Happy Birthday to me

My mom made delicious meatloaf, baked potatoes and green beans for dinner tonight. Did I mention it was delicious? I really enjoy that meal. And to compliment the dinner, we had homemade carrot cake. Also delicious. I might possibly be indulging too much on said cake.

My mom watched the young ones, while Gary and I registered our older young one for kindergarten. Really, can my baby be old enough for kindergarten? It hardly seems possible. Next thing I know, she'll be turning 13, eying boys, getting her license, leaving for college, getting married, having her own babies, and sending them off to kindergarten. Where does the time go?

Oh, and it isn't just my birthday today. Amazingly Ellie's is today also. She tells me it's because she loves me. She apparently has a birthday whenever anyone else has one.

Facebook

I have a facebook page, if anyone is interested. I don't mind checking things out there every once in a while, but I am not going to be getting into all the things there. I am requested left and right to do this or that. Sorry people it isn't going to happen.

And why are people I hardly know asking to be my friend? Just because I knew your name in high school, doesn't mean we can be best buddies now. Maybe they are just curious about whom I am now. I don't know.

Hown grown produce - here we come!

In reading Claire's blog about getting ready for farming in '09, I have been thinking about our little plot of dirt. What should we grow, and how might we do it? Granted we have about a hundredth of the space that they have, probably even less, but I think we have enough space to grow what will meet our needs. If not, Dad grows an abundance.

I definitely need to maximize the small space we have. Maybe we'll have enough to can a jar or two of something.

Opera - love them or leave them.

Flipping through channels today, my eyes caught a program on PBS. It looked as though they were going to be showing an opera. I usually keep flipping, but the title was "The Barber of Seville." I stopped. It got my attention because in high school marching band we played music from that opera. I wanted to watch it.

For the next two hours I read and listened to the opera. It is the story of a Count who falls for a maiden who is kept locked inside her guardian's house. The barber (why a barber, I don't know) helps the Count rescue her, so they can live happily ever after. It was very well preformed. I liked the solo by the barber the best. I think it is the most known aria of the opera.

The thing about operas is that they sing the same words or phrases many times. In another language it isn't so bad. I imagine in English it would sound really silly. "I want to walk to the park, I need to walk to the park, need to walk, want to walk, need to walk to the park, to the park, to the park, the park. I want to walk to the park!"

Although Gary was napping for most of it, he had to endure the last 30 minutes. He is glad I don't care for all operas. At one point I left the room for just a moment, and he had muted it.

Another opera from which we played music is "The Marriage of Figaro." Interesting. I just looked up both operas, and "The Marriage of Figaro" is a sequel to "The Barber of Seville." And I found out why a barber is called to help win the lady. He used to be a servant in the guardian's house.

Well enough culture, back to cleaning the house.

Birthday Outing

I have been looking forward to today for over a week now. My mom took me clothes shopping for my birthday. Just me and my mom. We also had lunch at Applebees - a yummy treat.

We went to Kohl's and 2nd Avenue. I got new toasty warm gloves at Kohl's, and a pair of jeans, a pair of lounge pants, and two white shirts and a cream shirt at 2nd Avenue. In case you are unaware, 2nd Avenue is a thrift store. Yes, I was excited to go shopping at a thrift store. The prices are great, and I am reusing textiles.

My mom said she felt weird giving me thrift store clothes for my birthday, but I am quite pleased with my new found clothes.

Thanks a bunch Mom!

The G & B Restaurant

Tonight was great. Gary and I prepared a scrumptious meal for my parents' Christmas present. And since today is their anniversary, it was also an anniversary dinner. They have been married 38 years.

We served herb roast pork, mashed potatoes, a sweet potato (my dad's request,) green beans, salad with homemade dressing, applesauce, homemade bread, and homemade apple pie. We have a swinging door between our kitchen and dining room, so we shut it and pretended they were at a restaurant. Though, we joined them for the main coarse.

I had the table set beautifully, with my fancy folded napkins and used our more formal dinnerware and glassware. I had a great time.

We get to do it two more times, also. Tonight with Gary's mom and step-dad, except we are taking the meal to them, since Dan can't get out. And we still need to pick a date for Gary's dad and step-mom. Tonight is also Mom and Dan's anniversary, 22 years I think, so they get a Christmas and an anniversary dinner, too. Their dinner is the same as my parents'. We'll see if it turns out as well.

Recycling

If you remember me talking about the show "Living with Ed," you might also remember me saying that I would like to be able to do more of the stuff he talks about. But the funds are not readily available to me as they seem to be for him.

