Language Arts

The instructions were to write a two-hundred word essay about "your dad."  Bryan's essay came up short on length.  Here's the last paragraph:

Crap, not 200 words. Um, um, um, um, um, um, um, I, I. “Nth” is the only word without a vowel. Dad is awesome, cool, drives a truck. More words, correct grammar are required. Needs more cowbell, turn it up to eleven. Memes are annoying. Seven more words, now four, two, one.

Yes, I handed it back for correction.

Again!

No, not snow again.  I wish. (Although Luci did have fourteen--14!--spoons under her pillow last night, we are snow-free today.)

I got summoned again for jury duty!  US District Court.  This is the fourth time I've gotten a summons for jury duty since moving to Alabama.  In all that time, John's only been summoned once.

Sure, I have USA in the middle of my name, but it does not mean I want to prove my allegiance to my country by participating in the court system!

This time, they did list valid requests for excuses...being the caretaker of a child under the age of ten (thank you Luci!), and actively teaching are both valid. 

The last time I was summoned, John was overseas and I had shingles (September 2009). 

Encouraging the Snowfall...

We have heard some pretty strange traditions folks around here have to "make it snow." 

Something about flushing icicles was one of the oddest.  Around here, there are very few icicles so we can't do that--it's just not usually cold enough for icicles to form before it snows.  So we have to resort to other means.

Luci's Sunday School teacher told us one method...besides prayer, I mean...it involves spoons and pajamas. 

Here's what you do:

The night before you want it to snow, put on your pajamas inside out.  Then, put a spoon under your pillow and go to sleep.

It worked!  Thursday night Luci and I camped out in the living room (those sleep issues again! she still needs company), wore our pajamas inside out, and put a spoon under each of our pillows. 

We got 3/4 of an inch of snow...enough to delay school opening for 2 hours.  Yes, we live far enough South that even a tiny bit of snow just about shuts things down.  Here are Luci's pink cheeks after playing outdoors.

 Well.  Guess what is predicted for this coming week?  Perhaps another HUGE snowfall!  Depending on where the low pressure system tracks, we will have anywhere from 2 inches to TEN inches of snow! 

Guess what I found Luci putting under her pillow?  If one baby spoon gives you 3/4 inch, then this ought to bring on the heavy stuff!

Daily Bible Reading....Or, Daily Bible Luci-isms

We are reading through The One Year Bible.  I've read it through several times with the boys; now it's Luci' turn to hear God's Word all the way through.  I have this version on my Kindle.  It is so handy!  I love it.

Luci bounces around while I read; I don't mind too much, as long as she does not make noise and as long as she listens.  I have proof that she is listening--these Luci-isms!

You all know about Merv, mentioned here. 

Do you know about these?

Reading on January 3, we got to Noah and his sons, Shem, Ham and Japheth. 

Luci:  Ha ha!  Japheth is a funny name.  And I like Ham.  We eat Ham a lot here!

This one, though, takes the cake.  January 8th  brought this verse:

Abraham is trying to save Lot's city and says to the Lord, "Since I have begun, let me speak further to my Lord, even though I am but dust and ashes."

Luci:  Butt Dust!  He had Butt Dust!

And the rest of that night's reading was nearly impossible with my laughter and her squeals.

Mom said I haven't blogged in a while, so...

This is for her.

We've just been busy doing schoolwork (can't you hear the boys groaning?), even during the snow days.  The local county schools had the whole week off, plus Martin Luther King, Jr, Day off, too!  Our back roads remained icy in many places, so buses couldn't run.   Since homeschoolers don't have to worry about buses, the kids had schoolwork Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Monday.   We ALL played on Monday and Tuesday!  Even me.  Luci and JT played a lot the rest of the week, too.  But we also managed schoolwork so we aren't behind at all. 

On Monday, we watched The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, starring Cicely Tyson, courtesy of Netflix.  That was in addition to regular schoolwork.  I remember watching the show on TV in 1973.  Powerful story, and it is even more moving after living here in the South for the past two decades.  We've seen some people in real life espouse the hatred, and we know some who are like Miss Jane.  The boys learned a lot from the movie.  They actually paid attention, even though it was not Sci-Fi or a shoot-'em-up movie.

Luci and JT are learning that having the last pile of snow in the yard is a point of pride in the neighborhood.  Since our snow usually melts by nightfall, this past week was one of wonders.  Our snow was nice and fluffy all the way until Friday.  It melted and all but disappeared over the weekend, and all that is left in our front yard is our snowman.  JT was fun to watch as he diligently added to the snowman and then moved him to a shadier spot early Monday morning (this Monday!  The snowman was still visible that long! Seven days--it must be a Biblical snow.).

The kids in our house are looking forward to more snow on Thursday night.  So far, "slight accumulations" are all that are expected.  But all five of us are hoping for LOTS! of! SNOW!


.

Also for Mom--here I am after losing 46 lbs.

sn*w

 John built this!  The fort has 3 windows, too.  Really good job, John!  He's using an infrared scan (a Christmas present) to measure the temperature of the snow blocks.  (hint:  it's below freezing)

 Luci used this fort for throwing snowballs at mommy.  Hmmph!

Snow Day!

Nine inches of snow, measured on our deck. Unreal, wonderful snow!

The neighbor's dogs "helped" JT sled down the hill.

There's an angel in there somewhere...

The road less traveled...seems like my whole life I've chosen the more unusual path...

Our house.  I love our home.

Wish his eyes were open!  Otherwise, I love this shot.

I was there, too.  John insisted I get in some photos.  Nice of him to let it look as if I helped with the snow girl.  Nope.  I stayed inside until it was done.  I'm smart that way.

Bryan worked at building a snow fort.  Luci called it an Ee-Gloo.

And this little booger had too much fun chasing me with snowballs!

I know you were wondering....

This is Merv.

I couldn't find this Nativity set in time for the holidays...I hid it last January, trying to get Luci to let me put it away.  I just found it, 12 days after Christmas!  And inside the box were some other characters.  Luci set out the scene.  I asked, "Which one is Merv?"

And she pointed.  So now you know.

I cannot make this stuff up.

Today Luci had me stumped.

She wanted to know,

What did Merv bring to baby Jesus?

Took me a while, but she was thinking of Myrrh....

Chinese New Year Children's Song