The Tales of Runaway Bunny

As I said earlier, Zoey ran away two nights ago. She picked a fine time to leave us...it was cold and rainy. I felt really bad, because I think I was the one who didn't latch her door all the way. The next morning--no Zoey. I searched the neighborhood to no avail (although I did meet another neighbor that we hadn't met yet). I looked under neighbors' sheds, decks, in bushes and behind trees. I even stepped in major doggie do-do with my good gym shoes. I realize I shouldn't have had my good gym shoes on, however, when you are responsible for losing the family pet, you pull on the closest thing, run out of the house pre-shower, looking feverishly for the bunny.

The kids were sad, but as Trenton said, "Maybe she went looking for her mommy and daddy." How can you argue with that?

She was gone all day--the kids proposed that she was out having an adventure (I was just hoping she wasn't the adventure!) Bethany said that she probably ate grass and hopped around. Trenton said that maybe she saw other bunnies...maybe she did, hopefully she didn't.

Then at bedtime, my hunny looked outside the backdoor only to see Zoey in our empty garden. She ran back through the crack in the fence over the neighbors, so you know where we went....yup over to the neighbors again. There may be some Ms. Manners violation when you visit newly met neighbors twice in one day--the very day you met them. We are in their yard, looking, looking...no Zoey.

To bring this story to a close, everyone went to bed except Marissa and I. We saw her finally at 11:30 hopping through our yard. 20 minutes in the freezing cold...we caught her. She is safe and sound in her cage. She knows who her momma is...she knows who feeds her and waters her. :) I'm glad she's home. I didn't realize bunnies had that sense of home like dogs and cats do.

Oh, Bethany made "Missing" signs as soon as she found out Zoey was gone. The above writing is my sweet 6 1/2 year old trying to find our bunny.

What Works for Me--Laundry Edition

I have a couple favorite laundry products. First I must share with you that I love things that smell clean and fresh. That means if the laundry soap doesn't smell fresh and clean, I'm leaving it on the store shelf; if our laundry comes out of the dryer smelling less than fresh and clean, it's going back in the washer...you get the point.

So these are some products that I feel are worth their cost for the job they do.

• Tide--need I say more? I realize I may spend a little extra, however I use less and our clothes come out fresh and clean. I guess I did need to say more.
  
• Borax--this box of powdery freshness makes me smile each time I sprinkle some in my washer. This is an excerpt from their website:
  

"For over 100 years, 20 Mule Team® Borax has been a staple in millions of homes. Whether it's giving your family's laundry that extra kick or cleaning and freshening your home, 20 Mule Team® Borax is the essential multi-purpose solution for every home."

Are you smiling yet?

• Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day Laundry Detergent. Our Kroger stores sell it and it is worth the price. The Lemon Verbena is oh so yummy.

Visit Shannon at Rocks in My Dryer for more Works-for-me-Wednesday ideas. One last comment--If you do not enjoy doing laundry as much as I do, please don't despair. We all have our 'favorite' things to do, mine just happens to be laundry. To be fair, I don't like putting away the clean clothes, but washing, drying and folding are satisfying tasks for me. And the clothes smell so good.

Runaway Bunny

Stay tuned for The Little's version of this title...
Our bunny, Zoey, ran away from home two nights ago. I know that you are on the edge of your seat, so I will tell you that the story has a happy ending.

I've heard this song by Sanctus Real over and over lately. I had to look up the lyrics so that I could really read them and think about them. I like the chorus--it feels like chaos, but somehow there's peace. I really like the part that says "time to reevaluate who I really am, am I doing everything to follow Your will...so show me what it is that You want me from me."

Somehow this song is related to my post here. I need to take time to think it through--although as a wonderful friend reminded me--not to think too much. She knows me well enough to know that I can tend to overthink things and belittle myself. No need for that, now is there? However, praying that God would show me what He wants me to do and praying that He will give me strength to keep my priorties in place...there's a need for that...everyday!

