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Sunday, April 30, 2006

Well, once again, I was not the winner...

...but please don't tell me that it makes me a LOSER!

Maybe I should have pulled out the whiny voice and said that I have never won a contest either!

Oh well. Actually, I should admit that I am grateful for these contests because they do give me something to write about!

See the winners of the contest at JenIG's blog...

Amy

Friday, April 28, 2006

10 random things about me

Jen IG is having another contest...

Here is my entry: (since it's SO long, it is also my post for today!)

10 random things about me

Well, I thought about researching what "random" really means... I mean, I want to get it right! But I'm not about to get out of my warm comfy spot to find the dictionary, and I don't feel like looking it up on the internet. Besides, I looked for the dictionary yesterday and couldn't find it... (BTW, I am known among my friends as someone who can 'randomly' go on and on talking about whatever is 'randomly' catching my attention at any given 'random' moment... I am terribly distractable, but it all comes from something... Something makes me think of something and that leads to something else... and so on)

1. There is a GIANT housefly flying around my head. I can feel the wind of it as it flies by. I abhor houseflies, especially the ones that are the size of a small bird. But WAY worse are the ones that are just about dead that will NOT stop landing in your hair!

2. I had braces when I was younger, but you wouldn't know it for how crooked my teeth are now. I lost one retainer, and the replacement fell out of my schoolbag and got run over by my mom's minivan, I was too embarrassed to tell my parents... thus the crooked state of my teeth.

3. I named our stateside vehicle, the Dodge Ram 12 passenger conversion van the "Tuttle Tank" because it is soooo big and it's green. It already had earned the name even before my 6yo son backed it into a 10 foot deep ditch (with his 3 siblings who were NOT belted in), the thing was sitting there and I could barely see it sticking up out of the ditch and after the tow truck pulled it out we drove it away.

4. I named our Peruvian Isuzu Trooper fairly the "Tuttle Trooper". We were stuck on the highway just after a huge landslide had happened. There were cars lined up on either side and my husband put that thing in 4x4 and you should have seen what we drove through! It was AMAZING.

5. I have played soccer in multiple countries. My team even played the Danish womens' national team (we lost). In Peru, the guys do NOT like to let the women play. Not long ago, I felt like a little kid as the LAST one picked for teams. Even as a grown woman, I cried.

6. I too am afraid of the dark, or at least of what may lurk there in the dark. It all started when I was little I would run as fast as I could from my room down the hall to the bathroom because I was deathly afraid that the Indians hiding in the living room would shoot me with arrows!

7. The aforementioned random thing is probably why I at the age of eleven had to stay in the hospital with a severe kidney infection. The doctor said it was from holding it when I had to go to the bathroom. My teacher came to visit me in the hospital...

8. When the nurse tried to put the IV in, she had to try 18 times! This was traumatizing and the cause of my phobia of all things medical...

9. I am VERY afraid of needles. So much so, that I HATE going to the dentist or the doctor or the lab or any other random person that might like to poke me with a needle. Because of my fear of needles I had all 4 of my children with absolutely no drugs or any interventions of any kind - in the hospital - believe me, the staff there were generally not 'natural friendly'. With my first they kept threatening me with pitocin and an epidural if I didn't hurry up and have the baby!

10. I met my husband when I was 12 and he was 13. He liked me, but was in love in the 'junior high' kind of way and thus was mean to me... we started dating when I was 16. We were VERY young when we got married and we would have it no other way. I was a (married) teen pregnancy with my first son!

11. I am from the Pacific Northwest and I REALLY love the rain. It's raining right now and as it usually does, it is probably dropping like a small waterfall into our living room.

12. I could go on and on as I am thinking of more things that are totally unrelated to anything else, but I think this is getting really long.

Now, that was maybe not so random as I usually am, but that is my entry for this contest!

Amy
Cajamarca, Peru


Saturday, April 29, 2006 - Very Fun!

Posted by EEEEMommy (69.175.131.81)
Thanks for stopping by my blog and your encouraging comments!
How cool to be in Peru! I'll have to read some more of your blog to find out why you're there. :)
Permanent Link Fix it Delete it

Sunday, April 30, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Rebeca (71.36.202.237)
It was fun to read your Random things!
We don't have a TV at all! So I guess we missed out on Turn off Your TV Week.Now that I'm used to not having it I don't know when we'd find time to watch it. We do watch movies on our computer once in a while.
And, did you know that today is Oatmeal cookie Day? I don't know who gets to declare these things!
I liked you F themed newsletter!
Blessings,
Rebeca

Sunday, April 30, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by momanna98 (69.211.48.123)
In your control panel on of the options is RSS feed. If you go into that you can turn it on. If it is on, it isn't posted on your site like most peoples are. I don't know how to get it if there isn't a place that says RSS feed.

Thursday, April 27, 2006

It's Turn off your TV week

April 24 - 30 is Turn off your TV week - did you know there was such thing? - did you know there is even a website for this? (click the previous link)

Is anyone doing this? What do you do instead to fill time?

How much TV do you normally watch in your family?

Here's an interesting anti-tv site:

http://www.turnoffyourtv.com/

Here's a site that says the "grass-roots" campaign won't make a difference:

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/3694/buzz-on-turn-off-tune-out?fr=fp-buzz-title

I think we should have a national turn off the computer week!

