blogs & books

I mentioned that I had a new blog in the works.  I had hoped to open it today.  But then I resized the header that my husband had made for me.  That, of course, distorted it.  {smile}  He’s going to work on that for me and add a few details that we noticed would look good.  And then I tried my hand at making title buttons for the sidebar.  They are cute but not uniform.  Like I said I tried.  {smile}  In other words, the blog is simply not ready for opening yet.

And since I also mentioned that I’m trying to keep this Christmas season calmer, more simple,  and as stress free (as much as I can), I have decided to wait to open the blog in January.  This gives me a month to fix that header and figure out making the sidebar title buttons, etc.  One less thing on my plate this month means a much calmer mom.

But I wanted to share a few blog posts that I have read this week and a couple new blogs that I have discovered. 

• I don’t have time to be sick

I usually get sick ( and am currently sick) in December.  After researching, I’m wondering if it is the increase in sugar (lowers immunity) and the increase of go-go-go!  This is one reason why I’m trying to slow down this month. 

• Homeschooling & Realistic Expectations 

I read this to David and we both laughed.  I told him (and he agreed) that I really can not be all five things on this list all on one day.  (visit the link to see the list)  Except where she has “willing” wife, I would put the words “hair fixed, all makeup on, and non-stained clothing” wife.  {smile}

• 10 things I’ve Learned Getting to Mother Little Ones 6 Times

Yep!  What she’s said.

• The 2012 Homesteader’s Gift Guide

Because my heart is the heart of a homesteader…one day…

• A 25-Day Christmas Countdown That Counts (FREE eBooklet)

New to me blogs:

• Together in Ten

Because I really am trying to get dressed everyday…and in if ten…even better!

• The Flourishing Abode

I came across this blog on Pinterest.  Many  great blog tips. 

I hope y’all have a great weekend!  Leave us a comment and tell us of any great blog posts or blogs that you’ve read recently!

Why the blog has not moved and other ramblings

Hey y’all! 

So the blog is still here and not in its new location as was the original plan. 

Well…

in a nutshell – I kind of goofed.

Not a big goof and definitely not an unfixable goof but a little goof that is keeping me from moving this blog right now.

I spent some time last week researching my blog issues and there is a solution to my problem. 

However, it requires two things to fix it:

time and money.

And honestly, I’m a little short on both right now!  {smile}

When I realized my goof, I was frustrated. {That’s an understatement.}  So I did a little praying about how to proceed.  For now I feel like I just need to stay here on my blog. 

And one day when all of the planets and stars align and there is a sudden miraculous appearing of an extra hour {or two} in my day, then this blog will move. 

So for now, I will be posting here on my comfy blog that fits me like a warm and cozy pair of socks.  {I really like warm and cozy pairs of socks.}

Sorry for all of the blog wishy-washy moving and not moving mess…and on that note, I want to share two links.

Please, please, please take my advice and if you want to create a new wordpress blog, visit Blogging with Amy and follow her directions.  Doing this will keep you from making the same blogging goof as me. 

And on a totally not related but sort of related note {pertaining to unfulfilled plans}, please visit this link if you have had a first day of school like we had today.  It’s nice to hear an eighteen year homeschool veteran say that she too has rough starts to the new school year.  It actually gives me hope to know that I’m not alone. 

Tomorrow will be better, I just know it.  And I am armed with a nice shiny, newly-typed, well-thought out, prayed over schedule to help me flow through our second day a little better than our first.  And if it doesn’t, then that’s ok.  This homeschooling adventure is truly a time of learning and growing for us all {even this mama}!

Coming soon:  our 2012-2013 curriculum choices and our learning spaces! 

You are in the right place!

If you are coming by the blog right about now, things are probably looking a little different!  And if you are looking for The Little White House Farm blog, you may think you’ve come to wrong place.  But this is the right place!

For a while I’ve been writing about my wanting to move to Wordpress.  After much hemming and hawing over a new name that fit the blog theme, I finally realized that the name of a new blog was pretty simple. 

