Check Out My New 'Do!

When I get a haircut it's because one of two things have happened:  Either I've got a big upcoming event or, more likely, I'm so incredibly sick of my hair that I'm about to go postal all over my head with a clippers.  This time it was both.  Here's my new haircut (which I love!) and the new glasses I had to get a few weeks ago because my eyes became intolerant of contacts.

Well, no one can accuse me of being a packrat.

I've been sorting and packing for the better part of two straight days.  So far I've gone through six rooms and a big closet, and holy cow, did we have a lot of stuff.  Granted, I have yet to do the kitchen and basement, but still, out of what I've done so far, here's what's worth taking with us(not including furniture):

The rest is out on the front porch and in the shed, awaiting its trip to either Goodwill or the dump.   It's funny how a wonderful new beginning on the other side of the country the price of a moving truck will suddenly put all your most prized possessions into perspective.

Sue

We're Moving!

This is going to be a quick entry.  We're moving from Michigan all the way to the state of Washington, which is where Mike is from.  It's not as sudden as this blog entry makes it seem, but it's still pretty sudden.  Mike's been talking with a company out there since before Christmas, and last week they flew him out to interview in person.  He got the job, and we'll be leaving the first weekend in March.  Please pray as we tie up loose ends here and start a new life in the Pacific Northwest.  It'll be quite an adventure!

Sue

Can You Say "Napoleon Dynamite?"

The other day Drew wanted me to make a video of some of his "awesome-est dance moves."  Oh my. 


PS:  Give me some of your tots.

An Amazing Movie

There's a movie out on DVD right now that I highly recommend.  It's called Sophie Scholl:  The Final Days.  I watched it at the request of and with one of my elderly clients tonight, and it moved us both.  It's the true story of a young German girl who is arrested for distributing anti-Nazi leaflets at her university in Munich during WW II.  The film is in German with English sub-titles, but you soon become completely caught up in the story and forget that you're not actually hearing your own language.  There's nothing graphic in this film but the idea of the war and Sophie's possible death sentence, so a family could watch it with older children.

Sue

More information about Sophie Scholl: The Final Days

Went to sleep in Michigan and woke up in the Arctic!

Here's what it says on the website of one of our local news stations:

A BLIZZARD WARNING is in effect across much of West Michigan through 10 p.m. An Arctic front has cleared the area, bringing heavy snow showers, gusty winds & bitterly cold air into the region.   Our wind chills have dropped into the "Danger Zone" today, holding at -10 to -20.  Blowing & drifting snow will become a huge concern, especially in the rural areas.  Some north-south roads may almost drift shut.

I mean, I know I said I like snow, but this is out of control.  On the bright side, I looked out the front window today and saw the guy across the street shoveling his walk while wearing his wife's floppy pink hat.  Something about that almost makes it all worthwhile.

How to Drive Yor Parins Creyzy in 6 Eysy Steps, by Drew ~ age 8

And here's something Drew wrote in his journal while he was at the charter school.  I cleaned up the spelling, but left the title as is.  It makes me smile. 

How to Drive Yor Parins Creyzy in 6 Eysy Steps

Step 1.  Tell Mom or Dad all the knock-knock jokes you can that are funny until they say, "Stoooop!" and then tell them one more joke.

Step 2.  Clean your room, then ask your parents if you can go outside and if they say yes, go outside and come back inside five minutes later.  Do that until they say, "Stooooop!"

Step 3.  Make them a peanut butter sandwich, but instead of peanut butter and jelly put chips and applesauce.

Step 4.  Get a joke book and read the whole thing to them, because too many jokes can drive your parents crazy.

Step 5.  Play hide-and-go-seek with them without them even knowing it, and at the end tell them you are playing hide-and-go-seek with them.

Step 6.  Pull any prank you want to pull on them and be honest with all of that.  And that's all I can think of. 

All About Me, by Zach ~ age 11

This is Zach's latest writing assignment.  I think he did a wonderful job.

All About Me

My name is Zach ******.  I am in fifth grade and I am 11.  My address is ******.


I am 4'10''.  I am taller than my brother, but he is catching up.  My weight is 64 pounds.  No matter how much I eat I still weigh about 64 pounds.  My skin color is white.  I wake up sometimes and find cuts.  My hair is thick and blonde.  Every time it gets cut it grows back in two weeks.  My eyes are gray, but everybody thinks they're green.  My voice pitch is medium and normal.  I don't have any favorite expressions. I have a normal voice volume for an 11 year old boy.


I like playing outside, because there is lots of space to run around and play.  I especially like it in the summer because I can go to the beach and play in the pool or the sprinkler.

There are lots of things to do inside, too.  Playing video games with my brother or my friends is one of them.  I also enjoy playing upstairs with my friend Ben.  We throw beanbags around, wrestle, have a pillow fight, or sometimes just talk.


I don't really like school, but it's okay as long as I have a good attitude.  I go to school at  home.  My subjects are Bible, math, Dolch, history, science, grammar, writing, and reading.  My favorite part of school is getting done.


I like myself best because I am smart, a good writer, and a deep thinker.  I like everything about me.

Snow Day!

This is our little house this morning.  It snowed quite a bit during the night and it's still coming down.  As much of a driving hazard as snow and ice can be, I love it.  It's beautiful.  Actually, though, that's not what I want to blog about.  I want to share an email I received from my husband Mike a couple hours ago.  He wrote:

I love you.  Have a nice day.  Why don't you give the kids a 'snowday' today?  You certainly have the room in your overall schedule for it.  You have been working so diligently this year to finish on time and I am very proud of you for it.  Thank you for all you do for me and for the whole family.  I love you so much.

Isn't that nice?  He's such a wonderful homeschooling husband.  He's always available with a listening ear and a ready idea.  He's been a shoulder to cry on and my personal cheering section.  When it took years to teach our oldest son how to read and I wanted to throw in the towel many, many times, Mike was there.  He always believed in us.  I just love him.

Sue