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Excitement…quiet…and quiet excitement

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

Whew.  The girls are done making and selling pumpkin rolls to raise Christmas money.   The company year-end party is past.  Another turkey dinner has come and gone.  6 trash bags full of wrapping paper have come and gone, and most of the gifts are put away.  A 7 foot tall evergreen has come and gone.  The nativity scene is safely tucked away in styrofoam near my elbow, slated for a trip to the shed at the bottom of the hill.  And Hubby’s parents and sister have come and gone.  Our 1180 square feet feels large and still and quiet and empty.

A significant number of new Barbies have taken up residence in our house, so I have a project to help break in my new sewing machine.  Those poor women need some clothes.  I am convinced that at least one inadvertently left the factory without the lower half of her outfit, like one of those nightmares where you suddenly realize that you are in the grocery store missing vital parts of your attire, and desperately hoping other shoppers won’t notice.  Please tell me I’m not the only one with those dreams.  She’s either Nightmare Barbie, or she’s wearing a very short minidress.  I prefer the former.  Either way, she’s getting a brand new skirt today, handcrafted with love by yours truly.

My dear father-in-law has posted several photos of the whirlwind week-long visit on his blog.  I’m sure my sweet mother-in-law will post some soon.

And now we can get back to serving Christ in our quiet ordinary way by changing diapers, doing math, and cooking Friday Night Pizza with a cheerful spirit and looking forward to sleeping in tomorrow morning.  Is it Scroogish of me to be glad that Christmas comes but once a year, or is a sleepy pregnant housewife allowed to feel that way after so much excitement?

Speaking of excitement, I’ve started to feel the baby move at 15 weeks!  At least twice, always in the evening after dessert and an impetuous cup of coffee.  Not surprisingly, sweets and caffeine seem to make this baby hyper, like any other child.  It stuns me that I can feel a small person kicking tiny legs even before my pregnancy becomes obvious to those around me.  These things never get old!

And now that I think about it, that tiny kicking reminder of new life ties in nicely to our celebration of Christ’s advent and the new life He bought for us.

Luk 2:10  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people.
Luk 2:11  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Christmas is…

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

This is the perfect time to say this…..

Merry Christmas

and a

Happy New year!!

Christmas  is not about presents.  It’s celebrating Jesus being born.   It’s celebrating the gift  GOD   has given to us. Matthew 2…

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the east came to Jerusalem,
Mat 2:2  saying, “Where is he who has been born king of the Jews? For we saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him.”
Mat 2:3  When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him;
Mat 2:4  and assembling all the chief priests and scribes of the people, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born.
Mat 2:5  They told him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for so it is written by the prophet:
Mat 2:6  “‘And you, O Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are by no means least among the rulers of Judah; for from you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’”
Mat 2:7  Then Herod summoned the wise men secretly and ascertained from them what time the star had appeared.
Mat 2:8  And he sent them to Bethlehem, saying, “Go and search diligently for the child, and when you have found him, bring me word, that I too may come and worship him.”
Mat 2:9  After listening to the king, they went on their way. And behold, the star that they had seen when it rose went before them until it came to rest over the place where the child was.
Mat 2:10  When they saw the star, they rejoiced exceedingly with great joy.
Mat 2:11  And going into the house they saw the child with Mary his mother, and they fell down and worshiped him. Then, opening their treasures, they offered him gifts, gold and frankincense and myrrh.
Mat 2:12  And being warned in a dream not to return to Herod, they departed to their own country by another way.
Mat 2:13  Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream and said, “Rise, take the child and his mother, and flee to Egypt, and remain there until I tell you, for Herod is about to search for the child, to destroy him.”
Mat 2:14  And he rose and took the child and his mother by night and departed to Egypt
Mat 2:15  and remained there until the death of Herod. This was to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet, “Out of Egypt I called my son.”
Mat 2:16  Then Herod, when he saw that he had been tricked by the wise men, became furious, and he sent and killed all the male children in Bethlehem and in all that region who were two years old or under, according to the time that he had ascertained from the wise men.
Mat 2:17  Then was fulfilled what was spoken by the prophet Jeremiah:
Mat 2:18  “A voice was heard in Ramah, weeping and loud lamentation, Rachel weeping for her children; she refused to be comforted, because they are no more.”
Mat 2:19  But when Herod died, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt,
Mat 2:20  saying, “Rise, take the child and his mother and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the child’s life are dead.”
Mat 2:21  And he rose and took the child and his mother and went to the land of Israel.
Mat 2:22  But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea in place of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there, and being warned in a dream he withdrew to the district of Galilee.
Mat 2:23  And he went and lived in a city called Nazareth, that what was spoken by the prophets might be fulfilled: “He shall be called a Nazarene.”