Since the blog is about homeschooling, gardening, city homesteading, weight loss, my family…simply put - since the blog is about all things that are important to me…why not make the name…

Simply Adriane

And I know that my name is a bit tricky to spell therefore possibly making me hard to find in searches.  Just remember that my last three letters are

a n e  (because that’s the tricky part) {smile}

Also note that for now the blog address (http://lifeinawhitehouseonpennsylvaniaavenue.blogspot.com/) does not match the name of my blog (or my former name for that matter).  This was the original address to the blog and I’ve not changed it yet.

However, once I move to Wordpress, then my blog name and address will match.  I’ve even bought my own domain!    Hopefully the move will be soon but I’m still in the process of trying to figure out Wordpress! 

The plan is to continue to post here until my new blog home is finished or at least closer to finished.  And once it is ready, I will be sure to let y”all know! 

Thank you for reading my blog.  I truly appreciate you spending time with me and my family!

 

 

 

Distracted

Four blog post drafts sit in my draft box waiting to be posted. (written a few weeks ago too)

Tons of pictures are waiting to be shared of our lives over the weeks.

 our Memorial Day weekend trip to the lake…coming soon {smile}

And yet, the blog sits by very quietly – completely missing the words and pictures that are twirling around in my brain and on the computer.

What gives?  Why the silence?

I am distracted!

For a few weeks it was the weight of important decisions needing to be made that kept me from being able to write any other thoughts down on this blog.

Then it was the start of summer swim and mornings at the pool (and an entire day on swim meet days).

There’s also a  kitchen table full of tomatoes begging to be transformed into salsa.

Add to all of that:

• a broken collar bone (Grant)
• dentist visits
• a birthday party
• weeds in the garden
• a broody chicken
• kids swimming in our backyard pool (I’m the lifeguard)
• and VBS music that needs to be learned…

and there you go!  The answer to the question of why this blog is so quiet!

I am distracted by life! {and that’s a good thing to distract me}

I have not given up on this blog!  I have much to say and much to share.  I’m just trying to figure out how to fit it into my very full days. 

Maybe by tomorrow I will have that figured out and will be posting away (probably not though since I will have company tomorrow).  Or it may even be a little longer than that…but I will be back!

 

See y’all soon!

 

 

Ultimate Blog Party {2012}

 

Hey y’all!  I have always wanted to take part in one of these blog parties so I thought that I’d do a “little bit about me” post today to introduce myself!

 My name is Adriane.  I am married to David and am mom to five children.  We live in Louisiana and we love the deep south that we call home. 

To start off this post, I thought I’d tell you a few interesting facts about me.

• I love to sing and have been singing in front of crowds since I was five-years-old.
• I play the piano too but quit many years ago due to stage fright when performing on the piano in front of crowds!
• I am a certified elementary/special education teacher and taught in public schools for 8 years.
• I once said that I’d never homeschool.
• We’ve been a homeschooling family for 7 years.  {smile}
• I love Tex-Mex food.  I’d have it everyday if I could.
• I do not like Dr. Pepper {but Coca-Cola is a different story!}
• I love Sonic’s Cherry Dr. Pepper. 
• One of my favorite places in the whole world is my backyard garden.  It is truly a place of peace, wonder, and beauty!

If you’re new to my blog, I’d like to welcome you and tell you a few of the things you’ll find on my blog.

Homeschooling

We are a homeschooling family so it tends to pop up now and again on the blog.  Some of the most-read posts about homeschooling here are:

Homeschooling in a small house ~ look up

Homeschooling in a small house ~ part 1

Our school room {totally different now!}

Homeschooling in small house ~ part 3 {visual aids}

Preschool posts

Learning the ABC’s {working on a post that gathers all of the ABC letter activity posts in one area – stay tuned!}

 

Gardening/City Homesteading

We live in the city but dream of moving to the country one day.  For now we are blooming where we are planted. 

Cantaloupe readiness dilemma

Gardening woes

Companion planting

Monthly garden updates

The City Chicks free range

A day in the life of the city chicks

Family/Recipes/Everyday stuff

On this blog, I share a little bit of everything so please feel free to look around and see what you can find!

Thanks for visiting!  Please feel free to leave a comment so I can meet you too!

 This post is linked to:

 

A little blog business and a prayer request

 

~Blog business~

The other day my email showed that my blog had gotten a comment.  I read the comment through my email and thought, “Well, that was strange.”  So I came to the blog to check it out and it wasn’t showing up on my blog page!  How weird!

