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Things You Learn Online

Like, easy ninja masks. From t-shirts.

J9 looks formidable. But the camera battery is low.

Thanks, Ashley.

January 30, 2006 | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Continuing the Dialogue. . .

Blogs may not be the ideal medium for continuing a discussion Shawn Wood and I are having regarding church discipline, especially as it pertains to Seacoast Church and Gary Ezzo.

So, I've started a thread at AwareParent.Net and invite those interested to join us.

You're welcome to jump into the conversation there. Registration is quick and easy, moderation is light, and all are welcome.

Tags: GFI / Ezzo / Babywise, Babywise, Gary Ezzo, Ezzo.Info, Christian Parenting, Seacoast Church, Shawn Wood, Church Discipline, AwareParent.Net

January 29, 2006 | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Weird Ethnic Foods Night

When Hubby came home from the grocery store last night, he announced, "Tonight is Weird Ethnic Foods night!" Thanks to the gourmet and ethnic sections of the grocery store, Hubby planned our dinner menu:

Indian Mutter Paneer
Indian Dhingri Mutter
Indian Spiced Rice
Indian Spiced Chai

Greek Olive Bread
Greek Stuffed Grape Leaves
Greek Three Pepper Hummas
Greek Flat Bread

French Goat Cheese

Japanese Sushi

And the kids ate it all! J9 especially liked the sushi. T8 loved the mutter dishes. R6 was tired, but drank lots of chai. C5 asked for seconds on the goat cheese. . . And I'm having flat bread, hummus, and sprouts for lunch.

January 29, 2006 | Comments (1) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Maybe I'm Not Culturally Sensitive. . .

. . .but this story is just about the final straw before I once again join the ranks of vegetarians.

January 29, 2006 | Comments (9) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Dinner and Google

I tried to resist interrupting dinner, but I jut had to google something in the midst of our conversation. We were talking about world population, food, and such, and I needed to know which country had the most arable land by area.

It took a little longer than expected to find the answer. The first search came up with arable land as a percentage of country land mass. The top three?
Bangladesh
Ukraine
Denmark

Yeah, I'm a bit surprised, too.

But arable land by area?
United States
India
Russian Federation

Okay. Back to dinner.

The conversation evolved to Christianity and capitalism. Which led to Hubby pulling Novak's "The Spirit of Democratic Capitalism" off of the shelf and J9 begging to read it. . .

January 28, 2006 | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Four Things Meme

Tagged by Miss Mel in Paradise:

Four Jobs You've Had
Easter Bunny at the Mall
Intern, Christian Pro-Life Foundation
Various Bookstores
Tutor for Homeschool Students

Four Places You've Lived
A remote island in Alaska.
Guantanamo Bay, Cuba
Middle-of-Nowhere, Texas
Kyiv, Ukraine

Four Vacations You've Taken
Two Weeks in Paris. Amazing.
Road Trip to C-stone with a girlfriend.
Prague for visa renewals.
A dacha near the Black Sea.

Four Vehicles You've ~~Owned~~ Driven
Purple Honda Civic Hatchback with B Kindr tags--it's my Mom's car, but I'm driving it these days. *grin*
Volvo Station Wagon (learned to drive in it.)
Several Voyagers/Caravans
Nissan Sentra

Four Blogs I Visit and Want to Tag:
Nutmeg Mama
Chile Con Becca
The College Girls
Kiwi Mum

January 27, 2006 | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Remembering Rachel

"A voice was heard in Ramah,
weeping and loud lamentation,
Rachel weeping for her children;
she refused to be comforted,
because they are no more."

Thirty-three years of nearly unrestricted abortion in America.

Forty-two million abortions performed since that time.

Every abortion involves a a mother and her preborn child.

Most involve a father, grandparents, siblings.

We mourn for the loss of life, the loss of hope.

And we remember.

January 23, 2006 | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

William Gouge: Theologian and AP Advocate

Thanks to Lydia, Nathan's Helpmeet, who has drawn my attention to the works of William Gouge--specifically his pages upon pages of reflection on the Bible and breastfeeding. Lydia quoted a passage on cry-it-out and breastfeeding, but the section below really stood out to me.

