I purposely didn't make any plans for this weekend, but it is shaping up to be a great weekend so far. A little socializing here. A little rest there. Hopefully, a little work getting done around the house (So far I have only scrubbed my toilet, but I have plans to get more done!).
We went to the pool today for the first time this summer at the spur of the moment because a friend invited us to go with them. It feels like it is too early for summer to be here, but I know it isn't. We got in for a dollar, which made it all the more enjoyable! We didn't stay very long, but since it only cost a dollar to get in, we didn't mind not staying too long. We had to leave because Bella was invited to go to a girl scout afternoon tea party with a school friend. It was so cute seeing the little girls in their dresses and eating finger sandwiches and drinking out of tea cups. We were invited to another friend's house for a cookout tomorrow night and then the rest of the weekend is going to be spent around the house.
It feels so nice to have a long weekend. Soon school will be over, which will also mean my work year will be over as well. Small group (which we host) ended this week. Dance and soccer will end next weekend. It will be a big change!
We are trying to decide which activities will get put on our summer schedule. About this time of the year, we are so tired from school and all the activities we do throughout the year, I often hate the thought of signing the kids up for ANYTHING! But then about a month into the summer when the kids are getting bored and grumpy, I sometimes wish we had something on our schedule to provide some structure!
So far, swim lessons, which start the week after school ends, has made it on the list. We are still on the fence about the library's summer reading program. We have been invited to 4 different church's VBSs and we haven't made any decision on that yet. I loved VBS as a kid and the kids have always went somewhere for VBS and enjoyed it, so we'll definitely try to go to one of them.
AND...BIG NEWS....we actually booked a trip to Hershey Park for the end of June about a month ago! That is the earliest I think we have ever planned a vacation trip! You all influenced me to make a point to make vacation plans for the summer.
I need to get some novels to read this summer. I haven't read a novel in over a month and the last one I read, I didn't really like that much, so it feels like it has been longer! In fact, the only novels I have read in 2012 have been for the book club I attended.
What summer activities do you all have planned? What books or authors do your really love and think I should read?
Saturday, May 26, 2012
Blogging for good reasons
I am not an influential blogger. I don't have a following. I don't even have my blog listed on public search engines. I am fine with that (especially since I have practically abandoned my blog since I began subbing!).
But I would love to travel on a blogging trip with Compassion and Shaun Groves. Since I don't have a following, but I know that some of the few (the very few) who read my blog do, I thought I would share this information with you, in case you'd like to try to be picked by Shaun to go on a trip with him - for free. All it costs you is your honest feedback during the duration of your trip.
Shaun Groves just shared this picture on his blog. It is a picture of a place I traveled to 2 years ago and a place I would love to go to again. It doesn't say when they are going, but since they take about one trip a year and they just got back from Tanzania, I would say that it would be around a year from now, give or take a couple months.
If you are interested in signing up to be a candidate to be selected for a trip, you can go here.
If you'd like to sign up to be a Compassion blogger you can go here. They will send you a topic that they'd like you to mention in your blog about once a month. I have been doing that for about 6 months now. It is really easy and there have been several times that I have already blogged about the subject they are asking me to share with you!
But I would love to travel on a blogging trip with Compassion and Shaun Groves. Since I don't have a following, but I know that some of the few (the very few) who read my blog do, I thought I would share this information with you, in case you'd like to try to be picked by Shaun to go on a trip with him - for free. All it costs you is your honest feedback during the duration of your trip.
Shaun Groves just shared this picture on his blog. It is a picture of a place I traveled to 2 years ago and a place I would love to go to again. It doesn't say when they are going, but since they take about one trip a year and they just got back from Tanzania, I would say that it would be around a year from now, give or take a couple months.
If you are interested in signing up to be a candidate to be selected for a trip, you can go here.
If you'd like to sign up to be a Compassion blogger you can go here. They will send you a topic that they'd like you to mention in your blog about once a month. I have been doing that for about 6 months now. It is really easy and there have been several times that I have already blogged about the subject they are asking me to share with you!
Monday, May 7, 2012
Blogging from Tanzania.
Shaun Groves is leading a team of bloggers to Tanzania. After their farewells to their families and a long trip to get from their homes all over the United States, they have arrived and are experiencing their first days seeing what Tanzania is all about.
You can follow along on their adventures HERE.