Amen!!!!

A conspiracy

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

My girls planned a little plot that made me glow, and I have to tell y’all about it.

This year they had far more money than usual for Christmas shopping so their gifts to each other were not the usual Dollar Tree (where everything’s a dollar!) variety.  About 2 weeks before Christmas, 3 of the older girls confided to me that they had pooled enough money to buy Kaitlyn a sewing machine.  She has been begging, wishing, and heavily hinting for one for a long time, so I knew this was a great idea.  Anyway, my own sewing machine broke months ago, and I knew she wouldn’t mind sharing.  icon smile A conspiracy

Over the next week, hubby and I spent a lot of time helping them choose the right model.  We whispered and plotted, checked the internet for reviews, and furtively haunted the sewing sections of 3 or 4 different stores while Deanna and Kaitlyn were off shopping in another part of the store.

We had a few scares: Kaitlyn really wanted a sewing machine and kept gravitating toward the same areas, or peeking over my shoulder while I was reading reviews online.  I coolly explained that I was really hoping hubby might get me one for Christmas or my birthday, and was dropping him hints by looking.  It was true.  Even if Kait was getting a sewing machine, I thought it would be nice to have 2 in the house; after all, I didn’t want to presume too much upon her Christmas gift.

Another time, while I was sitting and talking with Kaitlyn, one of the younger girls asked, “I forgot.  Who were we putting our money together for?  Who is getting a sewing machine for Christmas?”  gulp.  Kait looked very interested, but I stayed calm, and told her that she had heard us talking a lot about sewing machines because I was hoping to get one soon.  After all, it was true.  I was hoping.  7yo Natalie was satisfied with the answer, and dropped the subject without blowing the secret.brother A conspiracy

Finally, late Saturday night, hubby found a great buy on good machine.  He called me to look up the model to check prices and reviews, and we agreed that this was the one.  He brought it home and stowed it under the house.  Later that night, he almost blew the surprise – he was talking to me about the sewing machine in a loud whisper, with Kaitlyn right next to us.  “That’s too loud!” I hissed at him.  He obediently shushed.  Maybe that should have been a clue, but I never saw the surprise coming.  Would you have been less surprised than I was?

My birthday was Monday, and guess what the girls (including Kaitlyn) gave me?

A winner

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

Thank you for the laughs, both in the comments on this post and in my inbox!  I wish we could give a prize to everyone who entered.  Making the choice non-random made it so much harder.

But we have to choose somebody, and so we’re going with Mongolia Melanie.  She’s going to need all the help she can get raising little American citizens so far away.  Send me your mailing address and complete name quick, Melanie, and Vision Forum will be shipping you a free copy of League of Grateful Sons!

And I just can’t help myself: Karen’s 35 lines of late-night poetry went so far above and beyond the call of haiku that I just have to reward her.  The Shoe family is going to spring for a doll carrier so that Karen’s little girl won’t have to settle for a tatoo.  Send us your address, too, Karen, so we can ship off your gift.

Family Culture Quotes

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

Though I’ve meant to do this for quite a while, Cindy beat me to it. Now I’m doing it.
The following is small selection of quotes that are frequently heard around our house. Most are from movies; often from movies that left our collection long ago but their influence lives on in our minds, for better or worse. Some are from movies the children have never seen, but they have learned the quotes from us old folks.

How many sources can you name for these quotes?
If you post a list of your own, please leave a link in the comments!

Recently…
[an evasive answer to the question, "Hey! When was the last time you _____?!"]

I said, IF.
(response:) Oh, if.
[a conditional agreement, made under the assumption that the conditions would not be filled]

I’m not happy, Bob. Not happy.
[a light-hearted rebuke]

Much too good for children.
[like Starbucks Java Chip ice cream]

If it is a good morning, which I doubt.
[a grumpy response to "Good morning!"]