Then I realized that it may be in the spam section and “ta-da” there it was.  I visited the site and while it wasn’t offensive, it was trying to sell something as was the comment that was supposed to appear on my blog. 

Last night, I received another strange comment and this one did appear on my blog.  (And I’m sorry if you are the one sending these comments.  I don’t mean to offend you but I had to delete your comments.)  So I have had to go back to moderating comments.  Neither of these comments were really bad, strange maybe, but not offensive.  I just don’t want one that is offensive to slip through when I am away from the computer.  So if you leave a comment, it will not immediately show up but I will approve it as soon as possible.

~A prayer request~

One of my dearest friends from high school found out on Tuesday that her seven-year-old daughter has a brain tumor.  As I type this, Tori should be in surgery having the tumor removed.  The tumor is actually in the center of her brain on her brain stem.  It will be sent for a biopsy and the parents will know some time next week if it is malignant or not.  I am asking my friends and family if they will please pray for Tori.  Pray for the surgeons as they operate.  And please pray for Todd & Penny and her big brother, Hunter.  God is a God of wonders and miracles.  I believe that they still can happen. 

I hope that you have a great weekend.  Our family has a few little adventures planned and hopefully I’ll be able to share those on Monday. 

Time and radishes ~

How’s that for a title of totally unrelated topics?  {wink} 

I know we all have the same 24 hours everyday to complete our tasks but it seems lately that I’ve just been short on time!  Between homeschooling, taking care of the house, bussing children here & there, gardening…whew…and that’s just a few of the things I’ve been doing.  And I know that I’m preaching to the choir here.  I know that many of my family, friends, and blog friends who read here are just as busy.

At the end of the day I just find myself tired.  But honestly, I consider that tired a good sort of tired.  It’s that “I lived my life to the fullest today” kind of tired.  However, that tiredness & busyness really cut into my blog time.  So today, I decided that I’m going to be here at my blog home at least 2 – 3 times a week even if it is just a quick little post. 

Today’s post is going to be one of those quick little posts (because the mountain of laundry behind me is awaiting my presence).  Today’s post is to just share our first harvest for the 2011 garden season. 

Speaking of time and radishes, they are a good veggie to grow if you are a short on time.  They definitely give early gratification since they are ready in about 4 weeks.  (Ours were actually ready in about 5 weeks.)  Radishes give me a little hope as I await some of the other veggies in my garden.  They even show me that good things can happen in short amounts of time.  I guess they are a veggie to which I can totally relate!  

Taking our school outside ~

The weather has been so nice lately that it is hard to stay inside and focus on school work.  So when we can, we take our school outside!

In science, the older kids are learning about animals.  Last week, we were talking about worms so we headed out doors to search for worms.

We searched in the usual places where the worms tend to congregate.  We were even successful in finding a few annelid friends.

We even found a few more discoveries…some of the creepy crawly nature and some not…

 We aren’t really sure what this is…yet.  :smile:

 Rolie Polies are always a favorite to find.

 

 As we were digging for worms, we found this old car buried in the ground.  It looks very old and since our house is old, we wonder if it is from some children who grew up here in the 50s or 60s. 

While we’re outside studying nature, we also fit in a little P.E. and recess…

 Could this be considered physics?  {smile}

We love taking our school outside!

 

Computer problems…

I wanted to add a little note to let you all know that I’m having some computer problems.  For some reason, I can not view some of your blogs.  I get a “This page can not be opened” message.  We thought we had the problem fixed and then it happened again this morning.  So if I’ve been absent from your blog, that is why.  I am really missing reading some of my favorite blogs!  I’m hoping to be able to chat with some of you again soon!

Well, I don’t even know how to start this post… Let’s see… It has been quite an interesting weekend. 

First, on Friday, I finally visited the doctor who told me that over the last 6 weeks that it appears that I had caught a new cold as I was recovering from the first one.  This all was about to be a big sinus infection and she said that I was going to be even more miserable.  I told her that I truly could not imagine that.  She gave me a shot and antibiotics and told me to continue what I was doing until I was completely over this stuff.  So that’s getting better…slowly but it is getting better.