You can follow along on their adventures HERE.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
The price we pay for what we think we want
I have never been a feminist or subscribed to feminist views, so this post will be quite biased.
Sometimes things just get under my skin and I can't forget about them until I get it out. Today's soapbox message is one of those.
I have worked a lot recently and I had off today, so I indulged myself by watching a sappy romantic comedy as soon as I had my family out the door. It doesn't matter the title because romantic comedies are a dime a dozen. But the message of the movie was to not settle for what is safe and comfortable, but look for passion and "true love". The man that the female character was engaged to was safe and comfortable and he treated her well and she thought he was everything she wanted...until she meets a rough fire fighter from Queens, who at first glance was nothing she ever wanted. Of course, as the story went on, she fell for the hunky fire fighter and the kind, reliable fiance gave her his blessing to "follow her heart".
(Now to be fair, there are probably just as many movies that are about the girl (or boy) overlooking the quiet, safe, reliable one for a hot, exciting other, only to realize that the one who they really needed was there right beside them all along. And the fact that almost all romantic comedies are about thinking love and meaning can be found in someone other than one you're with is a subject for another post entirely.)
After watching the movie, I went to the grocery store. When I was leaving the store, I saw a young male employee in his 20s who had unlocked the metal case that held the propane tank and stood watching a man, probably in his 50s, loading propane tanks from his truck to the metal cages. I could hear my dad's voice in my head saying, "What is wrong with you, boy? Are your arms broken? Stop being so lazy and help the man!" I felt a little like saying it myself! In my dad's generation, men worked hard and helped each other - not for recognition or compensation, but because it was what made you a good man.
Now, I am not saying the older man wasn't capable of doing the job on his own and, in our day and age, the employee may not have been allowed to help him, since everyone is so sue-happy anymore. But there is something wrong with our culture when a young man is content to stand and watch another man work, when he is doing absolutely nothing, and not be willing to help.
But it reminded me of another time when I went to CVS, after finishing one of those Christian historical fiction books. I am sure you can imagine the plot, because they are also a dime a dozen. A beautiful, yet stubborn young lady gets in some sort of distress and the equally stubborn, yet incredibly gentlemanly, young man saves her from the distress, even though she exasperates him, and in the process grabs her heart. Anyway, when I got to the register, I had a large case of water that I was having trouble getting out of my cart and lifting onto the counter. There were 2 men behind me who just watched me as I struggled to hoist the thing from one place to the other and didn't even attempt to help. Now I am not a damsel in distress and I don't need to be rescued, but a little bit of heavy lifting now and then would be acceptable! I thought to myself that if I lived in the 1800s, that would never have happened! - Of course, I would probably have been wearing a dress and a corset and people would think I was insane for buying water bottled anyway! - But I digress!
The point is, chivalry, man helping fellow man just because it is the right thing to do, and respecting people for being good, reliable people is no longer part of our common culture and it is sad. And it really irks me that we are told by movie after movie that if a relationship is safe and comfortable, it can't be equally passionate and happy. And boys aren't expected to be chivilrous and people are taught to only do what is expected and nothing more - and not even that, when you can get away with it.
But isn't that what we asked for - "equal rights"? Men don't want to offensive by thinking a girl may need a little help now and then. And women don't want to appear weaker than their male counterparts. But inside we are yearning for men to be men and women to be women - or there wouldn't be so many sappy romantic movies and books. We can't have it both ways.
I heard on the radio that there is a school in Switzerland that is teaching completely "gender neutral". The DJ jokingly said, "I wonder what the bathroom situation is like?". And underlying the joke is a truth. Men and women are different and when we take the role of the male away from the male and the role of the female away from the female, none of us quite know how to act anywhere we go. I am not saying that the male or female has to be domineering over the other, but that we appreciate and cultivate what makes us uniquely different.
- This post is now going to go from being long to "I need to find a bookmark" long, as I tell you a recent story in the life of the Wilsons.
One cold morning last week, my neighbor texted me at 6:30 to see if she could use our spare tire. She has recently became a single mother and I suspected that she may not be able to change the tire, even if we gave it to her. I had to work that day and had to be out of the house by 7:45. Josh was going to have to get the kids off to school and then to work himself, and he had an early morning meeting. We decided that we probably didn't have the time to help her and that she'd probably be better off to just call the local tire shop.