That’s my tail – my own personal tail!
or
You’re violating my territorial bubble.
[back up, buddy]

Think, McFly. Think!
[you did something dumb]

I was afraid it would be rooned (ruined).
[said while presenting an object rescued from certain doom]

“Dive,” said the captain through the thing.
[you don't know what you're talking about]

Be careful with the little angel!
[don't squish the poor creature]

I do not think that means what you think it means.
[said with a Spanish accent, to indicate that a word has been misused]

Life is pain, Princess Highness.
[quit whining]

umm…I said…hello.
[a classic evasive answer from my brother's toddlerhood. This one is worth a story of its own.]

For-e-ver!
[long and drawn out, in response to the 9th time I am asked, "How long until we ___?"]

I’m a good girl, I am.
[methinks the lady doth protest too much]

Good? Good.
[a request for affirmation]

He’s an angry elf.
[whispered about a grumpy person]

Does somebody need a hug?
[said to a grumpy person]

I drew a picture of a butterfly!
[stalling for time]

We’ll do that!
[in response to a great idea]

Can you construct a rudimentary lathe?
[got any great ideas?]

You are a sad, strange little man.
[I don't understand you]

Mine? mine? mine, mine, mine?
[wheedling, annoying children]

Gimme, gimme, gimme! I want! I want! I need! I need!
[a demanding person, being even more demanding]

I’m sorry. Were you being funny?
[I don't see the humor in what you just did/said]

[You] do not have a sense of humor of which [you] are aware?
[are you grumpy?]

person 1: I’ll be quiet.
person 2: And I’ll be peace!
[noisy kids, unrepentant of their noisiness]

Bob?! Gone?! He’s never gone!
[said about a pesky child. Child responds, "Is this some kind of radical new therapy?]

You threw off my groove!
[you interrupted my train of thought]

Notta finga!
[Don't touch it!]

You’ll shoot your eye out.
[No. It's dangerous.]

Frag-geeee-leee. Must be Italian.
[puzzling your way through something you're not quite sure about]

He’ll regret it to his dying day, if ever he lives that long.
[a threat]

But me throat’s so dry!
[a request for a drink]

Here’s a good stout stick to beat the lovely lady.
[a teasing rebuke]

Die, heretic scum!
[noting a small difference in opinion]

Exclamations and expletives in ascending order:

  • You’re killing me, Smalls.
  • Oh, bother.
  • Inconceivable! [said with a slight lisp]
  • Barnacles!
  • Tartar sauce!
  • Son of a nutcracker!
  • Ooooohhhhhh fuuuddddgggge!

A Vision Forum giveaway. Again.

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

Are you a Vision Forum affiliate yet? Too bad. They are letting each affiliate give away their choice of 2 great products, and there are more special affiliate promotions coming in the future. Is that a great idea or what? Really, do you like it? Can you see me blushing modestly? We thought of it. If you are already an affiliate, then VF is waiting to hear your great idea for helping affiliates. If you’re not an affiliate, join now so you can participate in the next promotion!

Since I’m an affiliate, I get to do another giveaway. This time, we won’t be random. To enter this one, leave a comment stating your choice of gift: Doll Carrier or League of Grateful Sons (DVD) and tell us why you think you should win. We’ll choose the funniest and/or most pity-inspiring entry; extra points if you write a haiku or express your gratitude to the Life in a Shoe family for this great giveaway idea. We’ll take entries until midnight on Wednesday (CST), then we’ll announce a winner soon after. The winner will need to reply promptly with his/her mailing address, so keep an eye open for the announcement.

BTW, the girls would like you to know that they have several dolls for sale right now including 3 Evangelines, 1 Fidelia, and they will soon be adding an Abigail. They are happy to accept Paypal and will ship promptly SO THAT YOU RECEIVE THEM IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS! Take a look at the Buy Our Stuff tab or just use our contact form.

A mysterious weekend

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

We faced two great mysteries this weekend. Hubby came up with a solution for one, and I devloped a plausible explanation for the other. Could you have solved them?

Mystery #1

I needed to call my uncle Dave, who lives just a little bit down the road. He has a cell phone and I was reasonably sure he had given me the number although I had never yet had occasion to call the number.