Then on Saturday as we were about to head to bed to rest before getting up for a Sunday of worship, we head a loud BANG!  I looked out front to see some lights shining beside our truck that was parked on the road.  We went out to discover that our truck had been hit but someone.  She was unhurt but the cops did have to take her away for driving while intoxicated.  We are, for the time being, a one vehicle family.  It will be interesting as we juggle our schedules but a new little adventure can be fun.  {smile}

This all has thrown me in a bit of a tail spin.  First, I’m exhausted from fighting illness.  That can wear on you after a while.  Second, the events of Saturday night bring back a flood of emotions for me concerning my brother’s death.

I know that some just don’t understand but for me, his unexpected loss and the pain that went with it, seem to just sit below the surface.  Sometimes when something like this happens, it seems that the emotions just bubble right up to the top and spill over again.  I just can’t explain it.  It just is what it is. 

So I’m stepping away from the computer for a while.  I need time to step away from this blog and from facebook so I can meet with God and let Him be my healing balm right now.  It is so easy for me to turn to this blog or facebook looking for others to console me with their words.  (which I love and appreciate, for sure)  But I need to look to Him for my comfort and spend time with my family as my little heart deals with this pain.

Anyway, just wanted to say that it will be a little quiet.  My plan is to stay away from the computer for this week.  I plan to be back next week if my heart is ready. 

Sorry for the heavy stuff this morning.  I’m turning the comments to moderation so I don’t have to worry about spam or such.  And I hope you have a wonderful week! 

 

A little bit of randomness ~

Today is one of those days when I just have many thoughts running around that I want to write down.  So this post will be very random.  But I like random posts.  It’s kind of like chatting with my friends.  {smile}

Homeschooling ~

After I finish this post, I will spend some time filling out the children’s weekly lesson plan lists.  Then I will photocopy all needed work and put it into the children’s work binders.  Plus there is a stack of notebooks with Math and Grammar lessons waiting to be checked so that the owner of the notebooks can correct his work.  I must admit that I really don’t care for this part of homeschooling.  You know, the paper shuffling part.  However, it is necessary.  Our school runs much more smoothly if the kids know what is expected of them for the week.  And they work much more diligently if I am sure to check their work and have them make corrections. 

This has me thinking of my homeschool blog.  When I started that blog, I was hoping that I would be writing a preschool curriculum and I felt that I needed a separate place to link that curriculum.  Also, I was planning to link to other homeschooling blogs to share our weeks, etc.  But I have found out two things.  One, I just don’t have the time to keep up with two blogs.  (Yes, I’ve said that before.  And if you’re saying I could have told you that…well, you’re right.)  Two, blogging in another place about our homeschooling feels so…disconnected.  Homeschooling is a HUGE part of our lives.  It is something we do 24 hours, 7 days a week.  How do I separate that from our every day lives?

So our homeschooling posts will be moving back over here.  There probably won’t be many posts because I’m keeping it pretty simple this year.  But it will be here.  And I promise to try to work on not being so wishy-washy with this blog stuff.  {wink}

 

Reading the Bible in 90 Days ~

This year, I have decided to join the group reading the Bible in 90 days.  It is a pretty strenuous reading schedule. And I am behind.  I was a little behind.  Now, I am a lot behind.  But I am reading the Bible everyday.  I might not finish in the 90 days but I am going to continue to read the Bible until I finish reading it in its entirety.  I also told myself that when I check in with my group every week that I was not going to offer any excuses as to why I was behind.  And even though I am behind, I am learning some great things.  But I am still going to try to catch up! 

Losing Adriane ~

It seems that I have abandoned my efforts to lose weight since I’ve not been posting my Monday weigh-ins.  I figured around the holidays that I would just let it lay low since I wasn’t really working that hard on losing weight.  I thought that it would be best to start it back in the new year.  What I didn’t plan on was getting sick and being sick for over a month.  That’s right!  That chest cold I had before Christmas is still giving me grief.  I tell myself that if I would exercise then I would get healthier and beat this junk that is plaguing me.  However, it is really hard to exercise when you are coughing.  Last night, I was so exhausted from trying to sing with this stuff in my chest (and the coughing wears you out too).  I resigned myself to finally going to the doctor to see if she could help. 

