293 to 40: Cats Rule!

"In ancient Egypt, cats were worshipped as gods. Cats have never forgotten this."

--Unknown

294 to 40: Joyful Noise!

Make a joyful noise to the LORD, all the earth!

Serve the LORD with gladness! Come into his presence with singing!

Know that the LORD, he is God! It is he who made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!

For the LORD is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

~ Psalm 100

295 to 40: Tooth Fairies

Dear Tooth Fairy,

if only you were real I would bee so [happier] to you Mom and Dad

Love,

Esmé

We’ve got two little teeth hereabouts that have not been claimed by the fairies, and after a dental visit at school this week, Miss Esmé put out lots of hints that she’d welcome some tooth-fairy roleplaying by her parents…

298 to 40: The Vote

I voted.  On time.  Read through the long ballot pamphlet and made my choices based on the issues.

Perhaps the fact that we have seen millions voting themselves into complete dependence on a tyrant has made our generation understand that to choose one's government is not necessarily to secure freedom.

~Friedrich August von Hayek

Hmmm… I feel old.

300 to 40: Grapes

I will love them freely,
for my anger has turned from them.
I will be like the dew to Israel;
he shall blossom like the lily;
he shall take root like the trees of Lebanon;
his shoots shall spread out;
his beauty shall be like the olive,
and his fragrance like Lebanon.
They shall return and dwell beneath my shadow;
they shall flourish like the grain;
they shall blossom like the vine;
their fame shall be like the wine of Lebanon.

~Hosea 14:4-7

The bumper crop is more than ready for the picking.  Anyone wanna help?

305 to 40: Chance of Bubbles

So Miss Esmé has been practicing her weather forecasting skills with her Noeo weather station.  Today she predicted:  “Cloudy with a chance of bubbles.”

Sounds a lot better than what Sandy is bringing to the east coast, huh?

306 to 40: Munchies

In all the time we’ve lived here, we’ve never been to Munchies in Glide before.  Miss Esmé and I remedied that with today’s expedition.

Then we came home and made more munchies:  pumpkin “pies” from Esmé’s pumpkin patch pumpkin - for her to share with her Kindergarten class…

Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.
~ Jim Davis

307 to 40: The Incredible Hulk

Every girl needs a boy for a cousin – to kick off the princessy stuff for a moment…

While no one is expected to leap tall buildings in a single bound, our aspiring heroes will be tested on their courage, integrity, self-sacrifice, compassion and resourcefulness - the stuff of all true superheroes.
   ~Stan Lee

327 to 40: Flame’s Shadow

Cats are intended to teach us that not everything in nature has a function.
~ Garrison Keillor

328 to 40: Sunset Bay

With significant persuasion by Miss Esmé, we decided to squeeze in another beach adventure while the sun still shines…

You can shake the sand from your shoes, but it never leaves your soul…

329 to 40: Cheer Camp

A good cheerleader is not measured by the height of her jumps, but by the span of her spirit. 

~Author Unknown

Note to self:  Do not dose kiddo with cold medicine 1 hour before the game.  Lack of cheeriness doesn’t suit cheerleaders…

330 to 40: Angels By My Bed

Sleep dear child and peace attend you, all through the night
Guardian angels God will send you, all through the night
   Soft and drowsy hours are creeping,
   Hill and vale in slumber sleeping.
   God his loving watch is keeping,
All through the night.

While the darkness may surround you, all through the night
Angel care will there be found, too, all through the night
   May your dreams be far from bad ones,
   Chase away each thought of sad ones,
   Bring you only peaceful glad ones,
All through the night.

Till the morning comes to wake you,
And wherever the day may take you,
May God’s presence ne’er forsake you
Through day or night.

~Sylvia Nelson Clarke; 1st verse is Welsh folksong

Esmé is one of those kiddos who NEEDS something playing in order for her mind to shut down for the night.  For the past few weeks, her sole final request is a CD gifted from her grandparents: Angels By My Bed by Sylvia Nelson Clarke.

331 to 40: Roses

It’s one of those days – where I reach the end of the day and suddenly realize I haven’t captured that glistening moment yet.  (There are a lot of those days.)  So I rush outside where the sun is gone, and catch a glimpse of the last roses of summer.

'Tis the last rose of summer
Left blooming alone;
All her lovely companions
Are faded and gone.
~Thomas More

332 to 40: Noeo

(Is there something wrong with the fact that some of the most exciting moments of my days revolve around books?)

We got the shipment I’ve been antsily waiting for!  Have you ever seen something you just HAD to have, though you didn’t even know you needed it before you saw it?

That’s the way it was for me seeing the Noeo Science curriculum. Lots of books, lots of prepackaged hands-on experiment kits, just plain good science. Nicely organized and ready to go.  Absolutely perfect for our house!

Isn’t this Biology I set gorgeous?

We started on Day 1 right away. 

And Esmé didn’t want to stop there.  But we did.

From the www.noeoscience.com site:

What does 'noeo' mean?