So, I do what I can. The easiest is recycling. To some recycling can be a nuisance in that you have to rinse/clean containers, sort, remove non-recyclable parts, or haul it yourself to a recycling place. I do not find this to be objectionable. I am glad to do my part. Our trash hauler, Ches-Mont, had only taken plastics 1 and 2, glass, and paper. The rest - plastics 3 - 7, paperboard, cardboard, Styrofoam, plastic lids, straws, small electronics and many other things - had to be hauled by yours truly to Pottstown.

Now I am here to announce that we are splitting trash service with our neighbor, who uses BFI. And low and behold they take cardboard, paperboard, and several more numbers of the plastics. I organized our current pile of extra recycling located inconveniently in the basement and now can take four bags of paperboard, one bag of plastics and a cat litter container to the trash can out back, instead of driving a distance to Pottstown. I am so excited.

Now instead of taking all that extra recycling to the basement, I can just put it in the bin in the kitchen with the regular recycling.

What's that about deodorant?

OK. So here it is. Armpits. Oh, excuse me - underarms. I have decided to include this subject on my blog, since this is a thing of my life. Now if you don't want to read about my dilemma with the above topic, than avert your eyes.

I am trying to replace personal care products as they run out with more natural ones. My latest foray into the all natural is Arm & Hammer Essentials and Tom's of Maine deodorant, hereto for known as AH and Tom's respectively.

First of all, I was told it is good to sweat (I'm undecided about that,) you just don't want the odor (definitely decided about that.) I determined to inform myself about underarm sweat - a lively topic - and learned a bit. If you'd like the experience, click to this article.

Whereas my knowledge already included the truth that most antiperspirants contain aluminum based compounds, and I don't want said chemical on my person, I wanted to try just a deodorant. Enter AH and Tom's. Both options in my bathroom are a clear stick version. My issue is that they are sticky feeling. I care not for that feeling. I have tried airing out the application location before donning my garments. I have tried putting on my garments immediately to wick away the feeling. I have tried applying less product. I have tried, but to no avail. I am accepting what is and hoping that once my skin adjusts to the new product, it will be more comfortable. I am not wasting what has been purchased but will not be purchasing these options for myself again.

The other issue is the non-antiperspirant aspect. I certainly do realize it is not present, however I am aware of the deodorant's ability to work. Let's go nature. I don't care for a wet feeling but care far less for an odor.

One thing I really like about both AH and Tom's is that the ingredients are listed on each product along with the reason it is in the product and from where it was derived.

Cable anyone?

This whole switch to digital signal instead of analog is a pain. We have a converter box, but it isn't working. It picks up no signal or a weak one, which translates to a black screen. At least if a signal was weak with analog you could still watch a program, even if it was a little snowy. The digital signal may have a better picture, but if there is any interruption, you get nothing. I disagree with all or nothing.

And cable, or FiOS, or satellite or whatever other options are out there are more than free.

I guess come February 17th, I'll be cutting back my TV watching even more. Actually I watch most of the shows online after they have aired, but soon I won't even have a choice if we can't get the converter box to work, or if it can't pick up a signal.

Really all natural?

The label says "all natural." Than what is that high fructose corn syrup and xanthan gum doing in there? You have to be wary about 'all natural' products, since the term 'natural' is not industry regulated, which means just about any company can stick the term on their labels regardless of whether all the ingredients are natural or not.

Check out this article.

Claire has a very good point in her comment. Try looking for local meat at Local Harvest.

I found a local farm that has eggs, chicken, pork, and beef. One stop shopping.

All Natural

I have been searching for meat that has no antibiotics or hormones or other such things that I do not want my family to consume. I know that a local meat place has natural pork, alas I could not always locate it in the markets. While on their website to find retailers, I came across this description on the care of their pigs.

Our humane and special care of animals is an important part of Leidy’s Nature’s Tradition. The American Humane Association has awarded us their Free Farmed Certification because we raise our pigs in a healthy, low stress environment where they are free to express their normal behavior. They are provided with proper facilities, fresh water, sufficient space, adequate shelter, and comfortable resting areas.

I thought it slightly humorous, especially the 'free to express their normal behavior' part.

After having watched over 10 episodes of "Living with Ed," my keenness for learning more about the environment has been renewed. I would like to get my masters in some form of environmental something. My first thought was energy conservation, but there are myriad options. However, I can not go back to school until my children are in school, and we have lots more money. I did have the notion that I could learn on my own and read, read, read.