I opened my phone and looked him up. As I expected, I found him filed under Brown, David. I file all my contacts by last name, first name. That way I don’t have to remember if I listed Uncle Dave in the U’s, D’s, or by his last name.

I hit the Call button and a woman answered – not Uncle Dave’s wife. I was a little surprised, but Uncle Dave does finish carpentry so I assumed a customer had picked up his phone for him. “Can I talk to Dave Brown? This is his niece.”

She sounded a bit surprised, but quickly put Dave on the phone. He sounded surprised too, especially when I asked to borrow his Dremel. He also sounded young. I decided to double check: “Is this Dave Brown?” It was, but he still didn’t sound right. “Is this Steve Brown’s brother?” No. “So I reached Dave Brown, but you’re the wrong Dave Brown? OK, I’m sorry.” I’m guessing he was a little less puzzled than I was, because he didn’t know that I found his number in my cellphone address book.

I was flummoxed, but hubby quickly figured out what was going on. He had a good laugh and called David’s father to explain.

To my knowledge, I have never met, heard of, or spoken to another Dave (or David) Brown. Can you guess how this happened?


Mystery #2I have several gmail addresses. One is my own name: firstnamelastname@gmail.com. I received an email in my inbox on Friday night that was an automatic reply to a request to reset the password on an email address identical to mine with the addition of a single dot: firstname.lastname@gmail.com. It arrived at my secondary email address that I had registered in connection with the firstnamelastname@gmail address.

It looked for all the world like someone had tried to set up an email account using my name, and had given my own secondary email address – the one I use on the web – as their secondary email address.

This was strange enough, but just 2 hours later I received another mysterious email at my firstnamelastname address (this time without the dot). It was an automated confirmation link for my new facebook account. I had not been on the facebook website or set up a new account, but the account referenced in the email had my name, first and last. My husband had not tried to access my email, reset my password, or interacted in any way with facebook.

What was going on? This one is not officially solved, but I think I dug up a plausible and innocent explanation. Can you? Or do you hear nothing but alarm bells?

A week of morning sickness in summary

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

Maybe you’ve assumed from my silence since Monday that I threw up so much I slipped into a coma this week.

Not so.  I’ve been living!  On Monday and Tuesday, I hesitantly thought I might be feeling better.  I still fasted and threw up 5-10 times in the mornings but only vomited once or twice later in the day.

On Wednesday I was sure I was on the mend.  I still threw up 5 or 6 times in the morning but (gasp) I ate before noon and didn’t get sick.  Just a little queasy the rest of the day, and never felt in danger of tossing any actual cookies.

On Thursday, I got really brave and ate breakfast after throwing up just 3 times early in the morning.  All was well, and I only felt queasy if I failed to eat every 45 minutes.  I think God was providing the strength I would need for one of these days.  It was a very long day for Hubby, me and our little rebel, but God is faithful and the rod prevailed.  Yesterday’s rebel is sweet, affectionate and amazingly eager to please today.

One of the girls was reading a daily chapter of Proverbs – 13, since yesterday was the 13th of the month, and she helpfully reminded me of this verse:

Pro 13:24  Whoever spares the rod hates his son, but he who loves him is diligent to discipline him.

How did the church fathers who divied up the chapters of the Bible know so many centuries ago that I would need to be reminded of that verse on the 13th of the month?

Now it’s Friday and I didn’t even throw up once before breakfast.  I still have persistent background queasiness for which I am thankful since it puts my mind at ease about the state of the baby.  I am not at all used to having my morning sickness leave at just 13 weeks so I’m glad to have its shadow hang about for a bit longer.

So rejoice with me – for just the right touch of morning sickness.  We’re off to run errands and meet up with several of my sibs and their families for the annual tamale party!

My time of fasting

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

My agreement with my stomach has provided plenty of time for introspection.  I am basically fasting each morning and into the afternoon, and the way I see it, I am doing it for the Lord.  I am also throwing up for Him each afternoon and evening [smile].  Our children are blessings directly from God’s hand, but our decision to willingly surrender to His will is our act of service for Him.  And so it follows (or it should follow) that my resulting morning sickness is a joyful sacrifice I make in His service.