Romans 1:20
For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
(The original Greek word, noeo, is translated here as 'understood')

Noeo   (no-eh'-o)
1. To perceive with the mind, to understand, to have understanding.
2. To think upon, heed, ponder, consider.
(Source: The New Testament Greek Lexicon)

333 to 40: Picture Day

Smile every day like it’s picture day!

We have our first batch now.  Those shots that immortalize forever the annual progression of baby teeth making way for grown-up ones in mouths that are still child-sized.

Love it!

334 to 40: Desert Weather

If I didn't start painting, I would have raised chickens.
  ~Grandma Moses

Esmé’s weekend homework project was all about the weather. She chose to do a watercolor desert night scene for her picture, complete with nocturnal coyote and night-blooming cactus – and we all know you can’t paint without swim goggles on your head, correct?

335 to 40: Russian Princess

One of Esmé’s finds when we were sorting through cousin clothes last weekend.  She insisted on being an “African” princess for church today, so I had to remind her of her “Russian princess” aunty, the source of the dress…

I am a daughter of royal birth.
My father is King of heaven and earth;
My spirit was born in the courts on high;
A child beloved, a Princess am I.
~Anna Johnson

336 to 40: Open Wide…

Adam and Eve had many advantages, but the principal one was that they escaped teething.

~Mark Twain

Miss Esmé at the dentist’s office yesterday for a routine checkup.  She got an A+!  Two permanent teeth in, lots more to come…  Most importantly, she got two prizes from the prize container.

337 to 40: Listen to Me!

Don't worry that children never listen to you; worry that they are always watching you.
~Robert Fulghum

The teacher’s report:

“Esmé is very bright and making new friends.  She seems to have her own agenda.  I’d like her to listen and follow directions the first time.”

No surprise.  Sigh…

338 to 40: Books!

Outside of a dog, a book is a man's best friend. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read.
  ~ Groucho Marx

We got a nice big package in the mail today!  Now, this wasn’t a rare thing in the past, but I haven’t requested any review books in a long time. It was an awesomely beautiful set of Sylvan Dell books with educational components that would make any home-educating mama’s heart go pitter patter pit. 

These were books I had signed up to review back in June, and it makes me realize how very much I miss the excitement of review packages in the mail.  I’ve been feeling too overwhelmingly exhausted to keep up with the review products already on my shelf, but I’m tempted to do some switcharooing to fit it back in somehow…

339 to 40: Skippyjon Jones in Mummy Trouble

This is Esmé’s current “read-it-again, read-it-again!” practically-memorized book, which just conveniently incorporates one of her top-10 places to visit.  I figured I should take a photo to memorialize it…

”My name is Skippito Friskito,
And I’m off to see old Egypt-ito.
My chicos insist,
And I dare not resist
The chance to go meet a mummito.”

340 to 40: Blooming

In the midst of our brown thirsty yard is this:

The desert will rejoice, and flowers will bloom in the wastelands.

The desert will sing and shout for joy; it will be as beautiful as the Lebanon Mountains and as fertile as the fields of Carmel and Sharon. Everyone will see the Lord's splendor, see his greatness and power.

Give strength to hands that are tired and to knees that tremble with weakness.

Tell everyone who is discouraged, "Be strong and don't be afraid! God is coming to your rescue, coming to punish your enemies."

The blind will be able to see, and the deaf will hear.

The lame will leap and dance, and those who cannot speak will shout for joy. Streams of water will flow through the desert;

the burning sand will become a lake, and dry land will be filled with springs. Where jackals used to live, marsh grass and reeds will grow.

There will be a highway there, called "The Road of Holiness." No sinner will ever travel that road; no fools will mislead those who follow it.

No lions will be there; no fierce animals will pass that way. Those whom the Lord has rescued will travel home by that road.

They will reach Jerusalem with gladness, singing and shouting for joy. They will be happy forever, forever free from sorrow and grief.

~Isaiah 35

341 to 40: Clothes, Clothes, Everywhere!

One of the many benefits of having lots of cousins:  Seasonal wardrobe changes are like a trip to the clothing store. 

Bed piled high with mounds of clothes…

Plastic bags of clothes to pass on to others,,,

Rubber bins to pack away for the next season or size…

And a closet full for winter…

And why do you worry about clothes? See how the lilies of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.
~Matthew 6:28

342 to 40: Adventurers

Nothin’ like a rousing game of ring-around-a-rosie before Adventurers investiture.

Plus, I wanted to document Esmé in uniform.  That is no easy feat, I tell you.

When you put on a uniform, there are certain inhibitions that you accept.
~Dwight D. Eisenhower

343 to 40: Cat School

If you hold a cat by the tail, you learn things you cannot learn any other way.
— Mark Twain

Cat continues to add value to our homeschool.  Here he makes a perfect card table for our addition game during math time.

344 to 40: Pressing On!

I’m proud of my girlie!

This was snapped just before heading to her school’s fundraiser something-a-thon.  Little Miss 5yo ran 4 miles – without a break – more than any other kid in her K-6th school.

She won a $20 gift certificate – her first significant contribution to the financial well-being of our household. But that’s just a side note. :)

But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

~Philippians 3:13-14

345 to 40: Inventory

We’ve been doing a rotating inventory through our stores – a long full day each month.  I get to spend lots of time clicking on this handy gadget.