I wish we had the money to do many of the larger scale things we saw on his show. A grey water watering system, solar panels, solar ovens, an electric bike and car (recharged by his solar panels,) recycled blue jean insulation, rain barrels, a remote turn-off-the-outlets-you-don't-need-on-while-you're-away system to name a few.

I can still do my part and save and conserve on a small scale. Everything helps.

TV, Games, and Food

We are here in Alexandria, staying up late, watching much TV, eating good food, and much to Georgia's consternation, not playing many games. [My new nickname for P is Georgia. It was George, but Gary said it should be a female name so there was no mistaking my female friend for a male one.]

And we discovered the show "Living with Ed" on her very fine new LCD HDTV. She set up her handy DVR to record the show whenever it was on. We ended up with over 30 episodes because there was a marathon.

Georgia also introduced us to "Farscape." Gary didn't care for it. I'll keep watching though. We also ventured an eye toward an episode of "Stargate Atlantis." We both liked that.

We had a delightful turkey meal, pizza with the pastor, delicious gourmet great northern bean soup, and tasty nachos. AND my delectable cookies.

Georgia blessed Gary and me with sleeping in. She took charge of the children each morning and didn't send them down to us until 9:00. Ellie usually awakens by 6:00, so this was a prodigious labor of love on her part. Especially when Ellie decided to put a choke hold on Josh one morning and strip them both naked another.

She gave Josh a pocket train and Ellie a purse with makeup for Christmas. The children were not far from their gifts. They took the precious effects with them wherever they went.

And the outcome of the games Georgia and I did get to play, turned out favorably for her. She managed to beat me at Phase Ten, Triominos, and Skip-bo. Her win in Uno Splash was questionable. At least she didn't get a chance to earn back her title in Scrabble yet.

Georgia is on a campaign to return back to a more proper use of the English language. So, when you lay your eyes upon words you might not recognize, it is my effort to support her in her crusade.

IVF is on hold until next month, due to them wanting me in for an appointment, while we're out of town. We leave for P's tonight.

Last time

We have begun the process for our last attempt at having a third child using IVF. We have only one embryo left, and the chances that our one little embryo survives the thawing process, starts to grow again, implants itself, and continues to grow is not as high as we'd like it. We are praying.

God will see us through whether I become pregnant or not.

Giggles and lights

The recent posts from Little Farm, Big World made me laugh several times. [I love the way my sister-in-law writes.] Ellie was in the room with me and each time I laughed, she asked me "Mommy, how you get your giggles out?" I love the way she thinks. She wanted to know what I was laughing at.

Ellie also asked me to put the up lights on for her. All of our candles in the windows are operated by switches this year, so that Ellie can turn them on. She likes this job. Today, though the train video is much more important, since she asked me to go put the up lights on so she wouldn't miss any train action. She wants me to go put the lights on upstairs.

Note: Some of my sentences (in this post and others) have incorrect grammar in them. I am aware of it. Although I don't like it when incorrect grammar is used, I am getting around that by informing you that I am using it. Sometimes sentences just sound better to me when written the wrong way.

Walking with Jesus

Today's devotion is titled Walking with Jesus. The passage is Luke 24:13-35.

A section of the commentary is "He's with you, walking alongside you. He hears your conversation; he watches what you do; he knows your heart. Jesus really cares. And he really does notice what you do - again and again and again.

I know as a wife and mom, I have the best job. I get to care for my family. That's my main priority, and I enjoy it. But in that roll, what I do sometimes is taken for granted and not noticed.
My son isn't going to come up and say "Thanks mom for getting that peanutbutter out of my hair. It was mighty sticky for me." He's only two. But he does take my cheeks in his hands and gives me a smile that lights up his face.

My daughter isn't going to stop me in the hall and say, "Thanks mom for washing the toothpaste out of my towel." But she does snuggle at bedtime and sing a duet of "Hush Little Baby" with me.
My husband isn't going to thank me for every single thing I do, (he wouldn't get to talk about anything else,) but he does thank me for some of it and helps out when he can. He also has a long list of house projects of his own that is woefully growing longer not shorter.

Each one of us desires praise for what we've accomplished. So, when I read today's devotion, I was blessed to be reminded that Jesus is walking with me and does notice what I do again and again and again. I don't need my children's or my husband's praise. I have Jesus.

What's going on

I haven't felt much like writing lately, especially since I haven't had many topics light in my head.

But here is something that has been niggling at me.

A friend from MOPS - her family, a Christain family - doesn't celebrate Christmas.

I asked her about it, and I just don't understand the basis. I just don't understand why they wouldn't celebrate the birth of our Savior.

