 update. (I missed updating last week.)
Total weight lost in week two: 0.5 pounds
Total exercise completed Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-36885553643197230952011-02-02T11:46:00.000-06:002011-02-02T11:46:23.306-06:00A Winter Wonderland... Part ThreeParts one and two can be found here and here.
Well, the "blizzard" has come and gone. I still haven't heard whether or not it ended up meeting the criteria for being called a blizzard, but WOW! That was a fun snowstorm to watch. From the comfort of my own home, that is. I don't like driving in the snow to begin with, and trying to drive with that lack of visibility would NOT be fun.
It'sVikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-15090019690209766942011-02-01T19:57:00.002-06:002011-02-01T20:11:57.314-06:00A Winter Wonderland... Part TwoPart One of this post can be found here. I'm continuing this post in an attempt to meet my pastor's photo challenge, although I have no idea how many inches of snow we have gotten!
It's been such a hoot today to watch all the snow falling and blowing all over the backyard ("snowing sideways" is how I would describe it), and to see our picnic table remain basically untouched. So funnyVikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-16349202733623149442011-02-01T15:45:00.000-06:002011-02-01T15:45:52.354-06:00A Winter Wonderland... Part OneWe are in the midst of heavy snow right now, and under a blizzard watch until tomorrow morning, with a prediction of 5 to 25 inches depending upon the part of the city. What the prediction is for my part of the city, I really can't tell! But the bottom line is: Snow, and lots of it. I have no idea how much snow we have here, because it's basically been snowing sideways all day. Our Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4161437442894420476.post-40136788151042779032011-01-24T10:18:00.000-06:002011-01-24T10:18:44.774-06:00Forty by 40: Update #1Week one of my "Forty by 40" challenge has come and gone... and I have survived. Actually, 5.5 pounds of me didn't survive. But that's the point, right? :)
I am following the Weight Watchers PointsPlus program. It's the newest Weight Watchers plan, and wow, am I ever happy with the new changes to the program! If you're not familiar with Weight Watchers at all, none of this will make Vikkihttp://www.blogger.com/profile/18171294376286688439noreply@blogger.com1