But then I started to feel like we should at least do as much as we could to help her and Josh agreed, so we told her that he could come over for about 20 minutes and see what he could do for her. I rushed to get ready myself and then also hustled the kids through their morning routine. I yelled out the door to let Josh know that over 20 minutes had passed. He asked if the kids were ready and I told him they were, so he said that he was going to try to help just a few more minutes to see what else he could do.
In the end, because of a problem with the rim or something, she ended up having to get the tire shop fix her tire anyway. But it didn't matter that Josh wasn't able to fix the tire, but that he was willing to do it. He looked past what he needed to do and the cold and his own schedule and decided to stay out a little longer to try to be of help.
To me that is one of the most attractive things about my husband. When I see him reaching out to help someone (sometimes because I get him into it), even when he would rather not, or when I think about how I know he'd do whatever it took to protect and provide for his family, there is nothing I would ever want more.
Passion is fleeting, but integrity and trust and commitment endure. Have you ever noticed that all those romantic comedies end when they get together? It is because you can only "fly by the seat of your pants" on passion for so long and then your pants get mighty worn out! And integrity, trust, and commitment breed passion if it is recognized and appreciated.
I feel like telling young teenage girls all the time. - Don't look for the boys who are trying to get your attention by being macho, but look for the boys who are kind and helpful and good to everyone for no reason at all. They are the keepers!
I will get down from my soapbox now!
Sometimes things just get under my skin and I can't forget about them until I get it out. Today's soapbox message is one of those.
I have worked a lot recently and I had off today, so I indulged myself by watching a sappy romantic comedy as soon as I had my family out the door. It doesn't matter the title because romantic comedies are a dime a dozen. But the message of the movie was to not settle for what is safe and comfortable, but look for passion and "true love". The man that the female character was engaged to was safe and comfortable and he treated her well and she thought he was everything she wanted...until she meets a rough fire fighter from Queens, who at first glance was nothing she ever wanted. Of course, as the story went on, she fell for the hunky fire fighter and the kind, reliable fiance gave her his blessing to "follow her heart".
(Now to be fair, there are probably just as many movies that are about the girl (or boy) overlooking the quiet, safe, reliable one for a hot, exciting other, only to realize that the one who they really needed was there right beside them all along. And the fact that almost all romantic comedies are about thinking love and meaning can be found in someone other than one you're with is a subject for another post entirely.)
After watching the movie, I went to the grocery store. When I was leaving the store, I saw a young male employee in his 20s who had unlocked the metal case that held the propane tank and stood watching a man, probably in his 50s, loading propane tanks from his truck to the metal cages. I could hear my dad's voice in my head saying, "What is wrong with you, boy? Are your arms broken? Stop being so lazy and help the man!" I felt a little like saying it myself! In my dad's generation, men worked hard and helped each other - not for recognition or compensation, but because it was what made you a good man.
Now, I am not saying the older man wasn't capable of doing the job on his own and, in our day and age, the employee may not have been allowed to help him, since everyone is so sue-happy anymore. But there is something wrong with our culture when a young man is content to stand and watch another man work, when he is doing absolutely nothing, and not be willing to help.
But it reminded me of another time when I went to CVS, after finishing one of those Christian historical fiction books. I am sure you can imagine the plot, because they are also a dime a dozen. A beautiful, yet stubborn young lady gets in some sort of distress and the equally stubborn, yet incredibly gentlemanly, young man saves her from the distress, even though she exasperates him, and in the process grabs her heart. Anyway, when I got to the register, I had a large case of water that I was having trouble getting out of my cart and lifting onto the counter. There were 2 men behind me who just watched me as I struggled to hoist the thing from one place to the other and didn't even attempt to help. Now I am not a damsel in distress and I don't need to be rescued, but a little bit of heavy lifting now and then would be acceptable! I thought to myself that if I lived in the 1800s, that would never have happened! - Of course, I would probably have been wearing a dress and a corset and people would think I was insane for buying water bottled anyway! - But I digress!
The point is, chivalry, man helping fellow man just because it is the right thing to do, and respecting people for being good, reliable people is no longer part of our common culture and it is sad. And it really irks me that we are told by movie after movie that if a relationship is safe and comfortable, it can't be equally passionate and happy. And boys aren't expected to be chivilrous and people are taught to only do what is expected and nothing more - and not even that, when you can get away with it.