I didn't understand, so I said to myself, Well let's just see what I can find out.

I found The Good News. I read about why December 25th is the wrong day for Jesus's birthday. I already knew that the Bible never really says when He was born, but this site gave me reasons. I did read that early Christains did not celebrate Christmas, but did observe a New Testament Passover.

In wanting more information, I continued my searching and found this one. Should a Christain celebrate Christmas? There is much to read here. It also gave a link to a site about hymns sung at Christmas, which opened a whole new set of questions about the scriptural validity of all hymns.

Another site I found is by Charles Halff, interestingly, a Jew. Although he is jewish, that is not why he doesn't celebrate Christmas.

This next site is quite interesting in that J. Hampton Keathley, III takes a look at both sides.

I could go on and on, but my eyes are hurting. I certainly understand now why my friend's family doesn't celebrate Christmas, but I am unsure of what all I read means for me.

If you want to keep reading, here's more information.

Sharing

Ellie and Josh have a nice system. She eats the inside of a grilled cheese, and he'll eat the crusts. He was still hungry after his hot dog, and Ellie had crusts on her plate. She doesn't care for crusts, so I told her to offer them to Josh. After nibbling off all the cheese part she could without breaching the crust part, she passed them over. He happily ate them.

This weekend was a wonderful Josh's birthday time. We arrived in Strasburg, Lancaster County before nightfall, but ensconced in a misty fog. [Even though the forecast was no moisture.] By the time we actually got to our campsite it was dark. The campground did have post lights for each campsite, which came in handy.

We weren't set up in record time, but it wasn't forever either. Since it was a rainy weekend we decided to put up the awning, even if we weren't really going to be outside, it would protect the door some. We forgot we still have to fix the legs and braces since they aren't working very well. We than had dinner, got settled in, and then packed ourselves back into the car.

We were off to find a Wal-Mart. We were only on the road for maybe a half hour when Gary asks if I remembered the heater. No, I forgot it. Since we definitely needed one for this weekend, we had to go buy one. While settling in, I found an electric cord for RVs that we never used or opened. So, we returned it and bought the heater and a few other things, without having to put out any money.

Sometime in the night the rain and wind picked up. The children thought that 4:00 AM was a good time to get up. We didn't think so. Gary on one end, me on the other, each with a kid. We got a little more sleep.


Saturday came with the predicted rain. We made our way to the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania. It houses many train cars and engines, a few of which you can get on and look through.


We had a bathroom emergency, a fit and some screaming, but mostly cooperative children and good memories.

At the museum store, we bought Josh a wooden train whistle that enjoys hearing. And Gary was tickled pink, or black in his case, to receive with the purchase, a little wallet size card that has the different train whistle signals. For example when a train approaches a public at grade crossing (or simply put, a street crossing) it blows a long, long, short, and a sustained long signal.


Here are varies photos I took of our day at the museum.

And here's the birthday boy marching down the isle of a passenger train car.

The sun actually came out by the time we were done in the museum. While we ate lunch in the car, we could enjoy the sunshine for a bit.

We decided to take a ride on the Strasburg Railroad after lunch. It's a twenty minute ride through farmlands and then twenty minutes back.

It was a nice ride, and Ellie and Josh enjoyed it.

After our ride and while waiting to get a video of the train coming into the station, the clouds poured down the rain and winds blew sideways for 20 minutes. But it stopped the train came in and I got my footage. We made our way back to the car and as we got in the rain started again.

Sometime during the night there was a loud crash. With more agility than I knew Gary possessed, he jumped over me and out of bed. [He is on the outside edge of the slide out bed.] We both looked around, not so easy for me with no corrective lenses, and saw nothing that would have made such a noise. He checked outside. With what sight I did have without my glasses, I noticed the sky. The sky, which I shouldn't see if the awning is out. Gary looked up and saw no awning, save for two ends of the poles. The wind had picked up overnight and yanked the braces from their brackets and flung the awning onto the roof of the camper. We decided to just put the awning away and went back to bed.

Again the children were up early and again they were separated, so adults could get more sleep.

Today was beautiful and frigid. The heater was working nonstop. We lazed around the camper for the day. When we decided to pack up the kids had fun running around outside.

While driving home, we came across many more buggies than we had seen all weekend. Sunday is visiting day for the Amish. I wanted to get pictures but was more compelled to respect their wishes of not having photos taken of themselves.

We had a nice drive home across the countryside of PA. Gary and I used to do a lot of driving around the countryside before we were married. It was nice to do some country driving, especially to the soft snoring of sleeping children.