Yikes, maybe civilization as we know it would come to an end! Okay, I'll settle for a once-a-month computer fast! ;)

Amy


Thursday, April 27, 2006 - TV

Posted by homelearnin (66.141.254.241)
We don't watch TV, except the 700 Club at 2 p.m. each day if we're home - great news and features. We don't have cable. We have 2 computers set up in the family room, which are used most the time and 1 computer not on internet in the rec room. A computer fast at least once a month sounds good. jill

Thursday, April 27, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Anonymous (4.152.75.108)
I saw that I had a new friend and am SO EXCITED to read your blog! I can't wait to keep up with all that's goin' on! (((((HUGS))))) sandi

Thursday, April 27, 2006 - All we have is Bob Jones HomeSat

Posted by FivelittleZarcones (75.4.27.248)
If we turn the TV off- we stop schooling. We did away with "regular" TV some years ago (I can't remember how many)- I just remember my oldest (now 12) was very young and I was even finding most commercials offensive- so my husband and I decided it was easier to turn it off than to constantly screen it.
Enjoyed your commentary- thanks for visiting me :)
Monique

Thursday, April 27, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mistresninos (71.104.21.176)
I turn off my tv every day...sometimes several times a day. ;-)

I wish my dh and I were on the same plain for this. He thinks anything is fine and I want to throw the tv out. :-D We're working on it. We used to have no tv. Now that was when life was fun. We played games every night after dinner. *sigh* the good old days.

As for the computer...yes, the world would end as we know it. Shoot, we couldn't even go out to eat because none of the cashiers would be able to make change without one. hehehe

Wednesday, April 26, 2006

Dentists and Campesinos

Well, I began writing this last night when the kids were in bed, Micah was out doing missionary stuff, and the house was quiet...

(...except for that occasional really loud annoying banging that is caused by the Sam the dog pawing the window to be let in).

It is no longer quiet, but I needed to get this up this morning!


My report on our weekend with a houseful of people.

An Irishman, a French woman and 3 Peruvians all went to stay in the house of some Americans...

No, wait a minute, that's not how it went... An Irish dentist named Tony, our friends Luis the LimeƱo and his French wife Anna-Laure and their two little guys, Peruvians Lizzy and Cecia, and Kate the Canadian plus our family of six Americans all in one house! Wow, that is quite the diverse multi-national group!

Just see the pictures...

Click the thumbnail to see my album...

I tried to put this collage on here, but I think it must be about 5MB or something... so, you'll have to click the link! :)

Here's my friend Lizzy and I taking down the patients' important information and a brief medical history before they got to have their teeth taken out.

The dentist (Tony) wasn't able to bring ALL his stuff (I never realized how many tools dentists have!), so he wasn't able to do fillings but he was able to take them out! He took out the teeth that were just too rotten; and those were at least 75 in that one day! There were about 60 patients (I wish we would have counted exactly). And let me tell you, it was AMAZING. These people do NOT brush their teeth, and they suffer the terrible consequences... Many, many, many of them (including children), had such rotten teeth that the tooth part broke off at the root and that's all they had in their gums!! I could NOT believe it. Tony had to dig in and pull! Yuck. And you might not believe it, but seriously, the root part of the tooth is bigger than the part that you can see. I NEVER knew how seriously HUGE teeth were until now! There were only a couple faintings (the helpers- the patients were all fine), and one seriously close call (Micah had to run out of the room before he fainted).

(Click picture to see Gallery of photos)

Okay, well, I'll try to get more up on the Gallery if you'd like to see more (click one of the photos). I think that about does it for my summary. I guess that will fill my quoto of Peru pictures too... for awhile anyway.

Amy


Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - Giving me goose bumps!

Posted by pajara (71.198.52.216)
And no not because of "dentist" pix. I looked at all the pix on the site. I love what you guys are doing there. The help you guys have been giving those people is amazing. God bless you all.

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - fainting

Posted by Anonymous (67.189.88.12)
Micah, I think you got your athlithic abilities from your mom, but the fainting I think you got from me.


HADAD

Tuesday, April 25, 2006

Saved by the BRAN!

NO, this is not a blog about digestive issues...

I was literally saved by the bran when it came to breakfasts for my houseguests!

So, the night before my guests arrived I made this HUGE batch of bran muffin batter and I'm telling you, I made A LOT of muffins each morning, (18, I think) and it lasted me the whole three days that my guest stayed!

AND they're REALLY yummy! If you use my recipe, please post a comment! I may just have to publish my own cookbook someday...

Here's the recipe... (as you can see, I did not anticipate scanning this when I wrote it! Yikes, my penmanship is terrible. I just copied it down quickly over the phone... it's been in our family for years...)

Now, here's what I did to make it REALLY convenient. It didn't take up too much refridgerator space, and it was pretty easy for putting the batter into the muffin cups:

Now you can store this bran muffin batter for like at least a week in the fridge.

Thankfully for us, we have a store here that sells some imported grocery items. One of those is ALL Bran cereal! Yay. When I saw it, I bought 4 boxes or so, because we LOVE bran muffins! You never know if what they have in the store will be an item they'll be able to get more of or not, so when it's there you have to stock up! My mom has to send us powdered buttermilk though, because although there possibly is such a thing here, I have no idea where to look or even what to ask for in Spanish! I'd love to know if anyone knows this or has any ideas. I don't even know how to describe what buttermilk is in Spanish!

Okay, I'll be posting several times today to catch up.

Amy


Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mistresninos (71.104.21.176)
Glad you had a nice visit and the muffins lasted the whole time. I'd make them but I'm fairly certain that Bran is "evil" in our house (my youngest son has Celiac Disease).

re: your comment on my blog...you are a genius. Someone that resourceful should be a missionary. ;-)

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by nsremom (71.32.254.253)
I started reading your post thinking it was a parallel to the woman with the oil that doesn't run out....LOL. I had no idea where your post was headed....thought it might end up on the miracle end...ha,ha. Ya know...3 days worth of Bran Muffins could be a miracle....

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - What, no buttermilk?

Posted by KayinMaine (216.220.249.220)
I never stopped to consider the kind of everyday sacrifices missionaries make. Surely God will richly reward those of you who willingly give of yourselves in so many ways.

BTW, I think your penmanship is quite neat!

Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - Homemade "buttermilk"

Posted by coffeemamma (70.49.136.58)
We don't buy it (even though our local grocery store does carry it) since I found this recipe in an old cook book of my mom's:

For every cup of milk, add one tablespoon of lemon juice. Stir well, then let stand five minutes, stirring well again before using.