“Whatever you’re doing” - Sanctus Real

It’s time for healing time to move on
It’s time to fix what’s been broken too long
Time to make right what has been wrong
It’s time to find my way to where I belong
There’s a wave that’s crashing over me
And all I can do is surrender

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but somehow there’s peace
It’s hard to surrender to what I can’t see
but I’m giving in to something Heavenly

Time for a milestone
Time to begin again
Reevaluate who I really am
Am I doing everything to follow Your will
Or just climbing aimlessly over these hills
So show me what it is You want from me
I give everything I surrender…
To…

Time to face up
Clean this old house
Time to breathe in and let everything out

That I’ve wanted to say for so many years
Time to release all my held back tears

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but I believe
You’re up to something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly

Whatever You’re doing inside of me
It feels like chaos but now I can see
This is something bigger than me
Larger than life something Heavenly
Something Heavenly

It’s time to face up

Clean this old house

Time to breathe in and let everything out

Pumpkin Unit Study Plans

The Pumpkin Runner by Marsha Diane Arnold

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
Great book featuring a good-nature sheep farmer from Australia. This book is a Five in a Row book that teaches different character lessons as well as lessons about Australia.


View all my reviews.




I've started a Goodreads account on the recommendation of my daughter. I've only just begun to list the books I read. We are reading the above book next week in conjunction with our Pumpkin Unit Study.

For the first week we are going to study Pumpkins using living books as our base. The next week we will start The Pumpkin Runner along with the Five in A Row curriculum. Our study of Australia is going to be really neat.

I am using Galloping the Globe and Evan-Moor's Australia to help with planning our unit. Gail Gibbon's The Pumpkin Book is one of the books we are using.

Here are some links I found for our study:
Activity Village has a whole bunch of links for Australia.
Education World has a lesson titled Where in the World is Australia.
Lapbooks by Carisa has many lapbooks--including one on pumpkins.
Map Library has printable outline maps of states, countries and continents. Great resource.
HomeschoolShare has a Five in a Row lesson/lapbook on The Pumpkin Runner. Wonderful! All the lapbook components are here, free!

We are going to watch the Wiggle's Safari and visit a pumpkin patch as well as carve a pumpkin. A good friend of Marissa's taught me a song to help remember the longitude and latitude lines. It is 'sung' to the same tune as "Teddy Bear, Teddy Bear, turn around".

Latitude, latitude, round and round--move hips around like you are using a hola hoop.
Longitude, longitude, up and down--move up and down.

Cute, huh? Then she said put your hands on the equator--and put her hands on her hips. :) Bethany will definitely love this little song.

After we've enjoyed the carved pumpkin, we are going to let the pumpkin get all rotten. I'm going to have Bethany chart her observations as the days/weeks go by.

I'll try to take time to post pictures after we visit the pumpkin patch and finish our lapbook.

The Truths in the Midst of Lies

Have you ever had a time when you just felt like a failure, a dud, a person who can't manage to get anything accomplished?? That's me lately. It can't be the winter blahs already--fall just got here. I won't go into all the sad, pitiful details (especially since I'm trying to get something accomplished), however let it be on the record that lies are deadly. Oh, that's right, there's already a record of that, in Genesis, I believe. Eve listened to Satan's lies and we've been listening ever since. I've been listening double time lately.

So what is are the truths in the midst of the lies? Well, the first truth is that God made me and He loves me very much (to quote Bob and Larry). Secondly, this life isn't all about me; I need to get my mind off myself. The more I think about all the blunders, miscommunications, failures as a parent, financial stresses [mmmmmm, zipping my lip now] the worse I feel about myself, the less I'm able to do what's before me and the less I'm able to honor God.

The last truth that I'll talk about today is "Do the Next Thing". So many times, I find myself saying what is the next thing that I need to do. At the "Do the Next Thing" link you will find a transcript of a radio program by Elisabeth Elliot (when she was hosting Gateway to Joy). Even though the circumstances are different, I need to rely on the Lord to guide me to my 'next thing'.