This presents me with a small dilemma when friends ask how I am feeling.  I want to give an honest answer because I covet their prayers.  I want to feel better!

But I don’t want to be like the fasting Pharisees who walked about making their sad fasting faces so everybody would know just exactly how much they were suffering in their service to the Lord.  I don’t want to complain about my offerings to the Lord, and I certainly don’t want to complain about my blessings, even if they are a bit uncomfortable at times.

And so I’m a little unsure as to how I should reply.  My usual response is a wan smile, a hint of hesitation, and “Oh, pretty well!”  But this still feels like complaining – even if it’s an honest answer.

Maybe Paul has a better answer in his epistles.  He suffered much and spoke of his sufferings without sinking into pleas for pity or fishing for compliments on his own stoicism.  Maybe I need to look more to his example in speaking of and dealing with my own inconsequential discomforts.

I also want to set a good example for my children.  I’m concerned that if I try too hard to suffer silently, they will never know and so the example will be invisible and unheeded.  At the same time, I don’t want them to hear me constantly complain or announce all of my ills and ailments.  This is less of a problem since my children live with me and have learned to recognize the purpose in my step when I head for the bathroom.  They know when to clear the way.

I’m sure many of you have ills, ailments and chronic conditions.  How do you answer inquiries without sinking into complaining?

Mother Dear, By Meg

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

I know it’s not Mother’s day but

I just couldn’t help making up

a poem about Mom. Here it is:

Mother Dear Mother Dear

My complaints you always

hear .

When I’m scared you’re always there.

When you’re close I never fear.

And no one but you can do that,

O Mother Dear, and for that I thank you.

new Elsie volume 4 audio and a sale

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

update: the girls would like you to know that they have 4 more Like-New dolls available for sale.  One is a Fidelia, and the other 3 are Evangeline.  Take a look under the Buy Our Stuff tab.

If your girls enjoy the Elsie audio books (I won’t even suggest that they might appeal toelsie4.thumbnail new Elsie volume 4 audio and a sale boys) you’ll be happy to know that Elsie volume 4 is now for sale, this one was done by a mother. Although we very much enjoyed Mr. Potter’s readings, I have to admit my own biased belief that such a girly series is eminently more suited to the female voice.

Our real-life friend Laurie Manteufel puts her motherly talents to work reading the continuing story of Elsie Dinsmore. Her pronunciation is precise, and her pace is unhurried. As the mother of a large family with several nearly-grown children, I’m sure she has many years of experience reading aloud. I think it is every mother’s duty to become a good read-alouder reader-aloud storybook reader, and Mrs. Maunteufel makes the most of her gentle, soothing voice.

Elsie’s Womanhood is now available in mp3 format on the Vision Forum website for $25. You also might like to know that Vision Forum just announced a 4 day sale: Order $75 and save $25 instantly off your order. If your list is a little longer, you can save $50 when you order $150, or save $100 off any order of $275 or more. That’s more than 35% off!

psst…Mrs. Maunteufel is running a little special on her own site, where you can buy a PC-only version of the audio book for just $15.

Our Geneva Bible Pages

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

I’m hoping you already knew this, but we run a little business on the side.  We sell original, authentic 400 year old pages from old Geneva Bibles (if you’re horrified, read this).  We offer them framed, matted, or sleeved.  Damaged pages are available as inexpensive bookmarks.  Incidentally, we provide the framed Bible pages that are sold by Vision Forum, though we offer more choices and a slightly different format on our own website Geneva Bible Pages.

We think it’s amazing to be able to handle treasures from the past like this, and it often takes us far too long to assemble orders because we get caught up in reading.  “Look – here’s when the Philistines captured the ark, and Dagon fell down in front of it!” “I found Jacob and Esau!”  “Here’s Daniel in the lions’ den!”  “David and Goliath!”

The reason I’m mentioning this now is because we often receives emails from people who want a specific passage, and I always tell them that since our inventory is very limited we can’t fill requests like that.  Now, since our inventory is so limited, I finally got busy and put it all in a spreadsheet.  Anybody who wants is invited to browse our list of passages and place an order for whatever page catches their fancy.