Thursday, April 20, 2006

Thank the Lord for Power outages

Well, living in Peru, especially our city, Cajamarca, you have to get used to having all day power outages. Let me tell you how a power outage can affect our day. In keeping with DandelionSeeds Thorny Thankyou tradition, Let me just thank the LORD for the following!:

  • First of all, I look at the clock on the microwave a million times only to keep on remembering that it doesn't work with no power.
  • The kids' get their Math-u-see video jammed in the VCR since it doesn't come on
  • I go to turn the computer on, but realize you won't be able to read AmblesideOnline e-texts online because the computer doesn't work without power and neither does the modem, and so you give up on doing 'school' because 90% of the stuff is online
  • Just when I think I'll call my mom to tell her, HAPPY BIRTHDAY, and to get the recipe for bran muffins, I realize that the cordless phone takes power too
  • After finishing cooking all the ingredients to make pesto for lunch I go to use the blender to make the sauce... and I remember I didn't buy a battery operated blender
  • The washing machine doesn't work ...of course
  • and neither does the water heater
  • The cleaning lady can't vacuum
  • the kids' CD players don't work
  • After 6 hours, everything in the freezer is thawed out
  • everything in the refrigerator is no longer frigid
  • People constantly ring the doorbell and think we're not home
  • or people who know that we're home wail away, pounding with all their might hoping that we'll hear them (Micah knocked for about 10 minutes while standing in the rain).

In the morning, I asked the cleaning lady how long the power was expected to be out... she told me at her house it was out for TWO WEEKS!

:) Amy


Thursday, April 20, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by DandelionSeeds (209.81.100.196)
Praying for you... thank you for sharing.

In Him,
Amy

Thursday, April 20, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by nsremom (64.233.172.35)
Oh man. 2 weeks without a refrigerator? That would truly stink. Literally as well as figuratively. The doorbell thing I can handle as well as the phone. But I like food. :)

How is your husband doing with your missionary work? Is he gone most of the day? or evenings as well? Does he have a church building he goes to? I'm very interested in this.

Emily

Saturday, April 22, 2006 - no power

Posted by Jimmie (222.209.219.38)
So if you had no power, how did you blog it? It's not still out, is it? Yikes! We use gas to cook and to heat our water, so at least we can cook and take hot showers when our power goes off. I think our water goes off more often that the power. But in the very hot summer, when too many people use AC, the power stations will shut down parts of the city's electricity just to conserve. You never know when it will be you. When it is, you try to find an airconditioned supermarket to shop around in. :-)

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Hmmm...

Posted by Phil (71.117.204.53)
Wow! 2 weeks without power! That's amazing.

Wednesday, April 19, 2006

Storage room/Guest room

Well, we're having **house guests! YAY! I'm really looking forward to it. However, if I'd had guests and they'd had to stay in the guest rooms as they WERE... I don't think anyone would ever come again! ...that is, IF they survived!

I killed at least 20 spiders! But our guests may rest assured, I am sure that I got them all... I did a real thorough cleaning!

**Our friends from Trujillo are coming tomorrow, he's from Lima, and she's from France, they're bringing their two little kiddies plus a dentist plus some girls interested in seeing our town. That makes 7 people, in 3 beds... hmm...that should be interesting!

Okay, so here's the pictures of the downstairs guest room/storage/pantry:

Check out all those empty storage bins and boxes!! Those are due to the fact that we move a lot. We will probably be moving again in July. Good thing I'm cleaning and organizing my house, just so that I can pack it up again, huh?!

The good thing is I have a gigantic pile of stuff to 'bless' someone with, or throw away... less to pack!

Amy


Thursday, April 20, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by drewsfamilytx (64.234.0.103)
Wow, great job Amy!!!

While cleaning for guests can be a lot of work, it is so nice to have the motivation with a deadline! We seem to get all of those little things that need to be done/fixed/cleaned/created whenever we have company. Come to think of it, maybe I need to invite someone over this weekend so I can get this mess cleaned up! heheheee...

Have a great day!
Marsha

Thursday, April 20, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by DandelionSeeds (209.81.100.196)
These pictures are awesome!!! Good for you! My sister is blessing me by coming tomorrow to help me clean and try and find everything that was stashed from last week's showing of our house.

Blessings,
Amy

Saturday, April 22, 2006 - another awesome one!

Posted by Jimmie (222.209.219.38)
Wowee Zowee! Great transformation! Love those before and after layouts! Any guest would be glad to stay in there. But I do wonder where you'll put them all.

Saturday, April 22, 2006 - My Goodness!

Posted by Fiffi (196.211.157.57)
I am impressed! You really are taking the clean heart clean home quite seriously! But it is looking GREAT. Well done!
I'll drop by soon.

Still no pictures on Peru... BUT yes, pictures of CHCH Challenge!!

Okay, I finished the kitchen yesterday, and it wasn't too bad. It is now organized. I meant to post the pictures last night, but I was exhausted! We had our date night last night. Very fun. Oh...I'm getting side-tracked...

Here's the pics:

Yes, those are dishes in the dishrack in the 'After' picture... come on, at least they're clean! I even washed the walls and the grease off the stove (let me tell ya, ...that was WAY more work than I thought it'd be!).

Wow. I impress myself. I did this in about an hour and a half. I started before breakfast, and worked right through... and after breakfast, Micah did reading with the boys so that I could finish up. YAY! Mission Accomplished!

Hooray for me!

Amy


Saturday, April 22, 2006 - way to go!

Posted by Jimmie (222.209.219.38)
Looks great! Your kitchen is so big! Your refrigerator is so big -- normal size I mean. The refrigerators here are so tiny! I've finally gotten used to it, but it's still hard right before a big party. There's no room! So glad you have a nice place to live. Oh, and for the record, dishes that are clean still look good even if they are not put away!

