Early Bird Catches the Worm?

I'd really like to know - is it an actual virtue to rise early and retire early? One of my New Year's resolutions is to be up by 8 and be in bed by midnight. I've read that going to bed before midnight gives you more and better rest per minute than each minute gives you after midnight. Yet there are many people who work at night and sleep during the day (nod to Bill, of Bill's Blog, who by the way has still not posted...how did he put it, "an article with depth"?). In the Bible it talks about rising early in the morning, but it also says something like "her candle goeth not out at night" (Prov. 31). How can we do both?

My other resolution is to stop drinking coffee. How did I get started on this ridiculous habit?!? Not healthful at all...

Just Rearranging the Furniture

Hi all! Well, Christmas is over, and now more than ever, I'm looking forward to SPRING! So I decided to rearrange my blog furniture and spruce things up a bit to make it look more spring-like. I hope the changes show up well on your browser. It looks fine on K-meleon, but I don't see everything on Firefox. I don't know about Explorer or Netscape. What do you see on your browser? Is it working? Should be a green background, white box around the actual blog (with little dots on it), and a few new pictures.

I hope you all had a blessed Christmas! Now on to our New Year's resolutions. Got any?

Merry Christmas!

I've decided to go ahead and take a blogging break until after Christmas. Merry Christmas everyone, and may God bless you and your families!

Reflections on the First Day of Winter

I MISS SUNLIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My Christmas 'Gift' to My Husband

My husband is not a shopper. It didn't take long after we got married for me to start scheming about our holiday gift-giving practices. I came up with a great idea. I shop for him and for myself. When I do his shopping for him and buy gifts for myself, then that's kind of like a gift for him, right? What a load that must be off of his mind, to not have to worry about what to get for me. This way, all he has to do is ask me: "Amey, what did I get you for Christmas? And did I wrap it yet?" And I say, "Yes, dear. You got me a coconut candy bar and the latest issue of Mother Earth News. And yes, 'you' already wrapped it." Easy. And I always get what I want!

Side note: it cracks me up that I like to read Mother Earth News. I like to just bring it up in conversations with friends and family members. Something like, "Oh yes. I just read something about that in Mother Earth News." I can tell it really impresses them.   

God Was Born First

Here's the beginning of my second son's birth order list for everyone who is important in his world (this is also the boy who knows all the states and their shapes, and beat the rest of us in Chutes and Ladders THREE TIMES IN A ROW last night):
1. God
2. Jesus
3. Grandma B.
4. Grandma D.
5. Grandpa

We'll have to work on his theology.

A Fun Game if You Have Some Free Time

Try to beat my 4-year-old at this game:Place the State. I found this link at Two Talent Living.

Son #2's first try: 76%, 52 mi. ave. error (38 perfect out of 50)
My first try: 92%, 13 mi. ave. error

All of You! Stop it!

It's just shameless the way you people have turned my blog into a circus. I think we'd all ought to just move on with our lives. Let's turn to more serious topics than Bill's Blog's disgraceful inactivity. Like the weather.

It's crazy! If this is only December, what will January be like? I'm having flashbacks of last January when we were without power for five days because of a winter storm. Yesterday I filled up some empty old water bottles with tap water so we can at least maybe flush the toilets and wash dishes if that happens again. Yoiks! I hope everyone is staying cozy and toasty warm.

Warning: Do NOT Read This Man's Blog

Don't even try reading this blog. It is never updated. Bill's Blog gives credit to me for his start in blogging, but he never writes anything new. Just don't go there. You'll only see the same old heading FROM LAST JULY. If you would like to protest in response to the last 5 blogless months from Bill's Blog, I expect you to leave a comment here. Thank you.

Reverse Psychology: Oh Yeah

Me: "OK everyone, it's almost time to clean up! Nobody start cleaning up until I turn on the timer! No cheating!"
(background sounds: maniacal laughter)
Me: "You're not cleaning up yet, are you? Wait until I turn on the timer!"
(background: more laughter and "cleaning up" sounds)

Reverse psychology: oh yeah.

Health Values of Different Sugars: Update

Last December, I wrote about the health values of different sugars. I just thought I'd update that list a little and add some of the information that I've learned over the past year.

From best to worst:
Fresh (whole) fruit
Honey, maple syrup
Rapadura, stevia
Molasses
Fruit juice (freshly squeezed; not canned, concentrated, carton-ed or bottled)
"Sugar in the raw" (yes, this is a real product), Sucanat
Fruit juice (canned, concentrated, carton-ed or bottled)
Fructose
Dark brown sugar
Light brown sugar
Granulated sugar
Powdered sugar
Saccharin
Sucralose (Splenda)
Aspartame

I added Rapadura to this list because I have found that it is the least processed of natural sugars. It is basically dehydrated sugar-cane juice. I moved fructose down on my list because I have learned that fructose is similar to (and is a component of) high fructose corn syrup, which is very harmful to your body in large amounts, or over a long period of time in small amounts.