(And before you fuss about me not going to the doctor yet:  I didn’t go at first because it was viral.  My doctor does not prescribe antibiotics for a virus nor will I take antibiotics for a virus.  Then I kept thinking I was getting better.  Only when I’m really tired do I feel really bad.  This weekend, for instance, the little ones did not sleep well so I did not sleep well.  This lack of sleep seemed to make me feel worse.  So that’s why I’ve not been to the doctor.  Not that it really matters to anyone but I know some people might want to fuss at me. ) 

But today, I am feeling better.  It’s not completely gone but better.  So I hope to get my focus back on my weight loss soon.  I’m planning on kicking off my weight loss 2011 on Monday.  Look for a post then.  (And for some good advice on weight loss, the Grocery Shrink blog is posting a lot of useful weight loss information.  Good stuff there!)

Speaking of food ~

Today I made my first ever homemade buns.  They were supposed to be hoagie buns but came out more like oblong hamburger buns.  This week, David and I have challenged ourselves to cook only using what we have in our pantry and in our freezer.  Tonight we needed buns for our BBQ beef sandwiches.  (I had to make the BBQ sauce too.)  Normally, I will call Dave and he will stop by the store on his way home to get the buns.  And then I would have also added this and that to his list.  Ta-da!  Those few dollars that we would spend grew to even more.  So this week, no little stops at the store.  Only two things will make us stop if needed:  diapers and toilet paper.  But I think we have enough to get through until Friday.  Maybe…

Back to the homemade buns…so tonight I made the buns, the BBQ sauce, and some applesauce bread for tomorrow’s breakfast.  I was in the kitchen for about 3 hours this afternoon!  I seriously don’t have time to do that everyday!  I’m thinking that it is a good time for me to start planning some Saturdays as my cooking days and filling our freezer with some premade foods to help us through the week.  I’m sure that I will write more about that soon.

I guess that I’d better wrap up my random thoughts post and get that school planning finished.  I’m hoping to fit in a little more Bible reading tonight before I go to sleep.

Thanks for reading all of my all-over-the-place post.  I hope you all have a wonderful week! 

My year in Facebook status ~

I saw this on my friend Salinda’s blog and thought that I’d try it out.  (By the way, I’m too lazy to look it up but what is the plural of status?  statuses, stati…I really don’t know so I just went with status.  {smile})

These are a few of my status postings for the year of 2010.  I had some others that I wanted to include but ran out of room.  (You should be able to click it to make it larger if you need.)

 

 Wishing you all a Happy New Year

and

Praying for God’s blessings on us all in the year 2011

Finding balance in my blog time ~

I had every intention of being online bright and early Monday morning to post my weight loss (actually weight gain) post.

What I didn’t plan was to awaken bright and early Monday morning with strep throat!

So after two days in bed, a visit to the doctor, and an injection of antibiotics, I am starting to feel better. 

But, boy, the blog has been neglected.

Honestly, though, things are going really well.  For the first time in years, I feel like things are coming together around here.  The house is getting organized.  Routines are being established.  Work is getting done.  Time is being spent with my husband and children.  My talents are being used again to serve others.

My life feels…

balanced.

I have not been able to say that for quite some time now. 

 ~Sunshine Girl at the fall festival~

And this balance that has overtaken our home & lives is bringing some special gifts with it…

peace & joy

I haven’t been able to say that in a while either.

 ~Flower Girl at the fall festival~

And it seems that the secret to

this balance,

this peace,

this joy

is

More of Him, Less of me.

 ~Bryce spent time working at one of the bouncy houses during the fall festival.~

I’ve been spending more time with my Heavenly Father and less time pursuing things to “fluff” me up. 

I’ve been spending more time reading the Bible and less time reading blogs.

More time praying and less time writing blog posts in my head.

More time living my life in real time instead of cyber time.

And I want to say that I don’t see anything wrong with reading blogs or writing posts…not at all. 

It is something that I love to do. 

But my life was out of balance and not only did I suffer for it…

so did my family.

So if the blog gets a little quiet, I promise that I have not abandoned it.  I am just trying to focus on what will give my life balance and meet the needs of my family.

Before I go, one particular book has really been a great spiritual uplift here lately.  It’s been on our family bookshelf for years but it seems to be a timely book for me now.

I’ve not read the whole book so I can’t speak as to the entire book.  But so far, this book has been inspiring me to better manage my time by beginning with the most important:  the spiritual aspect of my life.