But isn't that what we asked for - "equal rights"? Men don't want to offensive by thinking a girl may need a little help now and then. And women don't want to appear weaker than their male counterparts. But inside we are yearning for men to be men and women to be women - or there wouldn't be so many sappy romantic movies and books. We can't have it both ways.
I heard on the radio that there is a school in Switzerland that is teaching completely "gender neutral". The DJ jokingly said, "I wonder what the bathroom situation is like?". And underlying the joke is a truth. Men and women are different and when we take the role of the male away from the male and the role of the female away from the female, none of us quite know how to act anywhere we go. I am not saying that the male or female has to be domineering over the other, but that we appreciate and cultivate what makes us uniquely different.
- This post is now going to go from being long to "I need to find a bookmark" long, as I tell you a recent story in the life of the Wilsons.
One cold morning last week, my neighbor texted me at 6:30 to see if she could use our spare tire. She has recently became a single mother and I suspected that she may not be able to change the tire, even if we gave it to her. I had to work that day and had to be out of the house by 7:45. Josh was going to have to get the kids off to school and then to work himself, and he had an early morning meeting. We decided that we probably didn't have the time to help her and that she'd probably be better off to just call the local tire shop.
But then I started to feel like we should at least do as much as we could to help her and Josh agreed, so we told her that he could come over for about 20 minutes and see what he could do for her. I rushed to get ready myself and then also hustled the kids through their morning routine. I yelled out the door to let Josh know that over 20 minutes had passed. He asked if the kids were ready and I told him they were, so he said that he was going to try to help just a few more minutes to see what else he could do.
In the end, because of a problem with the rim or something, she ended up having to get the tire shop fix her tire anyway. But it didn't matter that Josh wasn't able to fix the tire, but that he was willing to do it. He looked past what he needed to do and the cold and his own schedule and decided to stay out a little longer to try to be of help.
To me that is one of the most attractive things about my husband. When I see him reaching out to help someone (sometimes because I get him into it), even when he would rather not, or when I think about how I know he'd do whatever it took to protect and provide for his family, there is nothing I would ever want more.
Passion is fleeting, but integrity and trust and commitment endure. Have you ever noticed that all those romantic comedies end when they get together? It is because you can only "fly by the seat of your pants" on passion for so long and then your pants get mighty worn out! And integrity, trust, and commitment breed passion if it is recognized and appreciated.
I feel like telling young teenage girls all the time. - Don't look for the boys who are trying to get your attention by being macho, but look for the boys who are kind and helpful and good to everyone for no reason at all. They are the keepers!
I will get down from my soapbox now!
Wednesday, April 18, 2012
Compassion Sunday
I am going to presenting Compassion at my church this Sunday. Please pray that many people will choose to form a relationship that can change their lives, as well as their sponsored children's lives.
The theme this year is "Change the Story". You can visit my Compassion Story Page to read a brief summary of my Compassion story.
If you are not a sponsor and would like to be or would just like more information, you can also find it by clicking the links toward the bottom of the page on the link provided.
The theme this year is "Change the Story". You can visit my Compassion Story Page to read a brief summary of my Compassion story.
If you are not a sponsor and would like to be or would just like more information, you can also find it by clicking the links toward the bottom of the page on the link provided.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
Spring Break - complete with snow flurries!
I thought I better write a post, in case any of you were worried about the status of our Spring break activities (I am sure you have all been sitting on pins and needles just waiting to hear about it.).
We ended up making a mini vacation out of going to my hometown for Easter weekend. We rented a hotel room in a hotel that had a pool and decided to not even take food for meals or to plan to eat with my extended family (except Easter dinner, of course) like we normally do when we visit family. So even though we were in the same town where I grew up, it felt like a bit of a vacation. We were only going to stay on Saturday night, but decided once we got there to just stay Sunday night too. On Sunday at my parent's house, the kids got to spend plenty of time with their cousins, without us feeling like we needed to leave to get home in time for bed. Then on Sunday evening we spent about 3 hours in the pool. Half of that time, my sister and her family were with us. It was a lot of fun for all of us, but I was definitely glad to get home. I don't sleep well in hotels, so I was definitely glad to be in my own bed on Monday night. I am not sure how people who travel often for work do it. Maybe I would get used to it, if I had to do it often.