About Splenda (sucralose): Their sales slogan is "Made from sugar, so it tastes like sugar". But that is very misleading. It is true that Splenda is made from sugar; however, it is chemically altered to include three chlorine molecules along with one sugar molecule. If you want to read about why consuming chlorine is not good, there are several good articles at Dr. Mercola's site.

About Aspartame (also called Nutrasweet): I have just learned that it has recently been proven to cause cancer. It used to be suspected that it did, but we didn't know for sure. Now we do.

Another sweetener I learned about this year is stevia. Stevia comes directly from a plant and is completely safe. It is a very concentrated sweetener, so you don't need to use very much. I haven't tried this yet, but I've seen it in stores. It comes in liquid and powder form. I suspect it would be good to use to sweeten your drinks, but tricky to bake with.

A closing note to the executives in charge of manufacturing Nutrasweet and Splenda: please don't sue me. I'm only an insignificant microbe. You won't get much outta me. :-)

2005-2006 Virus Tally #1

Last year at about this time we had each had one flu and were just starting to get our second cold.

So far this season:
Husband: 0 colds, 0 flus
Me: 1 cold, 0 flus
Child #1: 0 colds, 0 flus
Child #2: 1 cold, 0 flus
Child #3: 0 colds, 0 flus

Much better than last year. The colds we've had so far were on the light side of a moderate cold. That means that one night we had trouble sleeping for a couple of hours, but that was the worst. We didn't have to live next to the tissue box, and Sudafed kept things very manageable.

Off topic: do you like the little graphics I (read: my husband) put on my blog?

Please, Take Your Laughter More Seriously, Folks

I suppose you're wondering why I would post a sign in the sidebar of my blog telling the blessed readers of this blog that I am an "Insignificant Microbe". Let me be perfectly clear. It's for my own benefit. It pays for me to have little reminders here and there not to take myself too seriously. I have little reminders all over the place (I just put three of them to bed for the night). If you have kids, you know what I'm talking about.

You might think I'm just trying to be funny, but this is perfectly serious business. My dad was telling me about a children's lesson he taught in church last week. The kids had to try eating a doughnut suspended above them without using their hands, or some such nonsense. I asked him what the super-spiritual point of that was. He said, "A cheerful heart is good medicine." I'm sure he really had to pound that lesson into those kids' brains. Note: It would have been even more spiritual if he would have used fruit instead of a disgusting trans-fat-laden, chock full of sugar doughnut. But I digress.

Sometimes fun times, laughter, humor, and a cheerful heart are the ends and the means. We tend to think of seriousness and laughter as being complete opposites, but I'm not sure they are. Take Christmas, for example. I am extremely serious about seeing to it that my kids have a great time on Christmas Day. And I am buying many toys, games, and (natural sugar) treats toward that end. It's tempting sometimes for me to give in to the whole "materialism-is-evil-so-we'll-be-celebrating-Christmas-on-two-cents-per-child" routine. This is tempting because it is what "weird people" do, and as you all know I enjoy my life outside of the mainstream (notice I didn't call myself "weird"). Last year I justified my wild spending by buying (almost) only educational gifts. I have decided that this year I would spend wildly (within the limits set by my fiscally responsible husband) on things that will be just FUN. But then I also spent beyond the limits on some more educational gifts, too. Don't tell my husband about that part. He'll never know...he doesn't even read my blog. hehe

ANYWAY, the point is that the Bible has a lot to say about joy, good cheer, and celebration. I realize that our children need to understand the reason we celebrate Christmas, and I certainly do not want to feed my children's natural affinity for being greedy little sinners. That's why I never ask them what they want for Christmas. Who cares what they want! It's not about what they want. It's about what they need! And what do they need? To have lots of fun on Christmas morning! :-)

Just Playin' Around

I found a page that tells how to use different colors for the text in your blog. Does it work? I guess the yellow doesn't show up so well.

Microbes are Good

My kids love bath time. That's where my boys are right now. Enjoying their bath. They like to take the 88 cent glow-in-the-dark light sticks from Wal-Mart with them and then have the lights turned out. I'm sitting here blogging, sipping my hot (lukewarm, actually) cocoa (made with 'good' milk, organic cocoa powder, and honey, in case you were wondering), and listening to my boys play in the bathtub. They have a great time in there. There's a reason for this. We only bathe them once a week. At most. Sure, occasionally they get so dirty that an extra bath here and there is necessary, but they seem to do just fine with their baths few and far between. If they had them more often, they'd fight the whole time and hate doing it. You see, there's a method to our madness. Check back when our oldest turns 12. I'll be singing a different tune then. Maybe sooner.