I had a hard time finding inspirational quotes on inventory.  Not even any jokes.  What’s with that?

So I’ll leave you with this…

Man stands for long time with mouth open before roast duck flies in.  ~Chinese Saying

346 to 40: Baby Alpaca

This little cutie, hanging out on Susan & Dave’s property, cooperated with a nice little photo opp for me… :)

And it reminds me of our favorite Llama Llama books.  Here’s a link to Llama Llama Mad at Mama on YouTube:

“Please stop fussing, little llama!
No more of this llama drama!”

347 to 40: Reading the Good Book

Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.
         ~Psalm 119:105

Nothing sweeter than watching your baby apply her new reading skills to Bible stories…

348 to 40: A Day In The Life

You do not need to leave your room. Remain sitting at your table and listen. Do not even listen, simply wait, be quiet, still and solitary. The world will freely offer itself to you to be unmasked, it has no choice, it will roll in ecstasy at your feet.
~ Franz Kafka

It’s a day which has no event, no single defining moment, to capture.  So I sit at my table, and look around, and I see a cat.  And I see supper.  And that is all. 

349 to 40: Tadpoles

What are little girls made of, made of?
What are little girls  made of?
Sugar  and spice, and everything nice,
That's what little girls are made of.

Reaaallly?  More like frogs and snails and puppy dog tails, methinks…

A Sunrise staff campout on the Umpqua River gave Miss Esmé the opportunity to become educated in the fine art of catching tadpoles – with help.  That water bottle in the last photo contains two of ‘em.

350 to 40: Color

Thank you to the cousins who inspire us to bring out the coloring books!

My skin is kind of sort of brownish
Pinkish yellowish white.
My eyes are greyish blueish green,
But I'm told they look orange in the night.
My hair is reddish blondish brown,
But it's silver when it's wet.
And all the colors I am inside
Have not been invented yet.
~Shel Silverstein, "Colors"

351 to 40: Dizzy…

Look who came to visit!  Eating orchard fruit and spinning in the twilight…

I'd like to be a kid again but only because naps were insisted, twirling in circles was acceptable, and the only password I had to remember was open sesame.

~Adar Burks

352 to 40: Jurassic Pork

When Esmé was furnishing our recyclable English castle, she set up a pterosaur pig herder in the back right corner on an obsidian rock.

It makes me laugh.  I have no idea why.

Nothing inspirational for you on this.  I’ll give you a quote, at least.

The less said about the pterodactyl the better. It was a spectacle, that beast! a mixture of buzzard and alligator, a sarcasm, an affront to all animated nature, a butt for the ribald jests of an unfeeling world.

~ Mark Twain

353 to 40: Stars & Stripes

I have the privilege of working with – and being inspired by – people with intellectual/developmental disabilities each day. 

One man has made it his personal responsibility to make sure our flag goes up each morning and comes down each afternoon, rain, snow, or shine.

Yesterday morning as he faithfully popped into the office to pick up the flag, he announced, “I need to put the flag up at half mast today.  It’s 9/11!”

And so he did.

It is not just the soldiers, the first responders, who keep that flag waving high o’er the home of the brave.  It is the blue roses, too. 

Thank you, sir.  For remembering.

354 to 40: NyQuil

Today’s smoothie ingredients:  coconut milk, pineapple-orange juice, frozen banana and mango chunks, agave nectar.  I impress myself sometimes…

Especially comparing it to the other stuff I’ve been guzzling down.

NyQuil – The stuffy, sneezy, why-is-the-room-spinning medicine.

To keep things in perspective, we’re remembering 9/11 victims and praying for BMA-classmate Tammy’s family as they deal with her loss to cancer today.

355 to 40: Party!

It was Princess Ellie’s day!

Source:  http://www.hope24seven.com/2012/06/17/prince-or-princess-a-reminder-to-parents-and-the-rest-of-us/

356 to 40: Sick Lil’ Santa

Q:  Why did Santa start sneezing as he went down the chimney?

A:  He caught a nasty flue.

Lil’ Miss Esmé decided to pick up a cold during her first days of school; I hope this is not a precursor for the germ-laden days ahead.

Anyway, her sniffles meant we spent a *quiet* day at home, initiating the brand-new Hooked on Bible Stories set I had picked up at a thrift store (yes, Sunrise), watching Veggie Tales’ Sweet Pea Beauty, listening to Pilgrim’s Progress (expect some bizarre conversations to be initiated from that), and pulling Santa hats out of the dress-up bin.

357 to 40: Different?

Esmé’s kindergarten homework instructions:  Color the shapes that are the same on each row.  Cross out the shape that is different.

Be daring, be different, be impractical, be anything that will assert integrity of purpose and imaginative vision against the play-it-safers, the creatures of the commonplace, the slaves of the ordinary.

~Cecil Beaton

358 to 40: Hammer

Esmé getting a lesson on hammer holding… guess you don’t HAVE to be male to experience the power!

Source:  http://www.gocomics.com/calvinandhobbes/1995/08/03