Among other needful things, the milk of the breast is fit for young babes, and with it they are to be nourished. I think none doubt of the equity of this. It hath in all ages, and in all countries, been accounted the best food that can be for young babes. The metaphor, which S. Peter useth, taken from young infants [in the words, As new-born babes desire the sincere milk of the word (1 Peter 2:2)] confirmeth as much. So doth also the desire which such infants have to the milk of the breasts: and the ability, and promptness which is in them to suck: and God's providence in causing a woman's breasts to yield forth such milk: and the constant manner of nourishing little infants after this manner, commended in the Scripture: and [to conclude] the natural instinct which many unreasonable creatures have thus to nourish their young ones.

. . .

God hath given to women two breasts fit to contain and hold milk: and nipples unto them fit to have milk drawn from them. Why are these thus given? to lay them forth for ostentation? There is no warrant for that in all God's word. They are directly given for the child's food that cometh out of the womb; for till the child be born, there is no milk in the breasts: anon after it is born, milk ordinarily floweth into the breasts: yea a great part of the meat which they eat turneth into milk. They make this admirable work of God's providence to be in vain, that dry up this spring, and suffer not their children to partake of the benefits of it.

--William Gouge, On Domestical Duties

January 19, 2006 | Comments (16) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Queen Susan, The Gentle

Critics who treat adult as a term of approval, instead of as a merely descriptive term, cannot be adult themselves. To be concerned about being grown up, to admire the grown up because it is grown up, to blush at the suspicion of being childish; these things are the marks of childhood and adolescence. And in childhood and adolescence they are, in moderation, healthy symptoms. Young things ought to want to grow. But to carry on into middle life or even into early manhood this concern about being an adult is a mark of really arrested development. When I was ten, I read fairy tales in secret and would have been ashamed if I had been found doing so. Now that I am fifty I read them openly. When I became a man I put away childish things, including the fear of childishness and the desire to be very grown up.

C.S. Lewis

Fan fic worth reading:

Title: The Queen's Return
Fandom: The Chronicles of Narnia
Summary: Once a king or queen in Narnia, always a king or queen in Narnia.

(Via Rebecca)

January 14, 2006 | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Taking Russian Foreign Policy Seriously

And Putin wonders why it is so hard to take Russia and Russian foreign policy seriously:

Speaking with Pravda this week, [Russian Liberal and Democratic Party politician Vladimir]Zhirinovsky chastised Rice for calling on Russia to "act responsibly" in supplying natural gas to Ukraine.

The fascistic pol attributed that "coarse anti-Russian statement" to Rice being "a single woman who has no children."

"If she has no man by her side at her age, he will never appear," Zhirinovsky ranted on. "Condoleezza Rice needs a company of soldiers. She needs to be taken to barracks where she would be satisfied.

"Condoleezza Rice is a very cruel, offended woman who lacks men's attention," he added. "Such women are very rough. … They can be happy only when they are talked and written about everywhere: 'Oh, Condoleezza, what a remarkable woman, what a charming Afro-American lady! How well she can play the piano and speak Russian!'

"Complex-prone women are especially dangerous. They are like malicious mothers-in-law, women that evoke hatred and irritation with everyone. Everybody tries to part with such women as soon as possible. A mother-in-law is better than a single and childless political persona, though."

Whatever.

(Via Drudge)

January 14, 2006 | Comments (3) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Hermeneutic Bookmarks

Just a self-reminder:

NT510: Hermeneutics

Monergism: Hermeneutics

Metachoi's Evaluating Biblical Arguments

January 13, 2006 | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Babywise "Trade-Offs"

Ezzo discusses "trade-offs" with Babywise:

"We wish everything in this book worked perfectly for each mom/baby combination when it comes to lactation.

"...in parenting there will always be tradeoffs...while most moms can [breastfeed longterm*] with Babywise, we recognize not all moms can because no philosophy comes without trade-offs."

-- Babywise, pp. 63, 64

* while "longterm" is not defined, Babywise says mothers using the program breastfeed for just over 8 months on average.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a minimum of one year of breastfeeding.

(Via Ezzo.Info)

January 13, 2006 | Comments (17) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Neat Noonie News!

I made the short list on The Lactivist blogroll! Thanks, Jennifer!

And in recognition of that, here are some of my favorite writings on breastfeeding:

The Original Noonie Page

A Few Of My Favorite Things 2005, 2004

Play Ball! (Militant Breastfeeding Cult)

Breastfeeding and Babywise: The Realities, The Practicalities

Contented Cows Give Sweet Milk

January 11, 2006 | Comments (5) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Life, Theology, and Motherhood

A must-read post from ChewyMom.