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by momanna98 (69.209.255.79)
Wow, i can't believe you did it so quickly. What a cute kitchen. It looks like a pic from a magazine.

I have looked at Ambleside (sp) and I really don't get it. Am I missing an explaination page? Do I start at the beginning? Or at grade level? Maybe you could write a review... ;-) heheheh I was just skimming through it. There were a lot of words I didn't feel like sitting here a reading... (sheepish grin)

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by momanna98 (69.209.255.79)
Oh, and you should put your rss feed on your site so I can link to you and keep up with your blog better....

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 - Amy it's beautiful!

Posted by PreschoolersandPeace (66.42.86.112)
All that light! You did a really nice job. When I stand back and admire my work after a big project like yours, I call it "work gazing":)

Thursday, April 27, 2006 - Response about my kitchen and other things...

Posted by amada (200.121.135.115)
Jimmie:
Yes, our kitchen is big... our whole house is big (more to decorate, more to clean - the grass is ALWAYS greener on the other side!).

Our fridge is one of the biggest models you could buy at the time. And it is okay. I sometimes still wish I had more room!

Okay, it might have been like an hour and 45min, but it was super quick considering. But I always am amazed at how much I can get done when I am not distracted by a million things!

momanna98:
The kitchen DOES look nice, but in real life it looks nothing like a magazine, honest!

I will be commenting about Ambleside for you soon!

PreschoolersandPeace:
I love to "work gaze" so much so that I'd rather gaze than work!

Amy

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Today's goals

Today the goals are:

  • to catch up on CHCH Challenge in my kitchen. Bathroom are totally done already as I have help doing them. But the kitchen... those before and after pictures should be fun!
  • to do really well on school- accomplishing everything
  • not to be on the computer at all (everything computer related should wait until tomorrow)- that's why I'm here now SO early...

Gotta run!

Amy

PS. Jimmie's inspiring me again with her great pictures... have a look! I've gotta catch up with this girl and get some pictures up from Peru... but that will have to wait for tomorrow, I'm taking a computer fast until evening, at least!


Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - try to catch up, girl

Posted by Jimmie (222.210.202.254)
Blog, blog, fast as you can, you can't catch me I'm the photobucket man (or girl!)

LOL! I can't wait to see the pictures!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - YAY for you!!

Posted by JacqueDixonSoulRestES (216.241.137.216)
Great job on getting the bathrooms in order!
I hope you accomplished your other goals, too.
I know I want to be more consistent in our schooling, too.
It is hard to get it all done when the pc takes so much time, huh?

Many Blessings and Teachable Moments!
Jacque

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - computer fast

Posted by homelearnin (208.190.202.245)
That is a good thing to call it - I need to do those often. How nice to learn about your family and the girl with one child in China. Jill

Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - missions

Posted by esperanzavallero (69.19.14.28)
how fun to meet you, I am always on the lookout for other missionary homeschoolers, especially if they also have a big family. We are only in Rosarito, the worst of both worlds, expensive, like the U.S and so dirty. The people though are lovely and I really enjoy spending time with them.
For Him,
Jennifer

Sunday, April 16, 2006

Wow! What a weekend!

We've had an amazing weekend starting early Friday morning. Our church had a couple's retreat over Friday-Saturday in a town 1 1/2 hours from home. We had to drive there in the morning and back in the afternoon because we couldn't find anyone we could trust to watch all 4 four of our little ones overnight... but that was okay with me. I liked the drives alone with my favorite guy.

I must comment on just how amazing it is to try and leave with a group of Peruvians for any organized event...

7:30 am is the scheduled time of departure. Everyone met at the church in order to leave/travel together. Knowing that no one EVER leaves at the appointed hour, we pulled up at about 8:15. You might think that amazingly late, but believe me, we were early. We ended up leaving at 9:30!! We waited for someone who never did show up and then of course a couple of cars still had to fill up on gas. We finally did leave but made numerous stops along the way. A trip that normally takes 1 1/2 hours took 5 hours! We made it to the town just in time to turn around and come back! Well, patience is a virtue... Besides, I really did enjoy the time I was able to read my Bible, read the CHCHChallenge stuff and read some homeschooling articles I'd been wanting to read. All that and was able to have quite a bit of meaningful conversation with my man. YAY!

So as a result of this weekend's conversations, we've decided:

1.) to work on patience with our kids and each other,

2.) putting some constant effort into changing the habits we have in regard to our attitudes,

and 3.) making our home more joyful.

I'm really excited about our plans for change. I hope you all had a great Easter!

He is risen! Yes, He is risen, indeed!!

Amy


Monday, April 17, 2006 - RSS

Posted by Jimmie (222.210.203.185)
Thanks! I've subscribed with Bloglines to your blog. I appreciate your help with that. I'm new to it all myself. I'm just learning as I go. Glad you had a good Resurrection Day. We did too. Very meaningful.

Monday, April 17, 2006 - Allelu.. Yes, He Has RISEN!

Posted by illiteratepoet (148.63.59.99)
Hi Amy,

I tried to post a quick comment after you left a message on my blog but the site was not cooperating. I just wanted to share that I love the welcoming feel of your blog and the website and LOVE the pictures of the kids. :-)

May God continue to uplift and encourage you in what you are called to do.
Blessings,
Annika

Monday, April 17, 2006

Posted by mistresninos (64.60.10.10)
Ah, good ole manana land. A concept no American can grasp until they've been there. I was in Guatemala for a short term mission...what a different world.

I'm glad you had a good drive with your dh. You have a great attitude. I pray you will be blessed by the decisions you talked about here...I think these are all things we could all work on.

Happy Easter.

God Bless.

Sara

Monday, April 17, 2006

Posted by nsremom (71.32.254.253)
A couples retreat sounds heavenly. Getting to sort out things that have been percolating in my brain. Even 5 hours with just your husband had to be great.