Then my kids got to spend two nights with their grandparents, Josh's parents, while I came home and painted Bella's room - bubblegum pink! I also painted the hallway white, just because I already had the white out to paint the baseboards and thought it was best to do it while the kids were away. Even though it was 2 days ago, my body is still telling me that painting from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. almost non-stop is not something I could do every day. But the results are worth it!
I went and picked up the kids yesterday (through a snowstorm!) and now they have been playing contentedly all morning. It is amazing how they rediscover the joy of their own stuff and their own space after being away from it. I have not heard, "I'm bored!" all morning.
I think we may take the kids to a local forest to hike this weekend. But for today it is back to reality a bit, with unpacking and laundry to do and a house to prepare for small group tonight.
I think the kids feel like they really did get to spend their Spring break well and I am glad that it has been a fun and productive week so far.
We ended up making a mini vacation out of going to my hometown for Easter weekend. We rented a hotel room in a hotel that had a pool and decided to not even take food for meals or to plan to eat with my extended family (except Easter dinner, of course) like we normally do when we visit family. So even though we were in the same town where I grew up, it felt like a bit of a vacation. We were only going to stay on Saturday night, but decided once we got there to just stay Sunday night too. On Sunday at my parent's house, the kids got to spend plenty of time with their cousins, without us feeling like we needed to leave to get home in time for bed. Then on Sunday evening we spent about 3 hours in the pool. Half of that time, my sister and her family were with us. It was a lot of fun for all of us, but I was definitely glad to get home. I don't sleep well in hotels, so I was definitely glad to be in my own bed on Monday night. I am not sure how people who travel often for work do it. Maybe I would get used to it, if I had to do it often.
 |
| The kids eating their vacation breakfast. Not sure why Bella looks mad - she definitely wasn't mad about having donuts for breakfast! |
Then my kids got to spend two nights with their grandparents, Josh's parents, while I came home and painted Bella's room - bubblegum pink! I also painted the hallway white, just because I already had the white out to paint the baseboards and thought it was best to do it while the kids were away. Even though it was 2 days ago, my body is still telling me that painting from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. almost non-stop is not something I could do every day. But the results are worth it!
I went and picked up the kids yesterday (through a snowstorm!) and now they have been playing contentedly all morning. It is amazing how they rediscover the joy of their own stuff and their own space after being away from it. I have not heard, "I'm bored!" all morning.
I think we may take the kids to a local forest to hike this weekend. But for today it is back to reality a bit, with unpacking and laundry to do and a house to prepare for small group tonight.
I think the kids feel like they really did get to spend their Spring break well and I am glad that it has been a fun and productive week so far.
Monday, April 2, 2012
Compassion partners with Sevenly
Who is Sevenly?
They exist to "harness the power of art and community to build sustainable awareness and funding movements that support charities in their efforts to change the world."
Starting today, Compassion is partnering with Sevenly. You have an opportunity to get a free t-shirt and help children in poverty.
This partnership will only last through next Monday, April 9 at exactly 9:59 AM PST.
Now that you know who Sevenly is, and you know Compassion, let's get down to details.
Did you know that a child dies of malaria every 30 seconds? Compassion's Malaria Intervention fund intervenes by providing children in poverty with mosquito nets.
Remember this opportunity ends precisely at 9:59 AM PST next Monday, April 9.
They exist to "harness the power of art and community to build sustainable awareness and funding movements that support charities in their efforts to change the world."
Starting today, Compassion is partnering with Sevenly. You have an opportunity to get a free t-shirt and help children in poverty.
This partnership will only last through next Monday, April 9 at exactly 9:59 AM PST.
Now that you know who Sevenly is, and you know Compassion, let's get down to details.
OPTION 1: In the next seven days, if you sponsor a child you will receive a free t-shirt from Sevenly. (Be sure to use this link to ensure you get the free t-shirt.)
OPTION 2: In the next seven days, if you buy a t-shirt from Sevenly, $7.00 will be donated to provide a life-saving mosquito net to children in Rwanda.
Did you know that a child dies of malaria every 30 seconds? Compassion's Malaria Intervention fund intervenes by providing children in poverty with mosquito nets.
Remember this opportunity ends precisely at 9:59 AM PST next Monday, April 9.
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