I found this Elisabeth Elliot newsletter titled "How to Simplify Your Life" which is equally inspiring and helpful.

Well, I'm going to get something done on my daunting stack of papers.

A Husbandy Post

I enjoy listening to Revive Our Hearts with Nancy Leigh DeMoss. Recently I was looking around the Revive Our Hearts website and found this prayer guide: 31 Days of Praying for your Husband. It is a 4 page pdf which I printed front to back and put in clear plastic sheet holders. Now, I can use it to pray for my Hunny!

We went on our date night last Saturday night and we went to see Fireproof. Amazing movie. It really touched on so many real aspects of marriage. It also had a clear presentation of the gospel. Amazing.

The only downfall to the date night was that I ate M & M's and licorice (true confessions of the weak at heart). I paid the price though...my joints were aching so bad. I should have taken my almonds and raisins. I also should have taken Kleenex, but that's another topic. It was great to be out together.

A Quilt Giveaway

You read right...Pigtails and Snails is giving away a beautiful quilt of her own design. Run right over and leave a comment to have your name added to the drawing! Hurry, ends tomorrow Friday, October 17.

Thanks Heather for letting me know about this one!

Studying Beethovan

My girls are doing a composer study with a couple other friends. They are starting out with Ludwig van Beethoven. I've been searching to see what I could add to the study. Here's what I've come up with so far...

Making Music Fun has this homeschool lesson plan for Beethoven
Making Music Fun also has this great coloring sheet.
Kidzworld has this information available.
Here is a pdf of what was happening in the world during Beethoven's life.
Classics for Kids has a lesson plan for Beethoven.
Classics for Kids has this short, concise biography of him and timeline figures.

I'll add more as I find it. I know there are sites where you can listen to the music, however with dial-up we are better off checking the CD's out of the library.

Enjoy a symphony today!

Coming off Sugar

I am doing my best to stay away from sugar. Just a little tidbit about me...I love chocolate. Problem is chocolate doesn't love me. I have been feeling awful--achy joints, headaches, tired, tired, tired (did I mention tired?). I've begged the Lord to take the sugar craving away from me or give me the fortitude to just say no! He didn't take the craving away, but He is giving me the strength each day to make healthier choices.

Today makes 11 days. Yippee! Pass the cake...um..carrot. :)

Recipe Swap

The topic for today is Lunchtime Favorites. I guess since you don't need a recipe for peanut butter and jelly, I'd better give you one of our other lunchtime goodies. These work well for lunch or could be an after school snack.

Pita Pizzas
You will need:
pitas--we use whole wheat mini pitas (found at Trader Joe's)
spaghetti sauce or pizza sauce
mozzarella cheese
any toppings you like--we use turkey pepperoni

1. Cut the pitas open.
2. Spoon on the sauce.
3. Sprinkle on the cheese and toppings.
4. Bake in hot 450 degree oven or toaster oven.
Watch carefully--these only take a couple minutes to bake. They will burn easily.

Check out Randi's blog, "I Have To Say" for more lunchtime recipes. Her recipe looks wonderful and the pictures are beautiful.

Soccer Season

We have had a good soccer season. Praise the Lord, my girls have had no significant injuries. I'm also praising Him for the growth in character and skill that I have observed. My little Bethany is a dedicated, hard working soccer player. She has the unique ability to watch where the ball is going to go...and get there (rather than getting in the middle of a 6 girl pile-up!) She is so fun to watch.

My Marissa has really practiced and played hard this year. She is in the oldest division, so it's a regulation size field. She has grown in her ability to encourage the other players and even help instruct them when needed. She has also shown herself a versatile player, playing each position well (except goalie, she has NO desire to play goalie!) Last night, her team won their tournament game. An exciting game, 0 to 0 the whole game, into overtime, 30 seconds into overtime, my Marissa scored the only, winning goal!! Very exciting! Now they play Saturday.

I'll try to post a picture of Marissa soon. Funny how as she gets older, I get fewer and fewer pictures of her. She seems to duck out of pictures.