Tuesday, April 18, 2006

Posted by Fiffi (196.2.124.251)
Hi !

You seem to have the exact same problem in Peru as we do in Africa. We call ours "Africa Time". You do get used to it... you have to, or you only frustrate yourself! Good to hear though that the weekend was enjoyable!
Thanks for visiting me!

Friday, April 14, 2006

I think the birthday went well...

I think this face means he had a good birthday!

see the rest of the pictures on our Gallery

Amy


Friday, April 14, 2006 - Happy Birthday!

Posted by LovingMyBlessings (66.59.116.69)
Your son and I share the same birthday! Thing is, I'm way ahead of him :) I turned 35 yesterday. Anyway, enjoyed your blog! I'm also thinking that if I take the personality test, it'll turn out like yours........sigh :)

Saturday, April 15, 2006 - RSS

Posted by Jimmie (222.210.205.36)
Awesome picture!!!

I have a question for you. I've just set up an account at bloglines.com to read all my friends' blogs. (I'm not able to keep up with them all through the friends page.) But you've set your blog to not allow RSS. Is that on purpose? I can't subscribe to your blog because you've not allowed RSS. Of course, I can come to your page, but it's awfully convenient to have all my friends' entries all in one place. That way I don't miss anything. And I don't want to miss your wonderful blog. Just wondering if you were aware of that. Maybe you have an excellent reason why it's that way. :-)

PS. I'm melancholic too. :-)

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - Yose!

Posted by Anonymous (71.117.204.53)
Ultima-Face! Apparently Cullen has achieved my level of mastery even at an early age. You make your uncle proud!

Tuesday, April 18, 2006 - Oops

Posted by Phil (71.117.204.53)
That "anonymous" was me, Uncle Phil

Wednesday, April 12, 2006

So I didn't win the contest...

Well, I didn't win and it has taken me until now to get over it. After wiping up the tears, I think I'll be okay. ...with ever stronger fervor to win the next one!

I WILL WIN SOMEDAY!!

It is my second son's birthday tomorrow. He'll be seven! Yikes, if he's my second son and he's 7, then how old does that make me?! Oh my.

Amy


Thursday, April 13, 2006 - Happy B-day to UR DS #2!

Posted by pajara (71.198.52.216)
Happy B-day to your little man. Yes, why do we have to age when they age? It just dosen't seem fair. My birthday this year I finally noticed a speckling of gray hairs, along with that my face is looking old. When did this happen! I've decided to not act my age and hold on to my youth, but unfortunately it dosen't stop the clock from ticking away. Happy B-day to your not so little guy!

Thursday, April 13, 2006 - Happy Birthday Cullen

Posted by Anonymous (66.93.38.148)
Papa Doug thinks you are just about the coolest 7 year old I have ever known. Don't worry. You will be 10 soon enough ! Love you !

Sunday, April 9, 2006

Fisher Academy International - Teaching Home

I've been wanting to do this, and this contest motivated me to do it sooner!!

After looking at all the entries for this contest, I realize that our homeschool is very humble, but I really do feel blessed by what we have and how all of us love our school despite it not being super glamorous!

Fisher Academy International - Teaching Home

(official name)

The goal of F.A.I.T.H. is that God would establish the work of our hands, the teaching of our children, and turn it into something that will be to his glory.

Objective: That our kids would learn to love and love to learn.

Who we are:

We chose the name "Fisher Academy" because as Christians it falls to us to be "fishers of men", even more so as full-time missionaries. That mandate applies first in our family. We tacked on the "International" because we live, learn and work in Peru, South America. "Teaching Home" is self-explanatory and yet serves the important task of completing the acronym! We have 8,7 and 1 1/2 yo boys and a 3 yo girl.

Where we've come from:

We originally decided to homeschool because of neccesity (inadequate education in foreign fields), now we homeschool because we want to, think it's the best thing out there, and don't consider doing anything else even when in the States.

What we do:

We lean toward a Charlotte Mason approach to homeschool, we use Ambleside Online (see link in sidebar). We have used The Well Trained Mind as well, as there are a lot of things about Classical Education that appeal to me. I would consider us a kind of combination as far as actual practice, leaning a little more to the CM side.

What we use:

Ambleside Online Curriculum - Year One

(includes Shakespeare, Artist & Composer study, Nature study, Plutarch)

Math-u-see and Miquon Math

English for the Thoughtful Child / Spell to Write and Read- alternating

Bible - for Reading & Reciting

We are working out a blend using a combination of AO & Story of the World for History

We do Science on a rotation, using Nature study

Our day:

At 9ish, after breakfast, we begin with:

  • Bible reading (Tea in China Question)
  • Chores
  • Math-u-see (2pages = 15-20min) with Miquon Math for extra math practice
  • Reading practice - They are reading through the Bible in pictures for Little Eyes
  • English for the Thoughtful Child / SWR
  • Phonogram review

We like to try to fit everything in before lunch, but whatever's left we do after lunch: 2-4pm

  • Chores
  • Read Alouds: Aesop's Fables, Baldwin's 50 famous stories or An Island Story - Burgess Bird book, Parables of Nature and all the others on the list
  • Narration after every story - they love it!
  • Copywork
  • Free reading before bedtime, we're reading Little House in the Big Woods.

We do Nature study once a week as well as Artist & Composer study.

The boys are in swimming lessons- 2x/week and 8yo takes piano lessons- 3x/week.

So that's us... Here's some pictures of our school room! I'm so thankful that we have one! It is constantly in use as my kids love to look at books, do projects, etc.