I hope you have a blessed rest of the week!

 

I’m over at the homeschool blog…

I am supposed to have a Tightwad Tuesday Tip posts today since it is Tuesday but it is just not ready yet.  And part of the reason for that is that I am trying to catch up on the homeschool blog.  I have been about 2 – 3 (or more weeks) behind on our weekly posts. 

So today, I am at the homeschool blog writing about our homeschool highlights, teaching with toddlers & preschoolers, and our artist study of Van Gogh. 

And the Tightwad Tuesday Tip post will be posted on Wednesday.  :)

I can tell that school has started…

because I am having a hard time finding time to update the blogs. 

I just wanted to say that I’m still here.  I should  {hopefully} be on the homeschool blog this weekend updating.  Of course that has to happen between the circus, birthday parties, school planning, and children’s choir preparations.

If I don’t make it back here before Monday, I will {hopefully} post on Monday with the weight loss post that I was supposed to do last Monday, something new that I’ve got up my sleeve, and our little fall garden update.

Anyway, I just didn’t want to leave the blog sitting here silently before I could get back to it.  :)

I hope you all are having a great week and a great weekend too!

See y’all soon!

A post about random things ~

Hi y’all!  I am in the middle of working on our new school area and school supply shopping so I’m just a bit busy right now but I wanted to share a few things with you all.

My older boys have finally started their blog.  Actually, that should be that their mom finally started their blog.  My boys are reluctant writers and I am  hoping that this will inspire them to write a bit more.  (It was their idea too.)  I am planning on including this in our school time each week.  There are a few posts over there and a few in the drafts waiting for my approval too.  Here’s the address if you’d like to visit them:

The Adventures of Bryce and Grant

(click title for link)

~~~~~~

A few weeks ago I was trying to decide what to do about my blog due to some internet searches that concerned me.  After talking to David and some friends about it, I decided to wait and see what happened for a while.  David’s actual advice was to “wait and see what happens & then make a decision”.  So that’s what I’ve been doing and it seems that things have calmed down. 

My decision is that this blog will remain public.  I will check up on internet searches and my sitemeter to make sure that things seem to be staying ok.  I’ve also decided to move all homeschool posts over to a homeschool blog which I linked to earlier this week.   If I see any problems in the future, then I will make the moves that I need to make.   Thank you all for being understanding of my concerns and probably irrational posts that I posted earlier.  Sorry for any drama that I may have created.

~~~~~~

 

My Baby Boy makes me laugh so much.  This morning as we sat on the couch he was full of boundless energy.  His dad and I, however, were trying to keep our eyes from slamming shut again.  I looked at Baby Boy and said, “Can you give me some of that energy?”  To which he said, “Uh – huh.”  He took his little hands and cupped them like he was holding something.  Then he handed it (the energy) to me.  Of course, I took it!  But it made me smile that he was so willing to share his excess of energy with his tired mommy!

I hope you all have a day full of energy, giggles, and smiles too!

 

A box for me & an invitation for you ~

The lunch dishes are washed.

Little ones are sleeping.

Clean laundry is folded (though I will admit it is not put away).

Bread is mixing in the bread maker.

I sit down to write the post that I was supposed to write last night when I fell into bed exhausted instead…

AND

I hear a truck outside my house and looked out to see

the FedEx man bringing me this:

So the post will have to wait a bit because

I can’t wait to open the box! 

It’s like Christmas!

 But I would like to invite you to join me on my new homeschool blog.  It is a bit bare still but it will fill up soon because…

School starts in seven days!

(There should be posts before that though.  That’s the plan anyway.)

Our new homeschool blog:

Learning in a little white house (click for link)

I’ll be back soon!

~Sharing some links ~

We are very busy today as we try to get ready for our birthday celebration weekend.  We were blessed with a great opportunity for our family this weekend and it happened to fall on my birthday too.  So the kids have said that our “surprise blessing” this weekend is my birthday party!  :) 

Anyway, I’ll share more about our weekend next week but I wanted to share a few links to some sites that I’ve come across here recently.  I have “met” so many inspirational people online who are willing to share their homes, time, and words with us.  And don’t worry, there is not a Dora link like pictured in the picture.  ;)

~The Grocery Shrink~

This family paid off about $90,000 debt in 6 months.  She shares some of the information with you when you sign up for her free email newsletter and also has a blog at this site.  I am going to buy her ebook to read too since we are very interested in paying off our debt and getting a bigger home in the country. 