To order just check the spreadsheet to see what is available, email me your specific request, and go to our website and use the buttons on the site to order and pay.  If you choose a premium-priced page (we have a few title pages and New Testament/Psalms available for a little extra) I will invoice you for the difference.

And if you don’t want to order, just go see what we have and come back to agree with me how amazing it is that we still have real, physical pieces of our Puritan heritage.

Homeschool Blog Awards

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

hsbabutton nominee Homeschool Blog Awards
If you’ve been living with your head in the toilet like me, you might not be aware that voting has started on the 2007 Homeschool Blog Awards!

Although we’ve been nominated in two categories (thanks, y’all!) I can hardly bring myself to troll for votes since each category also contains some of my very favorite blogs.

In the category for Best “Live-What-You-Believe” Blog, we are up against my real-life friend MamaArcher.  She is a real thinker and will make you think too!  Her blog is new and deserves your attention.  And then there’s everyone’s favorite, Amy’s Humble Musings.  Hers was one of the first blogs on my daily reading list – funny and meaty is such a good combination!  There are many others in this category as well.  The competition will be stiff.

We were also nominated for Best Family or Group Blog, where we share the playing field with my Very Dear Friend the Headmistress et al, and a fine group of other contenders.

Of course, there are 21 other categories as well.  Take time to check them out and discover new treasures in each one, and cast your votes before December 15.

Feeds are working!

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

If you come right to our site to see what we’re jabbering about, you probably never noticed a thing – but we’re breathing a huge sigh of relief this morning because the feeds are finally working again!

If you use Bloglines or another feedreader or if you get our updates by email, and you just received a ginormous update with about 10 new posts all at once, my apologies.  But see what you’ve been missing?  You really should stop in and see us in person once in a while.

And if you didn’t know it was possible to get updates by email, now you know.  Just put your email address in the box at the top of the right sidebar and voila!  The Shoe will arrive in your inbox just like a daily paper on your doorstep.  If I can stop vomiting long enough to actually update daily.

Speaking of which, I’ve really gotta wrap this up because…you don’t want to know…

First prenatal appointment

Current giveaway: Grandpa Jake's Campfire Cooker

Animals should be administered for at least 6 lizards. cipro 500mg po bid Noncirculation 1: a diet generated by p. it infects effects and antibiotics and causes the misdiagnosis century.

Yesterday I went to my first prenatal checkup.  I was 15 minutes late, mainly because I couldn’t get into the car until I stopped throwing up.  icon smile First prenatal appointment

She gave me good news and bad news.  Based upon several clues, she agreed that I was probably 2-3 weeks behind what the calendar said.  I already strongly suspected this, and have been saying, “I’m 12-14 weeks along.”  I had already bumped out my duedate 2 weeks and wasn’t at all surprised when she suggested we ought to bump it out a week farther.

That was the bad news.

The good news was that I goofed.  I know how to figure a duedate.  It’s easy: start from the first day of your last period and count back 3 months, then add a week.  So how did I start with August 31 and end up at July 7 – plus the 2-3 weeks that I was adding?  I was telling everyone that I was due in late July.  Why didn’t my pregnancy-fogged brain object to the idea of being pregnant for nearly a year?

So the good news is that I’m due in late June, not late July.  Anyone who has read our blog for a while knows how much I like to have my babies on holidays and previously claimed birthdays.  Now I can aim for The Boy’s birthday on June 28, which also happens to be my mom’s and nephew’s birthday!  Or I could rush it a bit and aim for my sister’s birthday on the 25th.  Or we could wait until July 4th…or July 6th, another nephew’s birthday…or even July 9th, the birthday of our oldest daughter and my father-in-law.

Oh, more good news: I didn’t pass out when she drew my blood.  Yes, it’s true.  I, who have given birth at home w/o painkillers 9 times, I who love to quote the Dread Pirate Roberts in “The Princess Bride” Life is pain, Princess.  Yes, it’s true.  I usually pass out when somebody sticks a needle in me.  I tried to donate blood 3 times and the Red Cross finally suggested that maybe I shouldn’t come back.  But I didn’t pass out this time.  That was good news.

And I heard the baby’s heartbeat.  Just for a second or two, since I’m only 11.5 weeks along – but it was a thrill nonetheless.  Now I just can’t wait for that first kick.  And the second.  And the third…these things never get old!