Monday, April 10, 2006 - Impressive

Posted by Coopers4Him (65.80.40.147)
Your schoolroom looks great and your scrapbook presentation is really cool.
Hmmm something else to learn about! ;)
~Terese

Monday, April 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by sdacrew (67.77.78.42)
Your schoolroom looks so colorful and comfy, especially with a couch. I think my schoolroom needs a couch too!
Ann

Monday, April 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by nsremom (71.32.254.253)
WOW. What an organized mama you are. I don't even have a homeschool name yet. Well, it's only been 7 years of this...maybe one will come to me next year. :)

Great pictures. Your kids look so cute and happy.

Tuesday, April 11, 2006 - Great post

Posted by CTdittmar (24.145.215.42)
Wow...I love your rooms, your write-up and pictures with description on the sides...how did you do that? A photo program? Very cool!
Nice job...your curriculum sounds neat.
Christa

Thursday, April 13, 2006 - cool rooms

Posted by Jimmie (222.210.192.248)
Love the two rooms -- home school room and office. We just have one for both purposes. You've made it look so nice. I'm impressed! I enjoy your blog!! Keep telling us more about Peru and your life there. I'm fascinated.

Thursday, April 13, 2006 - You are amazing !

Posted by Anonymous (66.93.38.148)
I am amazed ! You are really special. I knew when you got married that your house wouldn't look like your room did for all those years. Cogratulations. dad

Sunday, April 23, 2006 - hi

Posted by homelearnin (208.190.202.245)
I sure am inspired by all your energy! Yours is definitely one of my favorites! One time when I was hanging a flag I got it up and my husband said, You shake hand with the stars; after that I always notice how flags are hanging. He was in the Army and learned lots about flags. (I hope you don't mind me mentioning it - your kids would probably like the idea of shaking hands with the stars. : ) God bless you and your family and your work in Peru! Jill

Thursday, April 27, 2006 - flag

Posted by homelearnin (66.141.254.241)
Hi. Yes, as you are facing the flag, the stars should be on the left, as if you could shake hands with them. Jill

Saturday, April 8, 2006

"Only in Peru" vol.1, no.1

Because many of my beloved blog visitors seem interested in our life here in Peru, I have decided to note things that you might only find in Peru. Whenever we see something like this we say, "ONLY in Peru".

The following are things unique to Peru: For example, YES. Those are hard-boiled eggs on that pizza. Whoops, forgot to ask them to hold the eggs. Who would have thought?!




One day LooneyTunes said, "Mommy, you know what the main difference is between the United States and Peru?" "In Peru all the streets are broken." HAHAHAHAHA! It is SOOOOOOOO funny to me that he noticed!


I mean this is seriously funny because it is so true. The streets in our city are constantly under construction. Here is a picture I took today, it is on the main road; the closest you'd get to a freeway! This one needs to be under construction!


Monday, April 10, 2006 - No difference there!

Posted by Phil (71.117.204.53)
Our street and general neighborhood has been under constant construction since we moved here 3 years ago, and there is no end. It is insane! I think they are replacing the entire sewer system or something. It's never-ending!

Monday, April 10, 2006 - hi!

Posted by Jimmie (222.210.193.180)
Well, hi there new international friend! Our roads look just like that! And we get corn on our pizzas! :-)

Glad to meet you! I've made you a friend too. Are you registered over at the aroundtheworld blog?

I'll be in touch. Need to work on a project...

Jimmie (in China)

Thursday, April 6, 2006

Which version of the Bible to use...

I was not about to post something so volatile here on my blog... what were you thinking?!

But I do have an opinion, and felt like I was blasted for it, so I had to vent.

Here's a link to my other blog (also called Blah,Blah,Blog...) if you must know which version is best...

Our reason for using the Bible (whatever the version):

"Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15 NIV

or if you prefer...

"Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15 KJV

or if you prefer...

"Be diligent to (AK)present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling (AL)the word of truth." 2 Tim. 2:15 NAS

or if you prefer...

"Haz todo lo posible por presentarte delante de Dios como un hombre de valor comprobado, como un trabajador que no tiene de quƩ avergonzarse, que enseƱa debidamente el mensaje de la verdad." 2 Tim 2:15 DHH

or if you prefer...

Š”тŠ°Ń€Š°Š¹ŃŃ ŠæрŠµŠ“стŠ°Š²Šøть сŠµŠ±Ń Š‘Š¾Š³Ńƒ Š“Š¾ŃŃ‚Š¾Š¹Š½Ń‹Š¼, Š“ŠµŠ»Š°Ń‚ŠµŠ»ŠµŠ¼ Š½ŠµŃƒŠŗŠ¾Ń€ŠøŠ·Š½ŠµŠ½Š½Ń‹Š¼, Š²ŠµŃ€Š½Š¾ ŠæрŠµŠæŠ¾Š“Š°ŃŽŃ‰ŠøŠ¼ сŠ»Š¾Š²Š¾ ŠøстŠøŠ½Ń‹. 2-Šµ Š¢ŠøŠ¼Š¾Ń„ŠµŃŽ 2 (Russian Synodal Version)

Okay, okay, enough already!

slfkjsdlfkjsldkfjlskdjf....I just couldn't help myself!


Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mistresninos (71.104.21.176)
I read your entry at your other blog too and I definitely agree. It is so important to study that way we will know it well enough that we will feel comfortable with spotting errors, whether we think they are in translations or in expositions on Scripture and therefore, hopefully, not be so easily led astray from the Truth

Thursday, April 13, 2006 - Bible choice

Posted by Anonymous (66.93.38.148)
Pick one you can understand. dad

List of things to blog about:

Very soon, I will be posting on the following, so stay tuned:

  1. Peru, and our everyday life
  2. Schoolroom and our routine
  3. Housework picture
  4. CHCH Challenge progress
  5. Home management progress
  6. Ambleside Online schedule and our favorite stories and projects

This is more for my benefit than anyone else's :) And to have a more positive post up for today! Check out this picture... that is when Littlest Bubby was only 1 1/2 weeks old! I am posting this now so that I can have a headstart on being able to cross off that #1 on my list above :)


Friday, April 7, 2006 - Great Picture!