~Inspired to Action~

I have spent some of my online time reading some of her posts on maximizing your mornings.  I am a morning person and this is my high energy time yet it is really easy for me to waste my mornings if I am not careful.  Her ideas have inspired me and I was laughing last night as I was reading this post about squashing morning excuses because I’m pretty sure she was talking about me with the internet surfing!  (And yet, here I am offering more links!) 

~Ladies of Grace~

A few weeks ago, I stumbled across this site and have enjoyed some of the Bible studies.  I have been reading the studies on marriage and on discovering joy.  Both of them have led to changes being made in my heart.

I hope you all have a great weekend!  God bless you! 

~Mommy’s Computer Buddies~

Blog stuff & sunflowers

I realize that I keep doing this and that & going back and forth around here and I apologize.   I am ready to go on posting normal posts and not having to worry about all this blog stuff.  (And I’m sure you are ready for me to do that too!)  This blog feels like an extension of my home and I am trying to find a way to preserve it instead of starting a new one.  I really do not want to start a new one. 

Tonight I was doing some research on changing my URL.  You see, the problem is not the current name of my blog, it is the former name which is also the web address.  If I can change my web address, then there will not be unwanted links for me and I could continue on without doing a big blog upheaval.  However, changing my URL is going to cause a bit of a disturbance because you all won’t have links to it.

Then I found that I could purchase my own domain and change the address AND have my friends & family automatically forwarded to my new URL. 

I know that I would still have to make some changes around here to make it a bit more anonymous but I would not have to totally reinvent the whole blog. 

And that makes me happy.

I seriously do not want to start another blog.  Have I said that too many times all ready?

So what do you all think?  Have you ever purchased your own domain?  Do you have any advice? 

And if you aren’t sure what I’m going on and on about, here is my post about my blog problems.

So there may not be as big of changes going on these next few days!  Yay!  But if you have any advice, please share.

(And I’m going to stop moderating comments because some seem to be getting lost.  Sorry again for being wishy washy there.  I just can not bear that someone would think I would not publish their comment.  If you see spam on here that I’ve not eradicated, please ignore it.  :)

And because I love pictures and sunflowers and I’m tired of having to post these blog issue posts, here’s a few of the sunflowers after a rain.  (Totally, unrelated, huh? :) 

Sunflowers and getting to stay put on my blog make me happy.

Very, very happy

 

What’s going on with the blog? (Or big changes are a’coming)

~This is a long post but has some important information at the bottom.  So if you don’t read it, please at least read the last of the post.  Thank you.~

The plan was that I would write a catch up post tonight but I am so incredibly tired.  However, I did want to share some things that have been happening with the blog. 

(And this post will be pictureless…sorry!)

I love to blog.  Seriously.  I love to sit at the end of the day and share my thoughts and my pictures.  And I realize that it ends up going out all over the internet world for anyone to see.  So in an effort to protect my family, I try to keep some things anonymous. 

For one, I rarely use my children’s names. Two, I do not post where I live or my last name.  And three, I have chosen to use sitemeter to help me track the traffic coming to my blog.  (HAHA, I actually just typed “blob” instead of blog.  Of course, I changed it but the fact that I did that and that I think it is funny shows me that I am tired!)  :)

Anyway, back to the subject…the sitemeter button is at the bottom of my blog and I use it to keep my eye on what is going on around here.   Last week, I noticed something that had me a bit concerned so I decided to google my blog name.  And everything came up ok.  Then I googled my former site name and I was alarmed!  (And if you google my site name, it must be typed a certain way.  If you just google it, you might not see what I saw.  I really prefer not to say how I typed it but it is a widely used technique for finding the entire phrase and not just words in your phrase when you search for something.  The only reason I’m being secretive is because I don’t want you to stumble upon the mess that I found.)