January 11, 2006 | Comments (2) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

I'm a Vermiculturist

I finally got my worms. I've been wanting to do worm kitchen composting for several years. While we had an ideal place for a worm bin in Ukraine, we were already weird Americans and I didn't want to further freak out my Ukrainian neighbors.

The past couple of months here in Florida, I've been looking into it again. Today I stopped at Mr. B's Bait Shop and asked if they had any red wigglers. They did! And Penny (who is the type of woman who obviously enjoys fishing) was very tolerant of my non-fishing request, and gave me a few pointers she'd picked up from other worm composters who had bought their red wigglers from her.

I already had a plastic bin that I had sized for under the sink. A couple of weeks ago I prepared bedding of corrogated cardboard squares and newspaper strips. But my plastic container wasn't quite ready. Worms need lots of oxygen--they breathe through their skin. And the compost needs it, too--otherwise it will start anaerobic and smelly decay. So, I stopped at Target and bought myself a small and girly hand-held drill. My first worms AND my first power tool! We are so not power tool people. I drilled bunches of holes in my container.

Then I gently dumped my two styrofoam containers of worms onto the top of the damp bedding. At first I thought about half were already dead. Laying there still and wormie. But they were just in shock. After about a minute most of them had wiggled deep into their new home. A couple were still on top and still. But when I went to take them out, they all started wiggling. Not a dead worm in the bunch!

But then I committed vermicide. Unitentional worm slaughter. Well, maybe slaughter is too big a word, since I killed only about 10. I drilled air holes into my container below the bedding line (I thought I read it was okay) and several escaped and shrivelled up overnight. Hubby said he heard little wormy voices chanting "Attica, attica!" before they made their break. So, I taped up those holes, and checked and saw I still had live worms, and we'll go from here.

More resources on vermiculture:
The Burrow Presents. . .
Worm Digest
Worms Eat My Garbage
Composting with Red Wigglers
Worm Bins, Illustrated
Easy Worm Bin

January 07, 2006 | Comments (17) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Choosing a Major

Don't know what to study? Choose the quick and easy way--with a blog quiz!

You scored as Journalism. You are an aspiring journalist, and you should major in journalism! Like me, you are passionate about writing and expressing yourself, and you want the world to understand your beliefs through writing.

English

100%

Psychology

100%

Journalism

100%

Linguistics

92%

Anthropology

92%

Sociology

83%

Theater

83%

Mathematics

67%

Philosophy

58%

Biology

58%

Art

58%

Dance

50%

Engineering

50%

Chemistry

42%

What is your Perfect Major? (PLEASE RATE ME!!<3)
created with QuizFarm.com

January 05, 2006 | Comments (11) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Blonde Joke

I'm both grinning and groaning at this blonde joke.

(Via Atypical Andrea)

January 04, 2006 | Comments (8) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Catechism for Young Children

Buy here:
Catechism for Young Children

Online here:
Catechism for Young Children
(Similar, if not the same.)

Especially for Haley. *Grin*

January 03, 2006 | Comments (4) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Goals, Desires, Dreams 2006

Goals:

1. Couch to 5K. The sloooooow plan.
2. Develop more family routines, ala Flylady.
3. Take a college class this year.
4. Finish memorizing the Children's Catechism with the boys.
5. Floss more.

Desires:

1. Find a friend to whom I can be spiritually accountable, and will encourage me in my walk with the Lord.
2. Reconnect with family, friends, supporters.
3. Be more comfortable with techy stuff.
4. Read more. Write more.
5. Go on more dates with Hubby.
6. Start vermicomposting.

Dreams:

See the Mondo Beyondo list.

Btw, this is not a definitive list, and is open to updating and modification. . . *grin*

January 01, 2006 | Comments (13) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

Mondo Beyondo -- The Dream List 2006

Obviously, the Mondo Beyondo list includes things that are far into the future, not just this year. This is my day-dream list.

1. Live in Paris, in the Third Arrondissement.
2. Have another baby.
3. Finish my undergrad, and go on to grad school/seminary.
4. Be on the college lecture circuit and given handsome honoraria.
5. Drive an old Jaguar.
6. Learn to Dance.
7. Sing lullabies to grandbabies.
8. Write something lasting.
9. Wear my wedding dress/engagement ring again.

Btw, this is not a definitive list, and is open to updating and modification. . . *grin*

January 01, 2006 | Comments (7) | TrackBack (0) | Permalink

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