Posted by bwktbarr (205.201.97.22)
A couple of years ago we read a book we really enjoyed that was set in Peru, called Secret of the Andes. Your picture brings back the impressions we received of the colorful Peruvian culture.

And what sweet babies you have.

(BTW, thanks for the comment, lol!)

Friday, April 7, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by nsremom (71.32.254.253)
LOVE the picture. I sure am interested in reading your posts on living abroad. How cool. I'd love to read about what your husband and you do there. Day to day stuff, ya know? It may sound boring to you, but to us it's really interesting.

Emily

Friday, April 7, 2006 - Hi Amy!

Posted by JacqueDixonSoulRestES (216.241.129.54)
I am just plain nosey, but how old are you? I have had people tell me I don't look old enough to have x children for YEARS! When we were expecting baby#5, dh and I went for a night out, and the waitress asked me if this was my first. She about lost it when I said this was #5!!

I even had a comment that I look too young to have 7. Well, I guess the LORD decides that how many and when, but I will be happy to look young for a bit longer!!

Cute Pic....Oh, do I need to make a list!! Of course, I guess making a list isn't my problem! I have plenty of lists! YAY! for you that you can check it off!
Can't wait to get started on the CHCHC - I am going to be a week behind, but I am excited to get it going! I will be happy to hear how you are doing too!!

Well, take care. I actually got all this out of your profile and this post. NIce talking to you. Have a great day and a great weekend. Glad you're blogging, even though it isn't your favorite thing to do!
Jacque


Friday, April 7, 2006 - Wow...what a cool picture.

Posted by CTdittmar (24.145.215.42)
Hola! (They do speak Spanish in Peru, right? or is it Portugese?) Nice to meet you from your comment on my blog. Look forward to linking to yours. Very cool black...great pictures. Exciting life. I've always wanted to be a missionary. Someday when our mission in the military is over, we hope to be able to join up with a missions team somehow too. Well, your family looks so neat, and what a wonderful experience...international homeschooling! I think it's such a blessing when our children get to understand another culture other than America. Sometimes we Americans can be so egocentric (often unintentionally) but it's partially because our country is already so big. Paying attention to the world outside of our boundaries takes intentionality. We felt like we grew a lot as Ex-pats in England and traveling around Spain, France, Germany, Norway and other places. Seeing America from another country's perspective is a very enlightening experience. I've waxed way to long for a comment. but happy to get to know you a little through our blogs...
with warm regards,
Christa (CTmom2five)

Friday, April 7, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Rebeca (67.42.52.194)
What a sweet family! I like the animals too (anything related to a camel can't be too bad!)
Thanks for stopping by my blog. I'd love to hear more about your life in Peru.
Blessings,
Rebeca

Monday, April 10, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by TC (71.101.222.242)
Okay, after seeing that picture, I'm going to see if the merry-go-round has a pink llama I can ride, instead of the pink pony.

Wednesday, April 5, 2006

The Tumbling Tower of Toilet Paper

It's quiet, and you can't find your toddler. You do a quick search only to find him in the bathroom. Just when the feeling of relief comes over you, glad to have found him safe and sound, you notice it... the tumbling tower of toilet paper. There he is, next to the toilet, hopefully it's clean, and he has pulled all the toilet paper off the roll... I know this has happened to most of you, afterall, it's not the first time it's happened to me.

What do you do with the toilet paper?

  1. Do you roll it back onto the roll, trying to make it nice the way it was before?
  2. Do you leave it on the floor?
  3. Do you just throw it away?
  4. Do you crumple it up and stuff it back into hole and use it little by little?

I must confess that I crumpled it up into a more compact pile on the floor and ended up using it for nose-blowing throughout the day! I know, I was appalled too, if I thought about it, but I just decided not to think about it!

Amy


Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by drewsfamilytx (69.59.95.90)
I roll it back up the best I can...and when I get so very frustrated that it's all crumpled and not fitting right, I pull it off and tear it into smaller wads for the kids to use. OR I take a handful of it, put a little water on the floor, and mop around the toilet with it. With boys, you can never clean the bathroom floor too often!

Love,
Marsha

PS this is AFTER I have disinfected the baby's hands since he cannot be near the toilet with splashing around in it! I know, truly disgusting. But he is who he is...and that is a toilet lover! ;-)

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by Amber (71.52.23.146)
I probably would have done the same thing, actually, I know I would have.

Anyway, it's funny you stopped by bcz I was thinkin about you. You know what I was thinkin' about? Get this, back in Jan (I think) you got an email from me asking if you would pick the winner of my contest "How Well Do You Know Your Fellow HSB" REMEMBER??? I think you were the first one I random blogged. Tell me you remeber.

0:) Amber

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by hskubes (216.16.210.8)
ha ha ha.... this is funny, because a similar thing happened to me yesterday and today. My eldest daughter (13) was cleaning the bathroom yesterday, including mopping... well, my youngest daughter (2) wanted to help like Sissy was.... Later in the day, when she was quiet... I discovered her in the bathroom, with the toilet paper all over the floor, and spots of our foam soap everywhere on the floor.... and there she was with toilet paper in her hand, 'mopping' up the soap!
I couldn't do anything but laugh!! *Ɯ*
She helped me throw the toilet paper away...
Well, today, she decided to do the same thing... again.... oh dear!
Tomorrow, I'll have to watch her more carefully.
How precious, though!

~ Christina
www.homeschoolblogger.com/hskubes

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - Hi Amy

Posted by kindredspiritMom (69.209.156.104)
This has happened to us more times than I care to admit ~ with children and once with a cat :) Also, my now 6 and 8 year olds still empty tissue boxes periodically to create beds for Barbies. I wasn't born in the Depression Era, but sometimes I act like it. I have a "waste not, want not" philosophy, so I usually gather it all up, make a ball and shove it under the sink to use myself :) I have even re-used paper towels I have used to pack when moving...stick them in a bucket to use for bathroom cleaning :) Thanks for your comment about Rachel's candle holder ~ I wish I knew how she made it! I do know that they painted a slab of wood, then applied some sort of a grout and applied the tiles and "broken" pottery, which she told me were shrinky dinks! Go figure!