Did you know there is an ecosystem in the blogosphere? The really popular bloggers like Michelle Malkin and Hugh Hewitt are "Higher Beings", while the lowliest of the lowly bloggers whom no one pays any attention to (such as yours truly) are "Insignificant Microbes". Check it out. Here's the whole list of every "creature" in the blogging ecosystem:

Higher Beings
Mortal Humans
Playful Primates
Large Mammals
Marauding Marsupials
Adorable Rodents
Flappy Birds
Slithering Reptiles
Crawly Amphibians
Flippery Fish
Slimy Molluscs
Lowly Insects
Crunchy Crustaceans
Wiggly Worms
Multicellular Microorganisms
Insignificant Microbes

I aspire to someday be a Slimy Mollusc.

Why I Hope in the Lord

I just noticed that there was some kind of "asbestos mesothelioma" link on the bottom of my blog under my counter. I had no idea it was there. It must have something to do with the counter, but I just wanted to clarify: I didn't put it there on purpose. I don't know anything about the contents of that site. I took it off. I'm sorry if anyone took that to mean I highly endorsed the site. I don't. Didn't even look at it.

A piece of noteworthy news: the Ladies Against Feminism site is back in business after an extended "summer vacation" (more like summer AND fall vacation). It's great to hear from Jennie Chancey again. I always enjoy reading what she has to share. Good links there, too.

On the food front: I made ginger carrots and sauerkraut last week. We tried them for the first time a few days ago, and YAHOO! I like them both! Look out family! Be forewarned! I'll bring some to our family Christmas dinner so you can sample them. :-) Not planning to bring the kefir, however. Sorry, Julie. I know you were hoping to try it.

And on the emotional roller-coaster post-miscarriage front: I told my husband last night that I felt like I was trying to run up an escalator that was going down and then burst into tears. I don't mind writing this on my blog because I know many ladies can relate to this "escalator" feeling. You know what I'm talking about - by the time you get all the clean laundry folded and put away, there are three more loads ready to be washed, and there's one in the washing machine that's been sitting there for two days. The beans in the refrigerator spoiled (forgot to put them in the freezer), and all of a sudden the children start fighting like mortal enemies. I didn't even mention the mess in the kitchen, did I? And everyone is dying of starvation at the exact same moment (not at a normal mealtime).

When I start feeling like this, I give my husband a few minutes to feel sorry for me; then I take a nap and let it all wait! Of course this only works when he's home. Then when I get up, it's all still sitting right there, waiting for me to take action. But at least I get a nap.

Those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint. Isaiah 40:31

The Non-tagging Game

From The Queen of Carrots:
Seven things to do before I die:
1. See the Canadian Rockies
2. Spend the winter someplace tropical
3. Spend time with my great-grandchildren
4. Read the classics
5. Write a book
6. Learn Greek and Latin
7. Get organized

Seven things I cannot do:
1. Go to bed before 11.
2. Keep up with the weeding.
3. Be neat when wiping crumbs off the table or countertop
4. Wear a sweater in church (too hot)
5. Let my children throw a tantrum
6. Roll tortillas
7. Decorate a cake

Seven things that attract me to DOB:
not applicable :-)
I suppose I could substitute seven things that attract me to my husband:
1. His stunning good looks
2. His rapier wit
3. His astounding intelligence
4. His incredibly good taste
5. His spiritual insight
6. His ability to think "outside the box"
7. Pizza night

Seven things I say most often
1. Well, you know if you don't eat it, you won't get anything to eat before breakfast tomorrow.
2. We don't sit on the table.
3. I love you!
4. OK everyone, I'm going to set the timer!
5. No yelling, please.
6. Time for dinner!
7. Sorry, but we don't do that in this house.

Seven books or authors you love:
1. L.M. Montgomery
2. Nourishing Traditions (Sally Fallon)
3. C.S. Lewis
4. Jan Karon
5. Michael Phillips
6. Well-Trained Mind (Jesse Wise and Susan Wise Bauer)
7. Teaching the Trivium (the Bluedorns)

Seven movies you (would) watch over and over again:
1. Anne of Green Gables
2. Anne of Avonlea
3. The Blue and the Gray
4. Shadowlands
5. The Secret Garden (Hallmark version)
6. Muppet Treasure Island (no joke)
7. Batman (the original)

Seven people I want to join in, too:
1. Continuing the non-tagging tradition, if you want to do it, consider yourself tagged.

Notice to All Catalog Publishers on the Face of the Planet

I have received your catalog. Don't call me. I'll call you. Please stop mailing me your catalogs, of which I have already received twelve identical copies. Thank you.