FREE RICE - educational charity

For each answer you get right, they donate 5 grains of free rice to the UN World Food Program to help end hunger. Over 53 billion grains of rice donated so far!!

Please play!! http://www.freerice.com/index.php

You might want to keep http://www.thefreedictionary.com/ nearby for words like agog. I think we've donated a bowl of rice by now (400 grains). How many grains of rice are in a serving size? Hmmm.....

Supposedly they have other topics besides the vocabulary builder.

UPDATED: Oooh, you have to try the other subjects. We're up to 3000 grains of rice.

MVP & CHAMPIONS!!!

by Robin

I bet you were going to assume that Tim Tebow is the MVP of today's SEC Championship game, which Florida happened to win against Alabama. Well, sort of..... but I think he would agree with me that Jesus, his and my Lord & Savior, is the MVP of Tebow's life and football career. What an amazing testimony that Christ is the one who gives him the talent and strength to lead & win many games. CONGRATULATIONS to the Gators. Alabamians, you played an awesome game. You have nothing to be ashamed of with such a great record this season.

Tim Tebow, you get my vote for Heisman too!!

Of course, some of my pride started long before Tebow became famous for the Florida Gators. We followed his success back in Jacksonville since he was a homeschooling, missionary high schooler. We knew a few years ago how special this young man was.

See here for more info.

THEY MADE IT!!!!

by Robin

Our friends' Lego League team out of Jacksonville came to our area to compete. They made it to Regional competition too!!! We had a fantastic time chatting 'til almost midnight and I got up at 5:15!! Then, we were able to attend their competition as a cheering section. Whew!!

I will make pictures up later. I just couldn't wait to post it up though. I'm praying that we get to attend the same Regionals together. That would be so much fun.

CONGRATS team "Don't Try this at Home"

FOR THE RECORD...

by Robin

Andrew just ate his first piece of whole garlic, soaked in juices from the olive jar. Last month, it was Snow Crab Legs.
Maybe, .... just maybe,.... he is our child, after all.

I rescued a chicken that belonged to my neighbor. The family cat was eye-balling him for dinner.

Andrew began composing his first piece today (for recorder & piano).

I feel a GARDEN REPORT in the near future.

The Christmas Cantata is on Dec 14th and three of the four of us will be in it. I'm in the choir but also, I lead the Children's Choir & their interpretive dance. Andrew also has a repeat performance of his solo, "The Promised One.". (Same as the one he did in August)

We have company coming this weekend!! I can't wait to see them. (Must clean house!)

WE MADE IT!!!!!!!!

The Thunderbricks, F.I.R.S.T. Lego League team, made it to Regional competition.

While I was out with eye issues, Simon Peter & friends competed on 11/22 on Merritt Island at their first Lego League competition.

They were 2nd place runner-ups out of 9 teams. The top 4 teams were all very close in points so it was such an honor to make it and qualify for the next level.





Our next competition is 12/22. We are having friends come down from Jacksonville this weekend and we will attend their Lego League competition as well. This is actually pretty and a spirited competition amongst brainy kids.

Here is a 3 min. video of the kids that day. (Oh, my eye is 95% healed now)

TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES - PLEASE STAND BY

..........by Robin

Oh my, I'm having one of those weeks where my eye looks like this rainforest frog. I'm healing an eye infection. Please keep praying for me.





I keep putting a lot of drops in my eyes and they're working but after a few days of doing this, I'm only 60% healed. It will take me the rest of the weekend to stop the infection & heal the upper cornea layer.


Then, I get different drops next week to remove fluid build-up between the corneal layers.




For now, I've been doing a lot of pirate impersonations, sleeping & listening. I went out in public last night for the first time since it worsened and I scared a poor child. My waitress was doing her best to not be speechless or stare at my eyeball.

I have to agree that I look like the Bride of Frankenstein with 2 different size pupils, red eyeball, opaqueness on part of my iris and swollen eye-lids. Oh, did I mention profuse watering? My only other choice are those big cheap sunglasses the optometrist gives you after your eye appts.




I wish I looked as cute as this sweet pup with my messed up eye.

I hope to be back up & blogging by Thanksgiving or so. Right now, the white computer screen hurts too much look at.

Happy Thanksgiving ALL!!! Safe travels to many of you.

CHRISTMAS CARD OUTTAKES

by Robin

Great smiles with the humans, dogs acting up.

Everybody acting up

Dogs watching hawk flying above, not the cookie.

Everybody totally bored with me

Be watching for the real picture to come via mail in a couple weeks.

MORE OLD HALLOWEEN PICS

by Robin

Here were some pictures of the pups in their Halloween costumes.

Impossible to catch Captain still for a second.


Whoa Doggie!!!





Here are some close-ups on their faces.

OLD HALLOWEEN PICS

by Robin

Sorry......... I'm behind. We followed Pioneer Woman's recipe for making Halloween eye balls. After you make the cake balls, you dip in white chocolate. In theory, this sounded good but in reality, it was a huge mess and so we ended up tossing the whole batch.

The boys still wanted to show off their "gross" pictures.

PRAISE TO GOD

Today I’ll think of all the things
That God has done for me –
His wonderful provision
For salvation full and free.

I’ll thank Him for His blessings
That come to me each day,
For all the answers that He sends
When I kneel down and pray.

I’ll thank Him for His wondrous grace
That keeps me day by day
From all temptations fierce and wild
He always makes a way.

“Tis sweet indeed to know the Lord
An trust His tender care,
To rest completely in His love
And sweet communion share.