Thursday, April 6, 2006 - I know it! I am frugal to a fault!

Posted by amada (190.40.17.13)
I wash all my zip-locs too! I am so out of control.

Sunday, April 2, 2006

Are you embarrassing the angels with your pop-ups?

Two things:

1. I read two interesting articles: one I will blog about another day, and the other is on being a lady in our vulgur society, here's a quote and a link...

'"You are embarrassing the angels." This is what I intend to say for the next 40 days whenever I see someone who is hurting the culture, hurting human dignity, denying the stature of a human being. I mean to say it with belief, with an eye to instruction, but also pointedly, uncompromisingly. As a lady would. All invited to join in." Ms. Noonan is a contributing editor of The Wall Street Journal

2. I used to have THE most annoying pop-ups, nothing too nasty just TOTALLY annoying. But they are gone I tell you. What is the secret...?

JUST OXI-CUTE them!!

That one's for you Deb, you make the best commercials!! -back to the problem with pop-up advertisements... a friend sent me the most amazing pop-up blocker! I didn't really think it was going to work, but it did! Not ONE pop-up ad since installation! We can actually watch a movie on our computer now without 20 interruptions!

Okay, that's not all I've been thinking about on this blessed Sunday, but I guess I'm just feeling random!

Amy



Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by sajolley (70.246.245.11)
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
It is fun to get a comment from someone on the other side of the equator.
The worship leader from our church is from Peru. I so enjoy hearing stories of his upbringing.

Saturday, April 1, 2006

Multi-tasking

I wonder just how many things a person can do at once? I mean there are the things that you're actually doing, and then there are those that you're thinking about doing (Which for me, thinking is definitely an important part of the process of actually doing something! How can you do something afterall without thinking about it...), and then there are the things that you were doing 5 minutes ago before you were distracted by something else and to which you will be returning once you remember why you came into this room.

This is my life. I am always doing about 32 things at the same time. Even after my kids are in bed, I rarely let myself just do one thing. I mean take being online for example, I ALWAYS have at least 4 different windows open... my Yahoo! home page (gotta keep on top of the news! - plus if I need another window for a search, there it is waiting for me), Yahoo! mail (never know when someone will leave a comment on my blog you know...), my used bookstore, my website administration page, MS Word (for copy and pasting), AmblesideOnline, and Google.

Currently, I have several projects I am doing. I am editing pictures off my cards, I am editing some drawings I just scanned in, I am writing this blog of course, I am thinking about the quick break I am about to take for a bowl of ice cream, I am looking up books that I need for school so that I can fulfill my $25 for free shipping on amazon.com, I am assembling all my research on nature noteboooks, I am looking at dandelion seeds blog to check on the Clean Heart, Clean Home Challenge - IT STARTS TODAY!!, I am supposed to be assembling tax stuff, all while I am listening for my husband to come home!

Don't tell me this is not commonplace!? Am I abnormal? I do have a major problem with distractability... I mean who can walk out of a room and not be distracted by a million things... is this only me? Is it normal to work on 105 different projects in a day and maybe only finish 1 or 2? Yikes, I'm scaring myself.

I'm paring down, so that I can cross one thing off my list. I have now finished my blog for tonight!


Saturday, April 1, 2006 - Untitled Comment

Posted by mistresninos (71.104.21.176)
Maybe you're one of those "type a" personalities? I'm pretty laid back and cannot get anything done if I have too many things going on at once. But I do usually have at least three things on the computer at once...two blogs and one e-mail. Yeah, you never know when someone will leave a comment. Gotta have that ego boost...oh, but you probably don't use if for that. :-D

Sunday, April 2, 2006 - not abnormal

Posted by im4given (4.224.225.151)
i think as stay at home moms we are all pretty much in your shoes. i am trying to be a little more (((calm))) as of late. i am trying so hard to think on more simpler terms and not have so much on my mind. my kids think i never listen but it is only because my mind is going 100 mph. you are not alone. God bless you sweetly~~deb

Wednesday, April 5, 2006 - Have You Been Looking Over My Shoulder - or Reading My Diary?

Posted by JacqueDixonSoulRestES (216.241.128.179)
>>> LOL <<<
No kidding!! I only have 4 Internet Explorers and our mailbox open right now.. I did just close the window of the "We're embarassing the angels" article, though!
This is pretty mild, as yesterday I had my bar about halfway down my page - as far as it would go, with about 20 windows open.

Ok, the girls just came in to check out their blog numbers, and now I have 9 open... see how that happens in just minutes?
In that time, we refreshed their blogs, read some of 'Luthien's' (dd2) and I signed in to list some more on Ebay.

So, I am right there with you, Sista'.

I was wondering, did you actually count the '32' things or did you choose a random number... lol... I didn't know if you, maybe, took time away from those 32 things to count them - to be accurate! ( ; Which would have meant that you were actually doing 33 things, unless you counted that ++(I probably would have counted!)++

I want to thank you for reading my blog and posting. I am looking forward to reading more of your posts and perusing the older ones, to find out more about you and yours! We have something - or MANY things in common!

Oh, that's right, I originally added you to my friends, because I LOVE the name of your blog!! For some reason - though I don't usually pick up slang verbage and use it - I do say Blah Blah Blah to shorten a story! Ok, enough about me!
I do look forward to reading about your life and experiences, blah, blah, blah!

As long as we have our priorities right before God (which is such a struggle sometimes!) and have some rest and peace in our lives, we will do as God designed us to and as He allows! -From one multi-tasker to another.

Many Blessings!! Jacque
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