Well Mannered Frivolity

Actually, it's just 49 things.  There is no 17.  I demand to know were #17 is!

 I swiped this from Making a Person

1. My roommate and I once: Had 5 children together.  Oh, wait, that was my husband.

2. Never in my life have I: been able to keep my house tidy

3. The one person who can drive me nuts, but then can always manage to make me smile is: My boys.  They are very much Three but oh so charming!

4. High school was: yuck

5. When I'm nervous: I fidget.  If I'm really nervous I'll pick at the skin on my knuckles

6. The last time I cried was: Yesterday.  It was Bill's first day back at work after a week off.  Let's just say emotions were running a little high, because we all missed daddy.

7. If I were to get married right now, my bridesmaids would be: I think I'd still have the same 20 buck ceremony we had 11 years ago.  We are just as married as anyone else, and no one went in to debt over it.

8. Would you rather run naked through a crowded place or have someone e-mail your deepest secret to all your friends? I choose neither.

9. My hair: not very stylish

10. When I was 5: I was 30 years younger

11. Last Christmas: Totally a blast.  It was so much fun watching our children open their presents.

12. When I turn my head left: I see a bookshelf (one of many),  our cat Jenny (one of two), and my ever present basket of unfolded laundry

13. I should be:folding clothes

14. When I look down I see: "Portland Beech" laminate flooring and toes in dire need of a paint job

15. The craziest recent event was: My whole life is a crazy event.

16. If I were a character on "Friends" I'd be:I never really watched Friends

18. My favorite aunt is: my Aunt Rosslyn

19. I have a hard time understanding: how to potty train 2 3.5 year old boys

20. One time at a family gathering: ate waaaaay too much

21. You know I like you if: I make eye contact

22. If I won an award, the first person I'd thank: I can't imagine what I would be awarded!  I guess I'd thank Bill.

23. Take my advice: This too shall pass

24. My ideal breakfast is: My very favorite breakfast is grits with stewed tomatoes, but now that I'm getting a little older breakfast is all about the bran, baby.

25. If you visit my home town: you'd better like historical  stuff

26. Sometime soon I plan to visit: Myrtle Beach to eat at the Medieval Times restaraunt for my birthday.

27. If you spend the night at my house: you'd probably opt for a hotel room the next night.

28. I'd stop my wedding if: I guess if my groom was cheating on me

29. The world could do without: Any "news" updates on TomKat/Suri Cruise, Paris Hilton, or Brangalina

30. I'd rather lick the belly of a cockroach than: lick a poopy diaper

31. The most recent thing I've bought myself is: Real Learning by Elizabeth Foss

32. The most recent thing someone else bought for me is: yesterday my mother picked me up some Pull-ups and 3 gallons of milk.  Go Mom!

33. My favorite red head is: My daddy

34. My favorite brunette is: my husband, Katherine, and Mary Jane

35. My car must have a sign on it that reads:I have bumper sticker on my huge Excursion that reads "Homeschool Bus"

36. The last time I was drunk:was over a decade ago.  Never going back there again.

37. The animals I would like to see flying besides birds: I dunno, pigs, maybe?

38. I shouldn't have been: late for Sunday School last Sunday.  I am the teacher, after all.

39. I should have: paid closer attention to dinner tonight.  I burnt pizza, for cryin' out loud.

40. Last night I: fell asleep on the couch while reading, like always.

41. There's this girl I know who: totally inspires me-three actually--Pretzel Girl, Robin and Christy.  My small group peeps

42: I don't know: how teach Latin, but I'm doing it anyway

43. A better name for me would be: Elizabeth Bennet

44. If I ever go back to school I'll: Please, please, please don't ever  make me go back to school!

45. How many days until my birthday? 20.  In 20 short days I'll be 35

46. One dead celebrity I wish I'd met is: Syd Barrett.

47. I've lived at my current address since:  January 1998

48. I've been told I look like: my children

49. If I could have any car, it would be: I love my Excursion.  I wouldn't mind having it pimped up a little.

50. If I got a new cat tomorrow, I would name it: "The naming of cats is a difficult matter." I could never name a cat without getting to know it first.  Cats are very complex creatures.

Now that you've actually read this whole thing, go do it on your own blog!

Wendy 

The object of my new affection is Real Learning: Education in the Heart of the Home by Elizabeth Foss.  I am only about half way through, but I suspect this book will be as influential in our little home school as For the Children's Sake and A Charlotte Mason Companion have been.  

Mrs Foss has so eloquently described described why we choose to home educate our children, "We don't keep them home because we are afraid of the world.  We don't keep them at home because we want to confine them to the dining-room table.  We keep them at home to nurture them, to cultivate realtionships with them, and to plant the seeds of relationships with other people and their ideas.  We keep them at home to equip them and embrace and to shape the world of their Creator." 

And how's this tidbit on self-esteem, "...the child learns that he matters , that he has worth, because the Son of God laid down His life to save that child's soul.  He knows he was created to know, love and serve the Lord in this life and to live with Him forever in heaven.  He knows that he was created in the image of the Creator and nothing more need be said about self-esteem."  All I can say is, "Wow!"