So I googled my former site name (which is my address, by the way) and found…filth.  You can probably guess what I’m talking about too.  So if someone is to google my site name, typed this particular way, they will find a link that has my title but is linked to, well, you probably have figured out what.  (It was about the fifth search result on the page.)  ~Edited:  After I posted this post, I ran another google search on my blog and now there is only one “yucky” search result coming up and my blog name is not the title anymore.  Plus it is now showing up farther down in the search list.  That’s good.  I wish it were entirely gone because I really don’t feel like starting this blog over again. ~

And this scares me. 

It scares me for my children and it scares me for anyone who is searching for my site. 

And it makes me mad. 

I have poured my free time into this blog.  It is our life story from these past few months.  The preschool posts, oh…how much work I have put into those posts!  And I now am attached to something so…so…  I’m wordless…and mad!

I thought about deleting my blog because I don’t want to put my children at risk and I don’t want to put others at risk.  But after thinking, praying, and discussing with David, here is what I’m going to do:

• I am going to make this blog private.

This blog contains too much of my work & life to just erase.  Also, others have expressed interest in my preschool posts.  So this blog will be made private within the next few days.  I will send out invitations to people to read it.  If you would like to be a reader, please let me know. (You can leave a comment or email me.  See my profile to email me.)  I’m not sure how much it will be updated but it will contain all of my former posts and I will post pictures that I don’t feel comfortable putting out to the entire world.

• I am going to start two new blogs that will be public. 

I will start a new family blog and a homeschool blog.  My plan is to keep both of these blogs even more anonymous.  I will still share our lives and there will still be pictures but just a bit more anonymous.  I just feel that I need these blogs to stay connected to my friends and family who do not have blogger accounts.  Plus, I have met some wonderful people in blogdom and I don’t want to close off that opportunity.  If at any time I feel that these blogs are having the same problems as this one, they too will become private. 

These two blogs will be under construction hopefully sometime this week.  (We are really busy right now but I hope to do it this week.)  Once they are ready to go, this blog will become private.  I will post links to them as soon as I have started the blogs.  :)

• I have removed the followers from my page because of some suspicious looking accounts that seemed to be spam.  I still have followers of this blog, they are just hidden from view.

The main reason that I follow blogs is so that they will appear in my google reader and I can read all posts from there.  That saves me time by keeping me from blog hopping too much.  And I have no problems with someone following anonymously if that is what he or she wants.  But if you are following this blog and you have not left me a link to your blog or links to blogs you follow, I become a bit concerned.  Please let me know something about you even if it is a quick, “hi, I’m following your blog” type of thing. 

• I have started moderating comments. 

A week or so ago, there was a spam comment on my blog.  I did not click the links that were left, but I really didn’t want to either.  So I have started moderating comments so that I avoid spam and unwanted links around here.

I know that I might seem a bit over protective and melodramatic.  And maybe I am.  Trust me, I usually am NOT melodramatic.  But I’d rather err on the side of my children’s safety in this case. 

Ok, I think that’s all I’ve got tonight.  Please look out for links to my new blogs coming soon. 

Oh, and thanks for reading all of this if you did.  :)

 

~This and That ~

~Today’s harvest: cucumbers, basil, & flowers~ 

Do you ever have random pictures on your camera that you just can’t find a way to use in a blog post?  Today, I’ve got some random shots and they fit right into this blog post because it will be about random this and that.

 

On Tuesday, David and I celebrated our wedding anniversary.  We had plans to get away, out of town somewhere by ourselves but the budget had other ideas. :) So we are choosing to stay home (a staycation) while our children go to their MawMaw & PawPaw’s house for the weekend.  Dave and I will be busy working around our home.  We plan on painting and working outside.  There are also plans for dinner & a movie too.  It should be a nice weekend. 

My plans are to take a little fast from the computer for the remainder of this week.  I want to focus all of my attention on my husband and our home.  We don’t get the chance to talk, uninterrupted very often.  We need it.  I believe all couples need times like this and those times are hard to come by when you have little ones around.  I’m not complaining…just telling it like it is.

But you know that I’ll probably take some pictures to share.  And when I get back to my blog, I’ll be changing some things up a bit.  I’ve had some changes on mind and I’ve been sitting on them and waiting to see if it was what I needed to do.

Well, this is not as random as I thought it was going to be.  That could be because I am tired & my brain is not really in gear…so I’m heading off to bed.  I hope you all have a great weekend!

~Today’s insect visitor in the garden~