Sylvia I. Roache

GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY!

by Robin

I've found a new hobby that isn't as time consuming as chicken raising. Babysitting. My neighbors bought a beautiful 10 wk old English Bulldog last weekend. I've been going over every day about 10am to let her out to potty.

Goodness is she cute! Jack gave me that "look" and I gave him the evil eye back. No, we're not getting one. Or a boxer. We've already got 2, plus lost 4 pets last month. I'm just now able to live w/o daily pills nor liquid antihistamines in my eyes.

Anyhow, I just wanted to share a picture of her with you all (my 4 subscribed fans). LOL.

I have a couple more good pictures to share but they were all taken at huge megapixels. Must downsize and share later.

Babysitting is great because then her Momma & Daddy can be responsible for housebreaking & vet bills. LOL. I get to kiss that smooshed up mug once in a while.

ALL babies are BLESSINGS!!!!

by Robin


Listen to this beautiful testimony from Mark Richt, head coach for UGA bulldogs (my alma mater) football team.

Not only do we love the team, we love the coach!! (Reminds me of "Cheaper by the Dozen")

SONG OF SONGS 7:1, 10

How beautiful are your feet in shoes,

O prince’s daughter!

The curves of your thighs are like jewels,

The work of the hands of a skillful workman.

Thank you, my beloved, for making my feet beautiful in my new shoes. You make me feel like royalty and like I am a precious jem.

Song of Songs 7:10 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is toward me.

Oooh, goosebump moment.

Love,

Your beloved!!

ARTSY GARDEN PICS

by Robin

Okra

Closer........

Jalapenos

1 wk old Cucumber trees.

1 mo Cucumber leaves

1 mo String bean leaves

Bell Pepper babies

String Bean leaf

Misplaced tomato baby. This is why I don't weed every little thing. I never know when I'm going to get something that I want to keep.

Italian Flat-leaf Parsley babies

Growing Iceberg Lettuce

Leeks, getting stronger

SIMON PETER & the CAT

by Robin

Oh no, here comes the camera.

Just act normal honey....... What's that you're reading??

"The Cat who went to Heaven"

Then, I took the picture as a choir of angels began singing, "Ahhhhhhhh............" at the top of their lungs. Look at the light in the picture. What a picture of God shining down on His child.

And then this photo......... stole my heart. I love his eyes. I didn't do anything special to make the background fade. That was all the sun's doing. I only added a little contrast.........and......oh........it takes my breath away. I love this PHOTO!!!

I'm sure it is a Mom thing. Where's a homeschooling photo contest? We happen to use Sonlight Curriculum, so I'll probably enter this in their catalog photo contest.

Ack....... I must go and send this out to several hundred family members.

(I'm really one of THE most proud mamas! Borderline sinful.)

TRUNK-OR-TREAT

by Robin

Oh what fun we had last night!!!! (my trunk below - "Celebrate the feast of the harvest")

Twenty-five trunks were "donated" for our church's Trunk-or-Treat outreach to the community. It is our goal that all children get to get treats from safe people in a safe environment. No cars are allowed to travel through the section where the kids can run around.

Inside, there is free food for kids & parents. We rent multiple jumpy houses & obstacle courses and the kids exhaust themselves there. It's all indoors too!! No mosquitos!!

Outside, we line one side of the church with cars on both sides of the parking lot. To bring out a bigger effort from members, there is a little contest on who has the best trunk. I don't think there is a gift, but an honorable mention in church Sun morning & bragging right. LOL. We have the most amazing pumpkin carver at our church who won last year. You'd think he was a surgeon but he works at the post office. Hmmmm.... wait......don't think 'postal'. Ok? LOL He's a nice man.

So, I'm going to show you several trunks that were my favorites. Some were unfocused so I had to dump those today. Oops. Our only requirement was that we had nothing too scary & preferably from the Bible.

"I go prepare a place for you." Decorated by a 12 yo girl!!!

The pumpkin carver - this cannot be appreciated during the daylight. He even had Jonah in the belly of that whale.

Above - Fruit of the Spirit - each one of those tags represented a different "fruit".

Below - done by Missionaries back home from abroad, asking for workers for the harvest. They just might be homeschoolers, you think?? LOL

Below - "Don't store up your treasures on earth but in heaven. Where your treasure is, so is your heart." Even the candy was wrapped in gold & silver. This trunk was donated by the Pastor & his parents, the Director of Missions for our county.

PASS THE PLATE

by Robin

What is it about cooler weather that makes me wanna COOK!!!!???

I pulled out the smoker on Monday. While we were waiting for the flames to die off so we could begin smoking meat, I treat the boys to sugar prior to dinner. Please, please, please, don't tell anyone. (LOL) My kids love me so!



My eldest eating his first marshmallow.

My sugarholic......... prepping for Halloween candy rush.

Even the pups were curious but smart enough to not touch the big blue hot thingy.

What did I make? Smoked chicken strips smothered (sounds so much better than covered) with Bourbon glaze from one of those ladies parties, Tastefully Simple. Normally, I detest those parties but this was one of those unique times I not only enjoyed eating with strangers but bought stuff.

I'm not sure what possessed me to make Feta-laced burgers for Jack and the boys. I have no idea if they're good but Jack took them to work today. They smell incredible.

Over the weekend, I made a huge pot of chili. That was great since it covered many meals and I could enjoy time out of the kitchen.

Hope everybody has a safe & tasty Halloween on Friday. We'll be doing Trunk or Treat with our church, like we did last year.