I ordered this gem of a book directly from the author, rather than from Amazon--just my little way of sticking it to the man. It arrived very promptly via Priority Mail, and it was even personally autographed!

One caveat is Real Learning is written from a Catholic perspective.  I initially thought this might mean the book wouldn't be relavent to me since I am not Catholic (I'm a Southern Baptist, in case you were wondering).  I have found that worry to be completely unfounded.  Not only is Real Learning pertinant to me, but it has given me a deeper understading of the beauty and richness of the Catholic church. 

Off to do some real learning,

Wendy 

I went to the dentist yesterday.  I left with a root canal.  I have a whole new respect for Babe Levy.  The dentist told me if I had waited another day or two I would have had an abcess. 

I have never had so much as a cavity.  Outside of cleanings and xrays I was a complete dental virgin.  Well, I did have my wisdom teeth removed when I was a teenager, but I was knocked out for that.  For the root canal I was horribly lucid.  I really don't have the words to describe the feeling of having bits of your own tooth bouncing off your safety glasses.  I'm supposed to go back in two weeks for a crown.  Yeah, whatever.   

On the upside, my dentist gave me a script for a delightful drug called Lortab.  It doesn't take the pain away so much as it makes me not really care.  Thankfully Bill is on vacation this week, because you really need all your senses on high alert when dealing with 3 year old twin boys.

Katherine has been a huge help to me.  She's been entertaining the twins and making most of the meals.  At first I was worried I was relying on her too much, but she really seems to be thriving with the extra responability.   At any rate, I think her allowance will be a little padded this week.  We really are blessed to have such great kids!

Word to your mother,

Wendy 

I teach Sunday School to kindergarteners.  Today I taught my lesson, and then went home.  I didn't stay for service.  In retrospect, I should have stayed home and let someone else tend to  my little flock.  I have a toothache. Bear in mind, I have never had so much as a cavity.  Aside from the occasional stress induced canker sore, I've experienced almost 35 years of a pain free mouth.  This toothache started out Friday night (why do medical emergencies always seem to occur after hours?) as a dull throb.  Kind of a food stuck between two teeth feeling.  By Saturday afternoon the pain had progressed to more of a Mike Tyson has just punched me in the jaw level.  Saturday night I tossed and turned trying to find a comfortable position.  On Sunday morning I was sleep deprived and in pain.  I was starting to wonder how hard it would be to wrangle and appointment  with Dr Kevorkian.  But I soldiered on fully convinced that the entire Sunday School dept would fall to pieces if I was a no show.  (It's amazing how important/indispensible we think we are, isn't it?) I entered my classroom, 5 minutes late, with as much forced cheerfulness as I could muster.  I had two kids whine for their parents the whole time--and these are children I have known since I rocked them in the nursery--they are not normally whiners.  I think maybe one or two children actually got the point of the lesson.  Finally, I admited defeat, popped in a Veggie Tales DVD and pulled out the legos.

The main point of our lesson was that God wants up to give cheerfully.  If we are giving purely out of a sense of obligation, or if we are resentful of what we are giving, God doesn't want what we are offering.  Well, I was giving my time this morning in both in an obligational and resentful manner, and things did not go smoothly.  I normally love teaching Sunday School.  I love building relationships with  the precious children entrusted to my care.  I love teaching them about God's love for them.  

On the bright side, even if my little charges didn't get much out of today's lesson, their teacher sure did. 

Wendy 

...and decided not to move to the extreme edge of suburbia.  I decided that I didn't want to drive 40 minutes just to get to church---and changing churches is not, repeat not, an option.  We are dyed in the wool Riverrats.  I also didn't want to be an hour away from my favorite crunchy grocery store I don't exactly drive the most fuel economical car either.  Can anyone say 11 miles to the gallon?  That's the one and only downside to having a big family---having to drive a ginormous car.  Oh how ELF must hate me.  In fact,I was once confronted by a wacko in the parking lot of Whole Foods.  He called me a "breeder" and said I was polluting the earth.  I'm still not sure whether he meant I was "polluting the earth" with children or with my Ford Excursion.  He probably meant both. I didn't get too upset since he was probably suffering from a lack of high fructose corn syrup, trans fats, and meat.  He looked a lot like Moby, come to think of it.  But I digress.....

We have decided to bloom where we are planted for the time being, and maybe move in a year or two.  Or maybe not.  Bill and I are fairly wishy-washy people when it comes to this (any) sort of decision. 

Peace out Dawgs,

Wendy 

As some of you may know, we are rabid Harry Potter fans.  We go to the midnight book parties-some of us in costume.  We own all the books and movies.  Heck, we even pony up the money to see the movies in the theater (which for a family of seven is one heck of a pony), and we buy the books in hardback. The discerning reader might even notice that my blog title is a HP reference.

I just found out Helena Bonham Carter is going to play Bellatrix Lestrange in the next film.  How delightfully evil!  We can't wait.

Now, back to our regularly scheduled lives.  It really doens't take much at all to excite us her at WMFrivolity.

Wendy