We're not always quite this cozy during school, but I love that we can be.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Sunday, August 28, 2011
remembering eighteen years ago today...
The day started rainy, but the sky began to clear as the hours clicked by. Eric called and arranged a date. I insisted that we not eat out, to save him money. I fixed a box of macaroni and cheese for our supper, followed by a walk to Ash Park. Since then, that park has been renamed Anderson. We live right down the street from it today, but it's no longer close enough to walk. Our kids think it is the best place in town to play.
I don't remember the walk, or if I was suspicious of the large bag Eric was carrying. I do remembering sitting on the ground on a couple of Wal-Mart bags. Eric opened his bag and drew out a large white bear holding a heart. Behind the heart was a box, and in the box was a ring.
He didn't get on his knees, and he says it was because of the wet grass. It didn't matter to me. When he asked the question, I said yes.
I love the memory of that day, because it so captures our relationship. We don't need a lot of fanfare to have fun together. We still love to take walks, even with three kids tagging along.
The reason I'm remembering is because it's the same day as his parents' anniversary. Now there are two generations united by the memory of one special date.
I don't remember the walk, or if I was suspicious of the large bag Eric was carrying. I do remembering sitting on the ground on a couple of Wal-Mart bags. Eric opened his bag and drew out a large white bear holding a heart. Behind the heart was a box, and in the box was a ring.
He didn't get on his knees, and he says it was because of the wet grass. It didn't matter to me. When he asked the question, I said yes.
I love the memory of that day, because it so captures our relationship. We don't need a lot of fanfare to have fun together. We still love to take walks, even with three kids tagging along.
The reason I'm remembering is because it's the same day as his parents' anniversary. Now there are two generations united by the memory of one special date.
Saturday, August 27, 2011
playing food detective
It was Micah who finally put it all together.
He was sick again this week, waking up on Thurs. morning with the too-familiar nausea. We talked through what he had to eat at youth group on Wed. night, and traced his reaction to marshmallows. He had forgotten that they are usually made with gelatin, which contains a naturally-occuring form of MSG. He's had trouble with them before, but didn't think about them being in scotch-a-roos. I checked with another friend who cannot eat MSG, and she confirmed that marshmallows provoke a nasty reaction if she eats them.
And we used to call him Marshmallow Micah, he loved them so much when he was little. Sniff.
After several rounds of baking soda in vegetable capsules (he can't do gel caps because they are made from...gelatin), Micah was back on his feet within 12 hours and eating. This is so much better than the 4-5 day recovery he used to have.
But he thought about it all a bit, and came up with an explanation for his school absences over the years.
When the kids went to private school, the lunches were not subsidized. Already spending plenty on tuition, we limited them to hot lunch once a week. He would be sick maybe 10 days a year.
When he switched to public school two years ago, we let him eat hot lunch whenever he wanted. His absences increased to over 20 days that year.
In Junior High, everyone eats hot lunch. The kids can eat a la carte, and the food is pretty tasty. Micah missed 44 days, most of them during the part of the year when we let him eat hot lunch every day. He was mysteriously much better when we decided to stop doing hot lunch and he started carrying one from home.
Now we understand why he seemed so healthy during the summer (we don't consume much food with MSG, even before we changed our diet) only to be so sick during the school year.
The foods our kids love to consume: chicken nuggets, some lunch meats, and many things that are heavily seasoned, contain high amounts of MSG. These are the kinds of foods they serve in the school lunch program.
It is also found in a lot of restaurant food, which explains why Micah has had trouble with certain restaurants since he was about 5 years old.
Case closed! Good work, son.
**Added later: We are now remembering how much Micah enjoyed marshmallows in hot chocolate every winter. It may be that we can't completely blame everything on the school lunch!
He was sick again this week, waking up on Thurs. morning with the too-familiar nausea. We talked through what he had to eat at youth group on Wed. night, and traced his reaction to marshmallows. He had forgotten that they are usually made with gelatin, which contains a naturally-occuring form of MSG. He's had trouble with them before, but didn't think about them being in scotch-a-roos. I checked with another friend who cannot eat MSG, and she confirmed that marshmallows provoke a nasty reaction if she eats them.
And we used to call him Marshmallow Micah, he loved them so much when he was little. Sniff.
After several rounds of baking soda in vegetable capsules (he can't do gel caps because they are made from...gelatin), Micah was back on his feet within 12 hours and eating. This is so much better than the 4-5 day recovery he used to have.
But he thought about it all a bit, and came up with an explanation for his school absences over the years.
When the kids went to private school, the lunches were not subsidized. Already spending plenty on tuition, we limited them to hot lunch once a week. He would be sick maybe 10 days a year.
When he switched to public school two years ago, we let him eat hot lunch whenever he wanted. His absences increased to over 20 days that year.
In Junior High, everyone eats hot lunch. The kids can eat a la carte, and the food is pretty tasty. Micah missed 44 days, most of them during the part of the year when we let him eat hot lunch every day. He was mysteriously much better when we decided to stop doing hot lunch and he started carrying one from home.
Now we understand why he seemed so healthy during the summer (we don't consume much food with MSG, even before we changed our diet) only to be so sick during the school year.
The foods our kids love to consume: chicken nuggets, some lunch meats, and many things that are heavily seasoned, contain high amounts of MSG. These are the kinds of foods they serve in the school lunch program.
It is also found in a lot of restaurant food, which explains why Micah has had trouble with certain restaurants since he was about 5 years old.
Case closed! Good work, son.
**Added later: We are now remembering how much Micah enjoyed marshmallows in hot chocolate every winter. It may be that we can't completely blame everything on the school lunch!
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Sunday, August 21, 2011
E100 Reading Challenge
This fall, our women's ministry team has encouraged us to take the E100 Reading Challenge: to read through 100 essential passages that give an overview of the message of the Bible. I'd like to encourage you to come along with us! If you're a reader of this blog, but not a member of our church, you are still welcome to join the challenge. You can download a brochure here. To be a part of EWO conversation, be sure to come and check out our blog: http://www.ewowomenoftheword.com/. We will be finished by November 30.
Friday, August 19, 2011
open for business...
Petz, Etc. and Timeless Treasures Books and Coffee. When I saw this business math series by Simply Charlotte Mason on a friend's blog, it seemed like a fun way to jazz up our Friday math. The kids come up with their own name, design a logo, and then set up and run a business for 12 months. Today they figured how much to mark up their inventory by either 100 or 150%, and then calculated their start-up costs. Next week, they will fill orders for January, compute tax, order more inventory, pay bills, order more inventory, and see if they have profit or loss. (Ok, all that may take 2 weeks.) It's hard work, but enthusiasm is high. It reminds me of the game of Life!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)